American Citizens Services
ACS Newsletter (February 2009)
U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau
Welcome to the February newsletter! Here are this month's topics:
New Topics:
Continuing Topics of Interest:
PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS
As we enter the flu season in Hong Kong, we encourage you to review the current information about pandemic influenza. For prevention and preparedness advice for U.S. citizens traveling or living in H5N1-affected areas, please see the U.S. Centers of Disease Control (CDC) webpage at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentAvianFluAmericansAbroad.aspx. Updated information about the current situation in Hong Kong can be found at http://www.info.gov.hk/info/flu/eng/.
In addition, the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection has created an "Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Kit" that provides basic information on preparedness for an influenza pandemic. Details can be found on line at http://www.chp.gov.hk/content.asp?lang=en&info_id=2958. Hong Kong residents can obtain free copies of the "Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Kit," by downloading and completing the required form: http://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/proposed_reply_slip_for_flu_kit.pdf.
PLANNED CONSULAR SERVICES ON MACAU DAY
On Wednesday, February 25, 2009, our staff will travel to Macau to provide limited consular services for American Citizens. Services to be offered during this visit include notarials (US$30 for each signature of the consular officer), passport processing (US$75, US$85, or US$100 depending on age and type), birth registration (US$65 for each child), and adding additional visa pages. Please note that we will only be able to accept credit cards as payment – no cash transactions will be permitted. Customers may pay using MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club or Discover card. Customers must present their card at the time of payment and the person whose name is listed on the card must be present to sign the payment slip. All charges will be in U.S. dollars.
Provided your passport is in good condition, the American Citizens Services unit will also process requests for additional passport pages. In order to have additional pages inserted in your passport in Macau, you must complete and sign the application form (DS-4085) in full and scan and email it or fax it to our office no later than Friday, February 20. The form is available for download on our website. In addition, please send a copy of the biographic page of your passport (the page with your photo) with the application. Our email address is acshk@state.gov and our fax number is (852) 2845-4845. Bring the completed application form with your passport to Macau Day, where the additional pages will be added. If we are unable to provide this service to you in Macau, we will notify you in advance of Macau Day and ask you to come to the Consulate General in Hong Kong.
Services will be available from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Academy of Music (see map - PDF format)*, located at Rua de Santa Clara, No. 19, 2/F, adjacent to City Hall and near Catholic Social Services. Individuals who are physically challenged and/or require special arrangements to access this location may call (852) 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 for information on what specific identification, forms and supporting documents are required for each service. Download the appropriate forms and bring them with you.
- Please present your U.S. 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.).
If you need a service not listed above, please contact us in advance at (852) 2841-2211, 2841-2323, or 2841-2225. We may be able to bring with us what you need for that service.
TAX SEASON IS HERE!
IRS.gov –Taxpayer-Friendly Features
When you visit www.IRS.gov this filing season, you may notice the new "rotating spotlight" feature on the homepage. The spotlights, which change every few seconds, give the taxpaying public direct access to more of the IRS website's vast content. Also on the homepage, taxpayers can click on 1040 Central to find help preparing and filing their tax returns. This popular section of the website has a wide range of offerings that address taxpayer needs, including access to many of the most commonly used forms. The IRS is producing a number of podcasts this filing season that will be available on the website. These short audio interviews cover Tax Tips, Fact Sheets, News Releases and a wide range of other topics.
Please note, the IRS does not provide any overseas tax filer assistance in Hong Kong. Hong Kong filers may contact the IRS international service center in Philadelphia by telephone at 215-516-2000 (not toll-free) or fax at 215-516-2555 or by mail at:
Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 920
Bensalem, PA 19020
Phone service available from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm (EST) M-F
E-File, E-Pay and Direct Deposit
Electronic filing options speed the payment of refunds to millions of taxpayers. Taxpayers who e-file and choose direct deposit for their refunds, for example, will get their refunds in as few as 10 days. That compares to approximately six weeks for people who file a paper return and get a traditional paper check. This year, taxpayers can begin filing electronically on January 16.
UPCOMING CLOSURES
The Consulate General will be closed in February on the following holiday:
Monday, February 16 President's Day
The American Citizens Services Unit will be closed Tuesday, February 10 for internal training (open for emergency services only).
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 and submitting 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.
*(To view and print PDF files, please download the FREE Adobe Reader.)
This newsletter is published by the American Citizens Services Unit, U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau. Tel: 2841-2211, 2841-2323, 2841-2225; fax: 2845-4845; e-mail: acshk@state.gov; website: http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov. All services by online appointment only.
Last modified: February 2, 2009
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