U.S. Consulate General News for U.S. Citizens

Spring 2017 TRAVEL SAFE Table of Contents: Enroll in STEP to receive American Citizen Town Hall Meeting security and emergency Farewell to Ambassador Max Baucus messages from the Passport News U.S. Consulate. Chinese Immigration Regulations New Process to Document the Birth of a U.S. Citizen Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) Application for Boarding Foil Help Us Find U.S. Citizens Who Need Our Services Are you a U.S. Citizen and Speak Chinese? Come Work for the Department of State. Holiday Schedule

American Citizen Town Hall Meeting

The U.S. Consulate General Shanghai organized its first American Citizen Town Hall in recent memory on March 9. The event was held in the official reception space of the Consulate’s historic property in the French Concession. Nearly 100 U.S. citizens were in attendance, representing the diversity of the American community in : long-term residents, short-term professionals, students, and those in China for other personal and family reasons. The attendees asked candid questions of an expert panel comprised of representatives from the Consulate’s Visa Unit, American Citizen Services Unit, Foreign Commercial Service, Regional Security Office, and the Medical Unit. Topics discussed included resolving business disputes, enrolling American citizen children in local schools, and absentee ballots for U.S. elections. A reception followed, providing an opportunity for consulate employees and attendees to chat informally over refreshments. We hope to hold similar events in the future for those who did not have the opportunity to participate this time.

Farewell to Ambassador Max Baucus

Ambassador Max Baucus, who served as the United States Ambassador to China from 2014 to 2017, departed China in January. In an editorial published in the People’s Daily, Ambassador Baucus shared his parting thoughts on the U.S.-China relationship, saying: “What I learned along the way is that whether you’re American or Chinese, we all basically want the same things in life – a good job, a good education for our children, and a clean, safe environment to live in. That’s a big part of the American dream. And it’s part of what I’ve come to learn is the Chinese dream. With patience, persistence, and the positive attitude I’ve seen in students, everyday people, businesspeople, or government officials throughout this country – from Qufu to Kunming, from Shanghai to Urumqi – I know there is nothing we can’t accomplish when we work together.” Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has been nominated to be the next U.S. Ambassador to China.

Passport News

Passport mail back service is now available: When you apply for a passport or a child’s Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), you may now choose to receive the new documents by courier. It is entirely optional and at your expense and risk. Your new passport should arrive in 3-5 weeks through China EMS.

Apply for your passport early: The Department of State experienced an unprecedented surge in passport applications in 2007, issuing more than 18 million passports as a result of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Ten years later those passports are expiring, and the Department is experiencing increased demand for passport renewals. Travelers are encouraged to submit passport applications well ahead of their planned travel dates in order to avoid delays.

No more extra visa pages: Please note that, for security reasons, U.S. passport holders are no longer able to add extra visa pages to their passports. Applicants in need of additional pages in their valid passports must obtain a new passport. To make an appointment for a new passport, please visit https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=SHG&appcode=1.

No eyeglasses in passport photos: Customers applying for a new passport now must remove their glasses for their passport photo. If the photo in your current passport has glasses, no problem, but wearing glasses will not be allowed the next time you apply. Glasses are the number 1 reason that photos submitted by passport applicants get rejected. If you must wear eye glasses for medical reasons, you'll need to obtain a signed statement from a medical professional or health practitioner and submit it with your passport application.

Chinese Immigration Regulations

Chinese immigration authorities are implementing a pilot program to collect the fingerprints of all foreigners entering China, between the ages 14-70. Certain individuals, such as diplomatic passport holders and individuals with damaged fingerprints, will be exempt from this new regulation.

U.S. Citizens now can transfer through Shanghai, and its surrounding areas, without a visa for up to 144 hours. This applies to the following ports of entry: Shanghai International Airport, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, Shanghai Railway Station, Lukou International Airport, or Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport.

