Newsletter for American Citizens

American Embassy Newsletter for American Citizens - Issue 1
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Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Meet Our New Ambassador - Earl Anthony Wayne

3. ACS on the Road

4. Tax Assisatnce at the Embassy

5. Diplomatic Careers

6. A Message from the Regional Security Officer

7. Kids' Corner

8. Useful Websites and Email Addresses

9. ACS Hours and Consulate Holidays

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1.   Introduction

Greetings from the U.S. Embassy Consular Section in Buenos Aires. As part of our goal to keep American citizens living in Argentina in touch with the American Citizens Services office, we are introducing this newsletter to provide you with news and updates that we hope will be of interest. I welcome comments or suggestions regarding possible topics for future newsletters.

The annual U.S. Federal Tax deadline of April 15 is approaching fast. An IRS Tax Advisor will be at the Embassy March 20 -22 to answer your tax-related questions. You’ll find the details below.

If you are vacationing abroad, now might be a good time to check the expiration date on your passport. If you are traveling to Brazil or another country that requires a visa, you’ll also want to review whether you need additional pages in your passport. If you are planning to travel with children and reside in Argentina you may be subject to new immigration requirements regarding permission to travel. The latest details are available under "control migratoria" in the Argentine Migraciones website – www.mininterior.gov.ar/migraciones.

Happy traveling!

Susan Abeyta

Consul General

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2.  Meet Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne

Earl Anthony Wayne is one of the United States’ most distinguished diplomats. He assumed his duties as Ambassador to Argentina on November 5, 2006. Since joining the Foreign Service in 1975, Ambassador Wayne has held a wide variety of positions. Overseas assignments include Rabat, Paris and Brussels, where he was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Mission to the European Union. In addition to holding high-level State Department positions in European and Canadian affairs and counter-terrorism policy cooperation, he was special assistant to Secretaries of State Haig and Schultz. Ambassador Wayne was the Director for Western European Affairs at the National Security Council from 1991 to 1993. His career includes a two-year leave of absence as National Security Correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor.

Most recently, Ambassador Wayne served as the Department of State’s Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs from June 2000 until June 2006.

Ambassador Wayne has graduate degrees from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (MPA), Princeton University (MA), and Stanford University (MA). His undergraduate degree (BA) is from the University of California, Berkeley. Ambassador Wayne and his wife Pamela have a daughter and a son. He is an enthusiastic rock collector and keeps his beautiful collection on display for visitors to his office at the Embassy.

 

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3. ACS on the Road

Periodically, teams from the American Citizen Services Unit head to cities outside of Buenos Aires to visit American prisoners, offer consular services and meet with Argentine contacts. In September, Vice Consul Rachel Sunden and Passport and Citizenship Assistant Susana Glucksmann visited Mendoza. While there, they offered a day of passport and notarial services to American citizens living in and near Mendoza, sparing them the inconvenience of traveling to Buenos Aires for services. They also met with officials from the Central Hospital, the federal police, the border police (Gendarmeria Nacional), managers of several hotels and the Salvation Army.

In November, Consul Rosemary Macray and American Citizen Services Assistant Alexandra Castellanos visited Bariloche. They offered notarial and passport services to American citizens and met with officials from the Hospital Zonal, local hotels, federal and provincial police, tourism office and national park directorate. All of these organizations help US citizens when they run into unexpected troubles. In the past years they have assisted with mountain and maritime rescues, seriously ill travelers and victims of crime.

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4. Message from the Regional Security Officer

(This section is provided by the Regional Security Office of the American Embassy in Buenos Aires.)

Petty theft appears to be on the rise in Argentina. While we do not believe Americans are being targeted specifically, thieves often look for persons who look like tourists. Along with cash and valuables, they steal passports. We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that your passport is a very valuable document and we recommend that you not regularly carry it with you. If you need it for identification, a photocopy usually serves as an acceptable substitute. While traveling, you’ll find most hotels provide an in-room safe or can lock up your passport at the front desk.

From recent reports to Argentine Federal Police and Regional Security Office, it appears a band of criminals are focusing their efforts to commit assaults on individuals that look like tourists and women traveling alone while stopped at traffic Buenos Aires signals in the area from Ave. Corrientes to Ave. Cordoba. Argentine Federal Police advise that typically the assailants are disguised as window washers, street vendors, or use small children that request money from stopped vehicles to identify targets. Police additionally note a correlation between victim resistance and the assailant’s level of violence.

Recommended precautions

At a restaurant or bar never leave your purse on the back of your chair. It is better to place it on your lap or somewhere where you can keep an eye on it at all times.

In the bus or train put your backpack in your lap or in front of you.

CARRY CASH - $100 US or 300 pesos. Victims with nothing to hand over are often beaten.

Do not wear expensive watches (Rolex or Cartier) – they mark you as a target.

Try to avoid the shorts, sneakers or T- shirt look as it may identify you as a tourist.

Beware of the mustard scam – one person comes over and distracts you by trying to wipe something off of you while the partner picks your pocket.

