Office for Foreign Relations and Information 

The following text is a guide through your personal security. In no case does it claim it comprises all details. Information we are offering shall be taken as a piece of advice which can be useful when you travel abroad, especially to places where you can be exposed to a higher danger.

General advice for dangerous environment and situations

• Do not talk about your private matters, especially about your travel plans, work or family, with strangers.
• Familiarise yourself with the new surroundings. You have to know what is common in the place in order to be able to recognize what is not common.
• Behave politely and be restrained. Avoid loud conversations or arguments.
• Dress casually and be discreet.
• Do not carry your personal documents and credit cards that you do not need. The same applies to larger amounts of cash and other valuables.
• Do not walk on your own, especially at night. Avoid going to lonely places, streets without streetlights or narrow streets.
• Avoid dangerous situations especially demonstrations and political meetings.
• Remember that alcohol has a negative impact on your attention, ability to think rationally and physical condition.

Living in risky places

• Select accommodation on the second to the fifth floor. Apartments on lower floors are more likely to be burgled; on the other hand, the apartments on upper floors are more difficult to be escapes from in case of fire or other danger.
• Do not leave important personal documents and valuables in your apartment or room exposed.
• Always lock entrance doors and gates even when you are at home during the day and at night.
• Pay attention to have functional lighting, especially the lighting of entrances, exits and staircases.
• Do not open the door until you know who is behind the door.
• Be careful about unexpected goods supplies or visits of workmen.
• Do not mark keys with identification information.
• Have someone pick up your newspapers and mail out of your mailbox when you will be away for a longer period of time.
• Ensure that your flat does not seem to be left empty for a long time.

Travelling and staying abroad

• Gather essential information about the place, culture and local customs of the place you are visiting.
• Do not wear clothes that could be regarded as provocative.
• Always have change in local currency and telephone cards. You should know important telephone numbers of the country.
• Obtain the international driving licence.
• Make sure that your insurance policy is valid in the country you are visiting.
• Avoid everything that could needlessly indicate at first sight that you are a foreigner.
• If you wear glasses or use lenses do not forget to take spare ones.
• Have all medicine which you use or which you could need with you.
• Do not give your home address to strangers.
• Get copies of your personal documents and hide them in various places in your luggage in case your documents are stolen.
• Have a reserve credit card and a sufficient amount of cash in case of need.
• Consider what you will do in case your wallet or documents are stolen.
• Pack your luggage yourself. Watch your luggage carefully.
• Keep your room neat so you will be able to notice that the room was "visited" by an unwanted person.
• Place valuables in a safe.

Security of children in dangerous areas

• Make sure that your children carry something that enables their identification and that they know their address and telephone number.
• Know where your children are at all times.
• Have your children's documents (photographs, etc.) at hand.
• Do not ever leave your children without supervision.
• Teach your children to call for the police or neighbours.
• Explain to your children that they must never go anywhere with a stranger even when he claims that he is sent by one of their parents.
• Ensure that your children always carry the address and telephone number of the hotel you are staying at.
• Explain to your children how to proceed in case they get lost.
• Agree on a place where you meet in case that any of you gets lost. Ensure that it is a place that can be easily find by your children.
• Make sure that your child when leaving the place you live has change or a telephone card.