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Warden Messages |
American Citizen Services Newsletter April 2008
Ensuring Safety When Traveling Abroad
Every year American Embassies and Consulates help over 200,000 Americans traveling or living abroad who have been victims of crime, accidents, natural disasters..
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General Information
The American Citizen Services (ACS) Section is open every workday from
8:15 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. except for American and Salvadoran holidays,
and the first Wednesday of each month. The list of official holidays is
located here. Holidays are also posted
monthly at the Chancery entrance of the Embassy, located on Boulevard
Santa Elena. An appointment is not necessary, but the ACS unit treats
all clients on a first come-first served basis. On business days,
emergency cases are seen from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Citizens may
contact the Embassy at any time for emergencies. After-hour
Emergencies: Phone 2501-2253.
For many of the ACS services available it is required to come in person,
due to the fact that many inquiries are complex and cannot be resolved
over the phone.
Applications for emergency passports, full validity passports
applications and Reports of Birth Abroad are accepted any business day.
If you need to contact us, please call (503) 2501-2628. For Recorded
Information Phone: Please dial 2501-2600. You may also do so by e-mail
at acssansal@state.gov, by fax at (503) 2278-6020.
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US Citizen Registration
NEW ON-LINE REGISTRATION SYSTEM
- The State Department recently launched a secure online travel registration website which will allow you, as an American citizen, to record foreign trip and residence information that the Department of State can use to communicate with you and assist you in case of an emergency.
- U.S. citizens around the world who travel or reside abroad can access this site either through a link on TRAVEL.STATE.GOV or directly at https://travelregistration.state.gov/. We invite you to register yourself and your family and get acquainted with travel registration. If you are already registered with this Embassy, please re-register on line to update your records.
- Then new 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.
- Let us know how you like the new site. If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions about our travel registration website, please send an e-mail to
caibrs@state.gov. If you have specific questions about your registration with the Embassy, please contact us at
acssansal@state.gov.
All U.S. Citizens who live in or are visiting El Salvador are encouraged to register with the Embassy. Click here to fill out our registration form.
The Embassy is also looking for volunteers to serve as wardens. Click here to learn more about being a warden.
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U.S. Passports
We accept applications for U.S. passports Monday through Friday from 8:15 to 11:30 a.m. The fees for passports are $85 for minors (under 16), $100 for adults applying for their first passport, $75 for adults renewing passports, and $100 for lost, stolen, damaged or mutilated passports replacement.. Fees may be paid at the Consular Section in U.S. dollars or with one of the following credit cards: MasterCard, VISA, Discover/NOVUS, American Express, or Diner’s Club. Payment by check or debit card is not accepted.
Please Note: On April 8, 2002 the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador joined U.S. diplomatic posts around the world in a new U.S. passport processing system. Except in emergency circumstances, all U.S. passports are sent to the U.S. electronically for printing and are returned via express courier after two weeks.
The security of travel documents has become even more important in the post-Sept. 11 world. U.S. passports produced in the United States incorporate digitized photos and other security features. With the new procedures, the same security features are available for the protection of American citizens who obtain their passports outside the United States.
In El Salvador, applicants for first-time or replacement U.S. passports submit their applications to the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit of the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador. We forward the approved applications electronically to the National Passport Center for processing and return. Turnaround is approximately two weeks.
To avoid delays or disruption in travel plans, passport applicants are urged to apply for new passports before the old documents expire, and to allow time for processing of a new passport.
The American Citizen Services unit continues to issue passports locally in emergency cases only. These passports have limited validity, and cannot be extended. The bearer of a limited validity passport issued overseas is required to exchange it for a full-validity photo-digitized passport upon completion of the emergency travel.
Other information about applying for passports. (Please note the Embassy in San Salvador does not currently accept passport applications by mail.)
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Reports of Birth Abroad and Citizenship
Questions
We process Reports of Birth Abroad any business day from 8:15 to 11:30 a.m. The baby and both parents must be present at the time of application. The fee for this service is $150 USD. This fee includes the report of birth abroad and a U.S. passport for the baby.
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Children's Issues
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Notarials/Judicial Assistance
We process requests for notarial services every day from
8:15 to 11:30 a.m. The fee for most notarial services is
$30 USD for the first notarization and $20 USD for each
of the subsequent notarials. For some other notarial services,
the fees may vary.
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American
Citizen Services
Fee Chart
| CONSULAR SERVICE |
FEE |
| Passport Applicants Under
Age 16 |
$85.00 |
Applicants Applying for First Passport
After Reaching Age 16: |
$100.00 |
Adult (age 16 or over) Applying to Replace
A Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Passport: |
$100.00 |
Adult Passport Renewals (most recent
Passport issued within the last 15 years
and when applicant was at least 16 years old): |
$75.00 |
| Consular Report of Birth Abroad |
$65.00 |
| Notarial Service: |
$30.00 |
Each Additional Notarization on the Same
Document: |
$20.00 |
Note: Fees may be paid in U.S. dollars or with one of the following credit cards:
MasterCard, VISA, Discover/NOVUS, American Express, or Diner’s Club.
Payment by check is not accepted.
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Social Security and Other Benefits Checks
The U.S. Embassy in San Salvador has a direct deposit program
for federal beneficiaries that receive pension from Social
Security, Veteran Affairs and Civil Service. Usually
the deposits are made on the 3rd of each month. Beneficiaries
that have recently moved to El Salvador should contact
the Federal Benefit Unit at the American Citizen Services
to enroll in the direct deposit program. Local banks
charge $6.00 monthly fee for this service. The U.S. Embassy
in San Salvador has successfully enrolled 100% of the
beneficiaries.
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Security and Travel Information
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Voting
It is not possible for U.S. citizens in El Salvador to vote at the U.S. Embassy in federal, state, or local elections.
However, the American Citizens Services (ACS) unit at the Embassy can provide forms that allow U.S. citizens to request registration as voters in each of the 50 states. The forms also enable U.S. citizens to request from local election officials in the United States absentee ballots for federal, state, and local elections. The consular staff can provide written instructions for completing the forms and can assist registrants to determine the address to which the forms should be mailed.
The American Citizens Services unit also has federal write-in absentee ballot forms that U.S. citizens may use to cast write-in votes for candidates for federal offices in U.S. general elections.
The Embassy is authorized to accept U.S. postage-paid voter registration forms and absentee ballots for mailing to election authorities in the United States.
Citizens desiring voting assistance may come to the American Citizens Services unit between 8:15 and 11:30 a.m. any workday.
In addition, several citizens groups help American citizens abroad to vote by absentee ballot. We encourage you to contact these groups (including Democrats Abroad and Republicans Abroad) in addition to the U.S. Embassy for information or if you need help in registering to vote or requesting an absentee ballot. Internet links to these groups are at http://www.fvap.gov/index.html.
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IRS forms and Information
We maintain a supply of tax forms and publications at the
American Citizens' Services unit, but we are unable to
provide tax advice. Both forms and information is available
from the IRS through the following links:
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Miscellaneous Information
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