Newsletter for American Citizens

American Embassy Newsletter for American Citizens - Issue 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction
2. Moving or Traveling?
3. ACS On the Road Continues
4. Safety Tips – Motochorros
5. Voting Overseas
6. Calling all Veterans
7. Visas and Argentine Residency
8. Flight Delays
9. Kids Corner
10. Useful Websites
11. ACS Hours

1.  INTRODUCTION

Many of you may have travel plans for the winter holidays.  If you plan to leave Argentina for warmer climes, now is a good time to check the expiration dates on your passports and ensure that you have enough pages to accommodate visa stamps.  And if both parents won’t be accompanying minor children, you’ll also want to ensure that you have your notarized Argentine travel permissions in order.

We received a very positive response to our last newsletter.  One reader even told us that our security tips helped him avoid being victimized by the “mustard scam.”  Be sure to check out additional “Safety Tips” offered by the Embassy’s Regional Security Office on Page 2.

If there is a specific topic you would like us to cover in future newsletters, please contact us.

Happy traveling!

Susan K. Abeyta
Consul General

2.  HAVE YOU MOVED?  TRAVELING?

If you’re reading this newsletter, it means you’ve registered with this Embassy at one point in time.  But maybe you’re planning a trip abroad or you’ve moved and only retained the same
e-mail address.  

The Internet travel registration service for American citizens allows you to register and update your contact information on the Internet at any time, making it easier for you to keep your information current.  The site also provides you with up-to-date travel information customized to your unique travel agenda and itinerary. The data you provide is secured behind Department of State firewalls, accessed only by cleared personnel in Embassies, Consulates, and the Department of State, and releasable only under the provisions of the Privacy Act.

U.S. citizens around the world who travel or reside abroad can access this site either through a link on http://travel.state.gov or directly at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs. 

3.  ACS STILL 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 April, Vice Consul Jay Avecilla visited Mendoza where he took passport applications and answered general questions about consular services for Americans.

Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne and Vice Consul Eric Eilskov shared consular information with Americans at a meeting of Mendoza’s Expatriate Club on May 4th. 

Ambassador Wayne was in Mendoza Province to meet with the governor, award scholarships to students to study English, visit a USG-funded cosmic ray observatory and greet resident Americans and business leaders.

ACS Chief Rosemary Macray and Passport Assistant Alexandra Castellanos provided consular services at Lincoln School in the northern suburbs on May 3.

A Consular Officer will be visiting Rio Negro Province (Viedma and General Roca) on May 17 & 18.  If you are interested in meeting the Consular Officer during those dates, please call or email us.

4.  SAFETY TIPS – MOTOCHORROS

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

The Federal Police indicate that approximately 50 percent of reported “Smash/Snatch and Grab” type robberies that occur in Buenos Aires are perpetrated by criminals on motorcycles or commonly referred to as “Motochorros.”  To counter the surge in these types of crimes, the Federal Police are establishing check points at various intersections in Belgrano, Palermo, Retiro and Villa del Parque to control the movement of these vehicles. 

In the past, these “Motochorros” operated exclusively in the microcenter of the city and focused on potential victims leaving banks or ATM machines.  The Federal Police report a shift and increase of reporting from the Micro Centro to other surrounding Barrios such as Belgrano, Recoleta, Palermo, and the Province of Buenos Aires (Martinez, Vicente Lopez, etc).  Many of these “Smash/Snatch and Grabs” start in the city and end near General Paz or in the Province near the victim’s house.  Perpetrators focus on areas with heavy traffic, large avenues, and rapid exit points to perpetrate these types of crimes.  These criminals often use or possess firearms in the commission of their crimes. 

The Federal Police classify 3 types of Motochorro perpetrators:

1. Planned - previous surveillance is conducted on the victim.
2. Marked - victim is marked outside or from inside of the bank - “Marcadores”
3. Opportunists – assailant grabs purses, wallets, backpacks, in the street or from a car and flees.

Some helpful tips on how to identify a “Motochorro are listed below:

Generally, the Motochorro travels on motorcycle with two riders; one with a helmet and the other without a helmet. 

They typically use motorcycles with larger engines and original license plates and registration cards to avoid suspicion and to avoid being detained by police at the various checkpoints. 

Safety Measure to decrease your chances of becoming a victim:

1. Avoid financial or bank transactions in cash in plain view on the street or in other public areas.  Use checks or transfer funds when possible.  If you must withdraw money from an ATM, never conduct business in an area in plain view of the street.  Put money away prior to leaving the banking institution.
2. Don’t use taxis in front of banks.  It is better to walk a few blocks first, then get a taxi.
3. When driving, avoid placing belongings on the seat next to you and keep your window rolled up.  Open windows and personal items in plain view attract motochorros.
4. Watch for motorcycles going the wrong way down a one-way street or on sidewalks. 
5. Stay vigilant!