If you give a deposit in dollars write down the serial numbers and request to get the same bills back.

5. End of Year Tax Reminder and Information on Income Tax Changes for Expats

An Internal Revenue Services Taxpayer Assistant will be available to the public to answer U.S. tax questions on March 20, 21, and 22, from 8 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., in the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy, Av. Colombia 4300, Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Please note that you must make an appointment to see the IRS Taxpayer Assistant. Appointments may be scheduled via e-mail at buenosaires-acs@sate.gov and in-person at the Consular Section, Window 15 Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon.Most IRS forms can now be downloaded directly from the Internet. You can also file your taxes online. Visit www.irs.gov for more information.

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6. BusinessWeek Magazine names Department of State #3 Ideal Employer

 

Who Works at the Embassy?

The Embassy in Buenos Aires is staffed by both American Citizens and Argentines. Most of the Americans are either Foreign Service Officers or Specialists. Officers and Specialists spend their careers working abroad and in Washington DC. The Argentine staff members have permanent positions here and many have worked for us for many years. The Embassy also houses other US government agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture, Customs and Immigration, Drug Enforcement, the FBI and the US military. The Ambassador is the head of the Embassy and the President’s representative in Argentina.

Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) drive American foreign policy towards its objectives of promoting peace, stability, and prosperity. This includes advocating American foreign policy, protecting American citizens, and bolstering American business throughout the world. Many FSOs have liberal arts or business degrees, while some have advanced degrees in specialized areas ranging from law to the social and hard sciences. Knowledge of a foreign language is not a requirement to join the Foreign Service, as FSOs receive language training required for overseas assignments. Each FSO must choose one of five career tracks: Management Affairs, Consular Affairs, Economic Affairs, Political Affairs, or Public Diplomacy. Increasingly, issues such as the environment, science, AIDS, international law enforcement, narcotics trafficking, and trafficking in persons have gained priority among American foreign policy objectives.

Foreign Service Specialists provide important technical, support or administrative services. Foreign Service Specialist jobs are grouped into seven major categories: Administration, Construction Engineering, Information Technology, International Information and English Language Programs, Medical and Health, Office Management, and Security. Most specialists have extensive previous professional experience in their field of expertise.

For more information please visit the State Department’s Career website http://careers.state.gov

(Source: http://careers.state.gov)

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7. Kids' Corner

U.S. Government Donates Books to Argentine Schools

One way the U.S. Embassy seeks to share American culture is through the donation of books to Argentine schools. Recently Foreign Service officers donated books in Mendoza, Bariloche, Salta, Santa Fe, Rio Negro and Buenos Aires. Ambassador Wayne visited with children and donated books in Rosario and in Buenos Aires. The books are a mix of modern children's books, timeless classics and biographies of famous Americans. Recent donations included The Cat in the Hat, Little House on the Prairie, Little Women and biographies on George Washington, Henry Ford and soccer star Mia Hamm.

Learn It on the Web!

Many of the main departments of the U.S. Government including the State Department, the White House, the CIA, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have web pages designed especially for kids.  They offer kids a great way to learn about U.S. history, diplomacy, and traditions while playing games and having a good time.

State Department Website for Children - http://future.state.gov
White House Website for Children - http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/  
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Website for Kids - https://www.cia.gov/cia/ciakids/index.shtml

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Website for Kids - http://www.atf.treas.gov/kids/index.htm

Social Security Information for Kids - http://www.ssa.gov/kids/kids.htm
U.S. Marshals Information for Kids - http://www.usmarshals.gov/usmsforkids/index.html
Federal Communications Commission for Kids - http://www.fcc.gov/kidszone/
Federal Citizen Information Center/ First Gov for Kids - http://www.kids.gov/k_gov.htm

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8. Useful websites and email addresses

Nonimmigrant Visa Inquiries – bns-visas@state.gov
Immigrant Visa Inquiries – buenosaires-iv@state.gov
American Citizen Services Inquiries – buenosaires-acs@state.gov

Social Security at the Embassy – buenosairesfbu@state.gov

U.S. Embassy Buenos Aires - http://buenosaires.usembassy.gov
State Department Employment Opportunities - www.careers.state.gov

Travel Advisories - http://travel.state.gov
Internal Revenue Service (for tax forms and information) - www.irs.gov
Department of Motor Vehicles (for driver’s license renewal information) - www.dmv.org
Social Security Administration - www.ssa.gov
U. S. Customs - www.customs.ustreas.gov
Argentina Immigration - www.mininterior.gov.ar/migraciones

Medicare - http://www.medicare.gov

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9. ACS Hours and Upcoming Embassy Holidays

Our Hours

The American Citizen Services Office is open to the public from Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Appointments are required for non-emergency passport, report of birth and notarial services. To make an appointment, please call 011-5777-4387. You may also reach us by email at

buenosaires-acs@state.gov.

Upcoming Holiday Schedule

The Embassy will be closed on April 2, April 6 and May 1, 2007.