Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) Improvements

American Citizen Parents: Will your child be born overseas? If so, see the link below for new details about the redesigned Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), the official record confirming that a child born abroad acquired U.S. citizenship at birth.

More info about how to apply for a CRBA at Embassy Tel Aviv is available on our website at: http://israel.usembassy.gov/consular/acs/crbahowtoapply.html.

Travel Warnings for U.S. Citizens

American citizens in Israel should regularly monitor the Embassy’s website http://israel.usembassy.gov/, and the Department of State’s website www.travel.state.gov, where travel warnings and country specific information may be found. Travel warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country.

To subscribe to warden messages from the U.S. Embassy, go to the following link and enter your email address: http://israel.usembassy.gov/service/subscribe2.html. To read recent Warden Messages, visit http://israel.usembassy.gov/warden_message.html.

Consular Section Visits Kfar Chabad

Consular Section staff visit the “770”
replica of the Lubvavitch headquarters.

Staff from the Embassy’s Consular Section visited Kfar Chabad on Dec. 3, 2010, to learn more about the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. Each year, the Consular Section issues visas to thousands of Israelis traveling to visit or study at the Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.

The Consular Section visited the replica of the Lubavitch headquarters “770,” where staff learned about the life of Rebbe Lubavitch. Next, staff visited the Roeber Company for a demonstration of the binding and imprinting of leather torah covers. Staff also learned about the agricultural side of Kfar Chabad by touring the town’s etrog orchards.

The visit concluded with a tour of Ohr Simcha, a home for at-risk children, where staff enjoyed a kosher lunch and discussed the origins and philosophies of chabad with the hosts of the visit, Rabbi Benjamin Lifshitz, mayor of Kfar Chabad, and Rabbi Slavin, director of Ohr Simcha.

To see more photos from the visit, check out our Facebook album.

Vice Consul Speaks to Israeli-Arab Students in Jaffa

On Dec. 1, 2010, a Vice Consul spoke to Israeli-Arab students at the Tabeetha School in Jaffa about student visas and study opportunities in the United States.

In partnership with EducationUSA and the American Corner Jaffa, the program helped explain the college application process and the student visa application process to many students who had never traveled to the U.S. before.

The event responds to Secretary Clinton's recent video message about International Education Week, in which she stressed the importance of promoting study in the United States to underrepresented populations.

Consular Section Combats Visa Fraud with Social Media Outreach Tour at Israeli Universities

Embassy staff answer visa questions at
Hebrew University, Nov. 30, 2010.

This fall, the Consular Section launched a social media outreach tour to combat  visa fraud. Staff visited several Israeli universities to speak to young people about visas and correct common misperceptions about traveling, working and studying in the United States. 

The tour included a visit to Haifa University on Oct. 19, Ben Gurion University on Nov. 1 and Hebrew University on Nov. 30.

In addition to answering students’ visa questions face-to-face in each university’s student union building, Embassy staff live “tweeted” the students’ questions on Twitter and encouraged them to become fans of the Consular Section’s Facebook page.

Israeli Foreign Ministry Calls Mall Carts an Embarrassment

In a Nov. 23 story published by YNetnews.com, the Israeli Foreign Ministry urged young Israelis not to break the law by working illegally in the United States and other countries.

Dozens of Israelis are arrested every year in malls worldwide. The message from the Foreign Ministry is clear: "Going abroad? Respect local laws and avoid staying and working in the country illegally…We won’t be able to help Israeli detainees."

Read the story: www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3988502,00.htm.

Consul General Speaks to HR Professionals

On Nov. 22, 2010, Consul General Andrew Parker gave a panel presentation on petition-based work visas at a conference for Israeli human resource professionals. The Israel-America Chamber of Commerce sponsored the panel.

Parker's presentation was aimed at professionals managing human resources departments of U.S. subsidiaries in Israel and covered a wide range of topics, from the appropriate uses of B1/B2 visas to the qualifications for petition-based L, H1B, and E visas.

For more information about work visas, visit: http://israel.usembassy.gov/consular/niv/petitionhome.html.

Embassy Warns of Dishonest Job Recruiters Outside Army Release Conference

On Nov. 4, 2010, staff from the Embassy Consular Section visited the Israel Defense Force conference, kenes mistechrerim, to educate young Israelis recently released from the army about visas and legal ways to work in and travel to the United States.

Embassy staff witnessed many job recruiters outside of the conference providing inaccurate information to soldiers about working in the United States. The Consular Section reminds all young Israelis that the primary source for accurate information about visas is the U.S. Embassy and the State Department.

“Young Israelis should beware that many unscrupulous job recruiters don’t have your best interests at heart and may not be following the laws of the United States,” warns Consul General Andrew Parker. “We encourage all young Israelis to visit the Embassy website for timely and accurate information about visas and how to legally work in the U.S.”

All-Hands Meeting with Jerusalem a Success

On Oct. 29, 2010, the Consular Section of U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv traveled to Jerusalem for an all-hands meeting with the Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General. 

The meeting was the first all-staff gathering in more than six years. Staff from Embassy Tel Aviv toured the Consulate General’s new facility and learned about the Consular Section’s visa operations, as well as American citizen services. 

The event also included break-out sessions among various departments to discuss best practices, fraud trends and opportunities for partnership on joint projects.