The following requirements must be met in order to qualify for a visa-free transfer:

1. Travelers must show a valid international travel document. 2. Travelers must show an onward air/vessel/train ticket to a third country (a country other than China or the country the traveler just left). 3. Their confirmed departure date must be within 144 hours of arrival. 4. Travelers must remain within the administrative precincts of Shanghai Municipality, Province and Zhejiang Province.

For more details or questions, please check the public website of the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection http://sh-immigration.gov.cn/listPageEn.aspx?lx=40&id=4414 or call the hotline at 0086-21-51105100.

New Process to Document the Birth of a U.S. Citizen

Appointments to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) to document the birth of an American Citizen are now issued by e-mail, NOT through the Consulate Shanghai website. To request a CRBA appointment, please follow these instructions:

1. Gather all required documents, including the applications forms.  Application for consular report of birth abroad: DS-2029  Application for a US passport: DS-11  Application for a Social Security Number: form SS-5-FS online  A photocopy of the bio-page of each parent’s passport or other identification  A photocopy of the applicant’s birth certificate  A photocopy of marriage certificate of the parents

2. Send these documents by e-mail attachment to [email protected] . Please include the child’s name, your email address and your local phone number in the body of the email.

3. We will e-mail you the date/time of your appointment. The appointment will be within ten business days of complete document submission on either a Tuesday or Thursday morning.

Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) Application for Boarding Foil

LPRs who have stayed outside the U.S. for more than one year, or whose green cards are expired, lost/stolen, left outside China or were never received, may apply in Shanghai for a boarding foil to re- enter the U.S. Applicants must complete Form I-131A (NOT the previous form I-90) and pay the USD$575 fee through the USCIS online payment system (ELIS). Applicants will need their “A” number which may be obtained from the USCIS office at Embassy . Applicants should then make an appointment for a Notary service on the Shanghai Consulate appointment system. The fee receipt should be presented at the time of the application to confirm fee payment.

Help Us Find U.S. Citizens Who Need Our Services

Do you know a U.S. citizen in dire need of help, or who has not yet documented their child’s citizenship? Please refer them to us! Some of our services for U.S. citizens may surprise you:  We work with parents to document children’s U.S. citizenship.  We enroll Americans to receive travel warnings and other useful information.  We provide guidance if local authorities prevent a U.S. citizen from exiting China.  We help U.S. citizens register to vote and submit their ballots.  We help find missing U.S. citizens in the event of a crisis or disaster.

Are you a U.S. Citizen and Speak Chinese? Come Work for the Department of State.

The Consular Fellows Program offers U.S. citizens a unique opportunity to serve their country, utilize their foreign language skills, and develop valuable skills and experience that will serve them well in follow-on professions. Consular Fellows serve in U.S. embassies and consulates overseas alongside Foreign Service Officers, other U.S. agency personnel, and locally-employed staff. Using their language skills in Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, or Russian, their primary duty is to adjudicate visas for foreign nationals. Duties and responsibilities are similar to those of entry-level career Foreign Service Officers. While at post, Consular Fellows are members of the embassy or consulate community and receive most of the same benefits that career Foreign Service members receive, such as housing and educational allowances for eligible family members. For more information please visit https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/consular-fellows/.

The Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) is another opportunity, an early step towards the career of a Foreign Service Officer. The test is administered three times per year, generally in February, June, and October, each time for a period or “window” of eight days, but Shanghai will NOT host the FSOT in June 2017.The list of overseas posts offering the test will be posted on this site http://careers.state.gov .

Holiday Schedule

The American Citizen Services Unit will be closed on the following days. Please plan ahead and make an appointment for your services now!

May 1 – International Labor Day May 29 – Memorial Day May 30 – Dragon Boat Festival June 29 – Administrative Day

American Citizen Services Unit Opening Hours and Location Public Appointment Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 - 11:30 a.m. Passport Pickup: Monday to Friday, 8:00 - 11:30 a.m. U.S. Citizen Visa Hour: Tuesday, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Address: 1038 West , 8th Floor Web site: https://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/embassy-consulates/shanghai/