Embassy/Consulate Addresses | Foreign Relations | Travel Advisories | Travel Tips | Customs/Duties



EMBASSY/CONSULATE ADDRESSES

Diplomatic Representation in US:
Ambassador: Yusoff Hamid
Embassy: 3520 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: (202)237-1838
Fax: (202)885-0560

US diplomatic representation:
Chief of mission: Daniel Shields
Embassy: Third & Fifth Floors, Teck Guan Plaza, corner of Jalan Sultan
and Jalan MacArthur, Bandar Seri Begawan
Mailing Address: American Embassy Box B, APO AP 96440
Telephone: [673] (2) 229670, 2203384, 229785, 229786,
241645, or 235254
FAX: [673] (2) 225293


Embassy and Consulate Web Sites for Brunei
Embassy of Brunei in Washington, D.C.
U.S Embassy Web Site in Brunei


FOREIGN RELATIONS

Brunei joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on January 7, 1984--1 week after resuming full independence--and gives its ASEAN membership the highest priority in its foreign relations. The chairmanship of ASEAN will rotate to Brunei in 2013. Brunei joined the UN in September 1984. It also is a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Brunei hosted the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2000 and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in July 2002.

U.S.-BRUNEI RELATIONS
Relations between the United States and Brunei date from the 1800s. On April 6, 1845, the USS Constitution visited Brunei. The two countries concluded a Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1850, which remains in force today. The United States maintained a consulate in Brunei from 1865 to 1867.

The United States welcomed Brunei Darussalam's full independence from the United Kingdom on January 1, 1984, and opened an Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan on that date. Brunei opened its embassy in Washington in March 1984. Brunei's armed forces engage in joint exercises, training programs, and other military cooperation with the United States. Two Royal Brunei Armed Forces cadets are attending the U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Naval Academy. RBAF has a West Point graduate in its work force. A memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation was signed on November 29, 1994. The Sultan visited Washington in December 2002 and visited the Pacific Command in Hawaii with then-Ambassador William E. Todd in November 2008. The Sultan also attended the U.S.-ASEAN Leaders meeting in September 2010 in New York.

DEFENSE
The Sultan is both Minister of Defense and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (RBAF). All infantry, navy, and air combat units are made up of volunteers. There are three infantry battalions equipped with armored reconnaissance vehicles and armored personnel carriers and supported by Rapier air defense missiles and a flotilla of coastal patrol vessels armed with surface-to-surface missiles. Brunei ordered three offshore patrol vessels from the U.K. but is reportedly seeking to sell these to a third country. The Royal Brunei Navy has ordered several "Itjihad" class patrol boats from German ship manufacturer Lurssen Werft.

Brunei has a defense agreement with the United Kingdom, under which a British Armed Forces Ghurka battalion (1,500 men) is permanently stationed in Seria, near the center of Brunei's oil industry. The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) has joint exercises, training programs, and other military cooperation with the United Kingdom and many other countries, including the United States. The United States and Brunei signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation in November 1994. The two countries conduct the annual military exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT). RBAF joined a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon under the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) and has been sending troops to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao to help safeguard the ceasefire between the Philippines Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Brunei’s growing commitment to peacekeeping missions is in line with its defense white paper.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Daniel Shields
Deputy Chief of Mission--Alexander Barrasso
Management Officer--Matthew Miller

The U.S. Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan is located on the third & fifth floors of the Teck Guan Plaza, at the corner of Jalan Sultan and Jalan MacArthur; tel: 673-2229670; fax: 673-2225293; e-mail: usembassy_bsb@state.gov





TRAVEL ADVISORIES

To obtain the latest Travel Advisory Information for Brunei check the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet.


TRAVEL TIPS

Driving TBA
Currency (BND) Bruneian Dollar
Electrical 240 Volts
Telephones Country Code 673, City Code, Brunei/Muara 2+6D, Kuala Belait 3+6D, Tutong 4+6D



Time: GMT + 8.

Electricity: 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are either round or square three-pin.

Telephone: Full IDD is available. Country code: 673. Outgoing international code: 00. Public telephones are available in most post office branches and main shopping areas and there is a private internal service. There are both coin and card operated public telephones in Brunei. Telephone cards can be obtained at post offices or at the Telecom office.

Climate: Very hot, humid tropical climate most of the year. Heavy rainfall in the monsoon season, November to December. Average temperature is 28°C (82ºF).

Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens. Waterproofing is advisable all year.

Food & Drink: European food is served in hotel restaurants, along with Malaysian, Chinese and Indian dishes. Local food is similar to Malay cuisine with fresh fish and rice, often quite spicy. Alcohol is prohibited.

Shopping: Special purchases include handworked silverware, brassware and bronzeware such as jugs, trays, gongs, boxes, napkin rings, spoons and bracelets; and fine handwoven sarongs, baskets and mats of pandan leaves. Shopping centres at Bandar Seri Begawan, Seria and Kuala Belait offer local products and imported items. The ‘Tamu’ Night Market in Bandar Seri Begawan is open from early morning to late at night and sells many fruits, spices, poultry and vegetables, as well as antiques. Food is available there at the lowest prices in town. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0800-2100.

Tipping: Most hotels and restaurants add 10 per cent to the bill.

Currency: Brunei Dollar (Br$) = 100 cents. Notes are in the denominations Br$10,000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in the denominations 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 cents. The Brunei Dollar is officially on a par with the Singapore Dollar.

Currency exchange: Foreign currencies and travellers cheques can be exchanged at any bank.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are generally accepted by hotels, department stores and major establishments. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services that may be available.

Travellers cheques: To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling. Hotels and many department stores will also cash travellers cheques.


CUSTOMS/DUTIES

Currency....Must be declared on arrival

Tobacco.....200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco

Perfume.....60ml of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette

Liquor........2 bottles of liquor and 12 cans of beer for personal consumption only, provided they are declared at customs upon arrival (all non-muslim persons over 17 years of age

Gifts...........No duty free allowance

Cameras....No restrictions

Agriculture items.....Refer to consulate

Prohibited items: Firearms, non-prescribed drugs and all pornography

**The penalty for carrying unprescribed drugs is death**



Back to Top