American Citizens Services Newsletter
ACS Newsletter (February 2006)
U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong
Welcome to the February newsletter, and Happy Lunar New Year! Here are this month's topics:
Macau Day - February 15, 2006
On Wednesday, February 15, 2006, our staff will travel to Macau to provide limited services for American Citizens. Services to be offered during this visit include notarials (US$30/HKD240 for each signature of consular officer), passport processing (US$82/HKD656, US$67/HKD536, or US$97/HKD776 depending on age and type), and birth registration (US$65/HKD520 for each child). These services will be available from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Academy of Music, located at Rua de Santa Clara, No. 19, 2/F., adjacent to City Hall and near Catholic Social Services, Rua de Santa Clara 13, Macau. Clients who are physically challenged and/or require special arrangements to access this location may call 2841-2211, 2841-2323 or 2841-2225 in advance to facilitate access.
To enable us to best assist you in Macau--
- Please check our website (http://www.hongkongacs.com) for information on what specific identification, forms and supporting documents are required for each service.
- Please present your passport for all services.
- Please bring the original and one photocopy of each piece of identification and/or supporting document (such as passports, birth certificates, marriage and divorce certificates, Macau ID cards, etc.).
- Please have all relevant form(s) completed before requesting any passport services. Download the forms from our web site.
- Blank visa pages may be added to undamaged U.S. passports, free of charge. Additional visa pages will not be added to one year emergency passports or to damaged passports. Download the necessary forms from our web site. If you need extra pages for your passport, please fax us a copy of your passport's personal data page by noon on February 13, 2005 (Monday). Please write "Macau - Extra Pages" at the top and fax to (852) 2845-4845.
- Please bring exact cash (US or HK dollars) for any fee services you require. Patacas will not be accepted.
- If you need a service not listed above, please contact us in advance at 2841-2211, 2841-2323, or 2841-2225. We may be able to bring with us what you need for that service.
Be On Guard Against Typhoid Fever
The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health called on people to observe good personal and food hygiene to prevent typhoid fever. Noting that typhoid fever was endemic in Hong Kong, the CHP said the monthly notification of typhoid fever varied from zero to 11 cases in the past two years. A total of 33 cases have been reported so far while the figures for 2001 to 2004 are 67, 67, 49 and 53 respectively.
Typhoid fever is caused by the bacteria salmonella typhi and incubation period is usually between seven to 21 days. It is usually transmitted by consuming food and water contaminated by feces or urine of patients or carriers. Onset of the illness is usually marked by fever, tiredness, chills, headache and generalized muscle and joint aches. Diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal discomfort may occur.
To prevent infection, people should take the following measures:
- Wash hands properly with soap and water before eating or handling food, and after toilet or changing diapers.
- Clean, wash and cook food thoroughly.
- Wash fruit and vegetables before consumption.
- Do not handle cooked food with bare hands; wear gloves if necessary.
- Handle and store raw and cooked food especially seafood separately to avoid cross contamination.
- Purchase fresh food from reliable sources. Do not buy cooked food from illegal hawkers.
Democrats Abroad Monthly Meeting
Democrats Abroad's monthly happy hour falls on Valentine's Day in February. The group will be joined by two powerful Democratic operatives: Democratic Governors Association political director George Rakis, and National Committee for an Effective Congress (NCEC) liaison Tom Bonier. George has years of experience both on Capitol Hill and in state legislative races, and he will happily take questions. In his 12 years at the NCEC, he has risen to a post in which he trains campaign staffers across the country. The gathering will be at Grappas Cellar, in the basement of Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central (telephone 2521-2322), from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Grappas will be providing happy-hour prices for pay-as-you-go drinks, and complimentary pizza.
Please note that general information on absentee voting is available on the Consulate General's web page at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_voteoverseas.html
US State-by-State AI Preparedness Plans
Both the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site, http://www.pandemicflu.gov/ have gathered links to the influenza plans prepared by state governments around the US.
To access the CSTE site, visit http://www.cste.org/specialprojects/Influenzaplans/StateMap.asp.
The HHS Web site is available at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/stateplans.html
Foreign Service Written Exam (FSWE): April 8, 2006
The FSWE will be administered on April 8, 2006. This will be the only administration of the exam in 2006. To take the examination and to enter the Foreign Service applicants must:
- be a US citizen, and at least 20 years of age and no older than 59 on the date of the exam (the age limit is based on date of birth; applicants are not eligible one day after their 59th birthday); be at least 21 to be appointed and must be appointed to the Foreign Service prior to date on which a candidate reaches age 60.
- be available for worldwide assignment and not have been previously separated from the Foreign Service for retirement, expiration of time in class, retirement based on relative performance or separation for cause.