5.  VOTING OVERSEAS

All American citizens are reminded that 2008 is a presidential election year in the United States.  It’s not too early to register to vote and/or request absentee ballots as primary elections are coming up soon. 

The official US Government website for overseas absentee voting assistance is the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at http://www.fvap.gov.  It has a wealth of information about absentee voting, including the downloadable absentee ballot application, state-specific instructions for completing the form, links to state and local officials, and a downloadable emergency ballot.

Be an educated voter.  Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues is widely available and easy to obtain via the Internet.  Use the links appearing on the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at www.fvap.gov or choose any one of several search engines to locate articles and information.

We strongly encourage you to begin this process now to ensure that your votes are counted.

6.  ARE YOU A U.S. VETERAN?

The American Legion is looking for U.S. veterans living in South America.  The American Legion can provide information about veteran’s benefits to eligible veterans and their spouses, be they American Citizens, resident Aliens or Non-Resident Aliens who are married to American Veterans.  For more information, please write to: Americanlegion2@gmail.com

7.  VISAS AND ARGENTINE RESIDENCY

Applying for Argentine residency?  Heading to Brazil?  While we can provide some guidance on the visa application process, the U.S. Embassy cannot accept foreign visa applications or help expedite visa applications pending in other embassies. 

Americans do not apply for residency in Argentina through the Embassy.  Americans wishing to live in Argentina should contact Argentine Immigration: <http://www.mininterior.gov.ar/migraciones/  > for information about application procedures.

If you’re heading to Brazil, please note that American citizens must have a valid Brazilian visa – there are no exceptions, and they cannot be secured at a border crossing.  This also applies to U.S. passport holders with Argentine DNIs.  For more information, please visit the Brazilian Consulate’s website at http://www.conbrasil.org.ar/.

8.  FLIGHT DELAYS IN ARGENTINA CONTINUE

Americans planning air travel in Argentina should plan schedules that allow for possible flight delays.  There has recently been a significant increase in unexpected and unannounced delays at both Ezeiza International and the Jorge Newbery airports in Buenos Aires.  These delays are expected to continue, so please plan accordingly and consult the airlines for more information.

FYI, the following American air carriers fly in and out of Argentina:

AA – www.aa.com
Continental – www.continental.com
Delta – www.delta.com
United – www.united.com

9.  KIDS CORNER

In Buenos Aires, Americans gathered for an Independence Day picnic on April 21st at Lincoln School.  Organizers traditionally hold the celebration a few months prior to July 4th to duck the Southern Hemisphere’s winter cold.   Whether in April or July, Independence Day celebrates the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.  This document transformed the 13 British colonies into the United States of America, although it took the American Revolutionary War to ensure that the new nation would survive.

The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson, who later became Secretary of State and then the third President of the United States.  Another famous signer of the Declaration was the second American President John Adams who said the day  “…ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more. “

Independence Day, as the only holiday celebrating the United States as a nation, is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays.  Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, society and people.  Families often mark the Fourth with a picnic or barbecue and often gather with family relatives, taking advantage of the longer weekend or day off from work.  Parades are often held the morning of the Fourth, afternoon baseball games are not uncommon, and the evening is usually marked by public displays of fireworks.

One colorful annual Independence Day event is the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York, which supposedly started on July 4, 1916, as a way to settle a dispute among four immigrants as to who was the most patriotic. 

The town of Bristol, Rhode Island, is noted for having the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States.

Minor League baseball and Major League baseball games are also played on Independence Day. Since 1959, NASCAR has held the Pepsi Firecracker 400 auto race on July 4th or the Saturday of the July 4th weekend.

Despite the genesis of Independence Day, it is largely uncommon for Americans to express anti-British sentiment on the day or to view it as a celebration of anti-colonialism.  Indeed, most Americans today consider the United Kingdom their greatest ally.  Rather, contemporary Americans generally perceive the holiday as a celebration of the U.S.A. itself, rather than specifically as an opportunity to commemorate the end of British rule in the 18th century.

Source: www.wikipedia.com

If you are interested in learning more about the Declaration of Independence or other facts about our nation’s history, please visit the National Archives’ website at www.archives.gov/education/

10.  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
General Travel Information - 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

11.  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, excluding holidays.
 
To make an appointment for passport, report of birth or notarial services, please send an email to buenosaires-acs@state.gov.

The Embassy will be closed on the following upcoming holidays:  May 25, May 28, June 18, J