American Citizens Services Newsletter
ACS Newsletter (March 2008)
U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau
Welcome to the March newsletter! Here are this month's topics:
New Topics:
Continuing Topics of Interest:
UPCOMING HOLIDAYS AND OTHER CLOSURES
The Consulate General will be closed on the following holidays:
March 21
Good Friday
March 24
Easter Monday
April 4
Ching Ming Festival
REMINDER: NEW PASSPORT APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL MINORS UNDER AGE 16
On February 1, 2008, new regulations for passports for minors came into effect. The new rule extends the two–parent consent and personal appearance requirements to all minors under the age of 16. This means that 14 and 15 year-olds must also now comply with the same rules that previously applied to minors under 14. Most significantly, a minor under age 16 MUST appear with BOTH parents when submitting an application for a passport. The appearance of both parents cannot be waived, although there is provision, in certain circumstances, for one parent to present a letter of authorization, together with one attending parent. In addition, the application MUST include the following items:
Application Form DS-11
Proof of U.S. Citizenship of the minor
Documentation of Evidence of Child's Relationship to Parents/Guardians
Parental Identification
Notarized Parental Application Authorization Letter (If One Parent is absent)
Two Passport Photos (2x2 inches, color photo with a plain white background)
Fees for application (US$82)
Social Security Number
PASSPORT CARDS
The new U.S. passport card is designed to facilitate entry and expedite document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The card cannot be used to travel by air and cannot be used to enter or exit Hong Kong or Macau. The card will have the same validity period as a passport book: 10 years for an adult, five for children 15 and younger. For adults who already have a passport book, they may apply for the card as a passport renewal and pay only $20. First-time applicants will pay $45 for adult cards and $35 for children.
At the moment, the U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau is not able to accept applications for the passport card. Once we are able to accept such applications, an announcement will appear in this newsletter and on our website, http://www.hongkongacs.com.
VOTING INFORMATION UPDATES
State Voter Registration Verification Websites
States and territories are making it easier to find out your voter registration status. Twenty-two states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia have web sites where a voter can check their registration status. NOTE: The website addresses are subject to change.
Please check http://www.fvap.gov/vao/stregissites.html for updates.
- Arizona, https://servicearizona.com/webapp/evoter/select_language.do
- Arkansas, https://www.voterview.ar-nova.org/
- Colorado, www.sos.state.co.us/Voter/voterHome.do;jsessionid=0000XG2ue4KEtN2QUYQ
- Delaware, pollingplace.delaware.gov/
- District of Columbia, www.dcboee.org/voterreg/vic_step1.asp
- Georgia, www.sos.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/Locator.asp
- Indiana, www.indianavoters.com/PublicSite/Public/PublicVoterRegistration.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Note: You can also check the status of your Provisional Vote. - Iowa, www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/VoterReg/RegToVote/search.aspx
- Kansas, https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/
- Kentucky, cdc.ky.gov/VICWeb/index.jsp
- Louisiana, sos.louisiana.gov/polllocator/
- Maryland,mdelections.umbc.edu
NOTE: You can get a sample ballot at this site also. - Michigan, michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1633-49313--,00.html
- Nebraska, https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/
Note: You can also check the status of your Provisional Vote. - Nevada, www.nvsos.gov/elections/
- New Mexico, https://voterview.state.nm.us/
- North Carolina, www.sboe.state.nc.us/votersearch/seimsvot.htm
NOTE: You can check the status of your Provisional Vote at this site also. - Ohio, www.sos.state.oh.us/sosapps/elections/voterquery.aspx
- Pennsylvania, www.dos.state.pa.us/voting/cwp/view.asp?a=1206&Q=446253&sureNav=|
- Puerto Rico, www.ceeput.org/serviciosLineas/estatusEelectoral/index.htm
NOTE: This site is in Spanish and you need your voter registration number to verify your status. - Rhode Island, www.sec.state.ri.us/vic/
- South Carolina, https://webprod.cio.sc.gov/SCSECVoterWeb/voterInformationSearch.do
- Utah, gva1.utah.gov/elections/polling.aspx
- Virginia, https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/PublicSite/Public/FT2/PublicLookup.aspx?Link=Registration
- Washington, www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/lookup.aspx/
- West Virginia, www.wvvotes.com/voters/am-i-registered.php
Upcoming primary elections:
The following primaries are upcoming:
Ohio
March 4, 2008
Rhode Island
March 4, 2008
Texas
March 4, 2008
Vermont
March 4, 2008
Puerto Rico
March 9, 2008
Mississippi
March 11, 2008
Pennsylvania
April 22, 2008
Additional information:
The FVAP can be contacted via 1-800-438-8683. Citizens may reach the FVAP toll-free from 67 countries using the toll-free numbers listed on the FVAP website, www.fvap.gov. The toll-free number for Hong Kong is 800-962191. Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington DC 20301-1155, and email at vote@fvap.ncr.gov.
CHECK YOUR PASSPORT’S VALIDITY
Please carefully review the validity of your current U.S. passport.
Many governments require US travelers to have at least 6 months validity left in their passports for entry into their countries.
Regular passports are typically received within 10 calendar days after the US Consulate receives the application. More information can be found at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_passports.html.
NEED MORE PASSPORT PAGES?
If your full-validity U.S. passport has not expired yet, but has no blank pages left for 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. In some cases, you can have a courier assist you in this process. Learn more at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_supplement.html.
ONLINE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM FOR 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://hongkong.usconsulate.gov. If you wish to come in for more than one service, please make more than one appointment.
INTERNET-BASED REGISTRATION SYSTEM
U.S. citizens around the world who travel or reside abroad can record foreign trip and residence information at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/. The Department of State invites US Citizens to register themselves and their families. The registration information is used to communicate with US citizens and assist them in case of an emergency. If citizens are already registered with this consulate, the Department asks that they please re-register on line to update their records.
The registration site provides up-to-date travel information customized to each citizen's unique travel agenda and itinerary. The data citizens provide is secured behind Department of State firewalls, accessed only by cleared personnel in Embassies, Consulates, and the Department of State, and releasable only with the US Citizen's permission under the provisions of the Privacy Act.
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 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://hongkong.usconsulate.gov; All services by online appointment only.
Last modified: February 29, 2008
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