The FSWE will be offered in approximately 200 locations nationwide and at most of the 260 Foreign Service posts, including Hong Kong. Registration materials will be available at http://WWW.CAREERS.STATE.GOV. This year all applicants must register online. The registration guide and the website provide information for those who need assistance registering online.
Applications for the April 8 exam must be received by March 1, 2006 for foreign test sites, and March 8, 2006 for domestic test sites.
Order forms for the 2006 study guide are located at the end of the registration booklet, or can be downloaded from the Department of State website. The guide may be ordered by telephone from ACT, Inc., (319) 337-1429 or FAX (319) 337-1578. The guide is not available through the Department of State.
IRS Contact Information/March Visit
Though tax season is still a few months away, we have learned that an IRS tax consultant will likely travel to Hong Kong March 21-23 to meet with interested taxpayers. We will announce further details, including how to make an appointment to meet with him, here once we learn more. Watch for our next newsletter in late February!
If you are looking for someone to do your taxes for you, we have a list of local tax preparers at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_ustaxconsultants.html.
The IRS has a significant amount of information available online, including all needed forms. 2005 tax year forms have not arrived at the Consulate, so the best way to obtain them is online. As there is no one at the Consulate who can answer tax questions, please refer to the following sources of information:
IRS PHONE SERVICES
- Individuals: 1-800-829-1040
- Businesses: 1-800-829-4933
- Customer Service Phone: 1-215-516-2000, M-F, 0600-2300 (EST)
- Customer Service Fax: 1-215-516-2555
- Refund Inquiries: 1-800-829-1954
- TeleTax: 1-800-829-4477
- ITINS after 30 days: 1-215-516-4846
- Exempt Organization Help Desk: 1-877-829-5500
- Tax Offset Program (TOP) Help Desk: 1-800-304-3107*
- E-Services Help Desk: 1-512-416-7750
The Fax Service cannot be used to transmit your tax return.
MAILING ADDRESSES
The Philadelphia Service Center services all Overseas filers, including military personnel stationed abroad
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19255-0215
For Courier Service:
PHILADELPHIA SERVICE CENTER
11601 ROOSEVELT BLVD
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19154
ITIN - (to obtain an ITIN - http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_tax.html#non)
IRS Philadelphia Service Center
ITIN Unit
P.O. Box 447
Bensalem, PA 19020
URGENT TAX NEEDS
For Collection/Levy Status Accounts Problems:
- Phone: 1-215-516-2004
- Fax: 1-215-516-6931
Taxpayer Advocate Office
- Phone: 1-215-516-2499
- Fax: 1-215-516-2677
- Toll-Free 1-877-777-4778
INTERNATIONAL TAXPAYER ADVOCATE SERVICE
San Patricio Office Center, Room 200
7 Tabomico Street
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 00966
Phone: 787-622-8931
Fax: 787-622-8933
Online Appointment System for All American Citizens Services
Online appointments are required for all services provided by the American Citizens Services Unit at the U.S. Consulate General Hong. Book your appointment at http://www.hongkongacs.com.
If you need directions to our offices, try this online searchable map:
http://www.ypmap.com/en/viewer.asp?mapService=LocationMap
Search for us by street address at 26 Garden Road.
Need more passport pages?
If your full-validity U.S. passport has not expired yet, but has no blank pages left for say additional Chinese visas, we can add additional pages for you free of charge. Barring any unusual circumstances, we can usually add pages to your passport in about 45 minutes, while you wait. You need to make an appointment for this service. Learn more at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_supplement.html.
Upcoming Holidays and Other Closures
The Consulate will be closed on the following holidays in 2005.
| January 30, 2006 | | Second day of the Lunar New Year |
| January 31, 2006 | | Third day of the Lunar New Year |
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| February 20, 2006 | | President's Day |
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| April 5, 2006 | | Ching Ming Festival |
| April 14, 2006 | | Good Friday |
| April 17, 2006 | | Easter Monday |
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| May 1, 2006 | | Labor Day |
| May 29, 2006 | | Memorial Day |
Subscribing/Unsubscribing
Anyone who wishes to sign up to receive this monthly ACS email newsletter and the travel advice we provide can do so simply by going to our web page at http://www.hongkongacs.com and submit their email address in the fill-in box towards the bottom of the page. You can also unsubscribe through the web page.
New subscribers will be sent the last few messages we have sent out in a digest form to help them catch up. Back issues are on the web at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_newsletter.html.
This newsletter is published by the American Citizens Services Unit, U.S. Consulate General, Hong Kong, tel: 2841-2211, 2841-2323, 2841-2225; fax: 2845-4845; e-mail: questions@hongkongacs.com; website: http://www.hongkongacs.com; All services by online appointment only.
Last modified: January 25, 2006
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