“The meeting was a wonderful opportunity to renew our commitment to teamwork with our colleagues,” said Consul General Andrew Parker. “Several joint projects have already resulted from our visit and we welcome the opportunity for future collaborations.”

Spotlight on Haifa’s Rambam Hospital

On Oct. 6, 2010, Consul General Andrew Parker, ICE Attaché Rich Jolles, and Consular Agent Jonathan Friedland visited the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa as guests of Dr. Shlomo Israelit, M.D., the acting director of the emergency department. The campus is northern Israel’s largest hospital and one of the premier Level 1 trauma centers in the world. 

“I was impressed by the capacity of the hospital to act as an exemplar of emergency medicine in peacetime,” Parker said. “Especially the potential to transform into an Intensive Care  Unit capable of dealing with mass casualties during a variety of emergencies, such as the recent Carmel forest fire.”

Many American tourists arriving from cruise trips have been treated at the facility for heart issues and neurological problems. Additionally, American sailors and marines who have taken ill near Haifa have been treated at the hospital, sometimes airlifted from U.S. carriers.

Last October, workers began pouring the concrete foundation for an expansion that will transform the center into the world’s largest underground emergency hospital.

Vice Consuls Meet with Weizmann Researchers

On Oct. 5, 2010, two Vice Consuls visited the Weizmann Institute of Science for a presentation on exchange visas for postdoctoral research in the United States.

The two officers received a warm welcome from Weizmann staff and organizers from the Alumni Organization of the Weizmann Institute.

The consular officers presented visa information to about 100 students and their spouses, answering questions about the visa application process. The students were interested to learn that the spouses of the exchange visitors, who qualify for a derivative J2 visa, are allowed to apply for employment authorization once in the United States.

Get Out the Vote!

The 2010 mid-term elections are fast-approaching! All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 36 out of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate will be contested in this year’s elections on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

New regulations for overseas voting are in effect for 2010. Overseas voters are strongly encouraged to re-file the official registration/ballot request every election year.

For more information, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program at www.fvap.gov, or the non-partisan Overseas Vote Foundation at www.overseasvotefoundation.org.

New Border Security Fee for Petition-Based Visas

As of Aug. 13, 2010, some applicants for Blanket L1 and H1B work visas may be subject to a new border security fee. In most cases, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will collect these fees as part of the petition process. Only in the case of Blanket L1 visas will the fee be collected at the Embassy.

How does this affect applicants? If the petitioning employer has more than 50 employees in the United States and more than 50 percent are on H1B or L status, the company will be subject to the following fees: USD 2,000 for H1B and USD 2,250 for L1 cases. After Jan. 7, 2011, the I-129S form will state whether the petitioning employer is subject to the new fee.

More information about the new fee is available on the USCIS website at: www.uscis.gov.

U.S. Citizen Services to Visit Eilat

Staff members from the American Citizen Services section of U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv will visit Eilat October 10-11 to provide consular services to American citizens.

U.S. citizens who reside in Eilat will have the opportunity to meet with the Consul General, apply for passports and re-ports of birth, and also receive information about federal benefits, among other consular services.

Look for more details on our website in the coming weeks at http://israel.usembassy.gov/service.html.

New Fees for Visa Waiver Travelers

The Department of Homeland Security has announced a new ESTA fee of $14 for visa waiver travelers. ESTA is an electronic travel authorization all nationals of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries must obtain prior to traveling to the United States.

Payments for electronic travel authorization by VWP travelers must be made by credit or debit card. Collection of fees begins Sept. 8, 2010.

More details are available at: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

How Long Will it Take to Receive My Visa?

Travelers to the United States are strongly encouraged to schedule visa interviews well in advance of travel plans. The Consular Section is in the midst of peak demand during the summer months. Also, once your visa is approved, it will take a least seven business days to arrive from the post office.

The State Department website displays visa appointment wait times for all non-immigrant visa processing posts.

View current wait times at http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/wait_4638.html.

Vice Consul Speaks to Students at Israel’s Model UN Conference

On August 18, 2010, one of the Consular Section’s Vice Consuls spoke to more than 200 university students from around the world at Israel’s 2010 Model UN Student Conference, ISRAMUN.

Model United Nations is an academic simulation that teaches partici-pants about civics, effective communication, globalization and multilat-eral diplomacy.

The panel focused on careers in diplomacy and included speakers from the Irish, Egyptian, German and Mexican embassies. The Vice Consul spoke about how to join the U.S. Foreign Service and how to prepare for a career in international relations.

For more information about careers in the Foreign Service, visit http://careers.state.gov.

IDF Briefs Consular Section Staff on Keva Corps

Captain Shuki Hassan of the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) Personnel Division, briefed the Consular Section on the IDF’s Keva program on July 22. Keva is the Hebrew word for the IDF’s permanent corps.

Army service is an important part of the Visa Section’s evaluation of young Israelis’ ties to Israel. Vice Consuls had the opportunity to learn more about the criteria for entrance and contrac-tual obligations of soldiers serving in keva.

Lt. Col. Michael Murphy of the Embassy’s Defense Attaché Office facilitated the briefing.

Easing of U.S. HIV Rule Benefits Applicants

Due to recent changes to U.S. immigration rules, HIV-positive visa applicants are no longer required to answer “yes” to the DS-160 application question: “Have you ever been afflicted with a communicable dis-ease of public health significance?”

Last year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a final rule that removed HIV from the list of commu-nicable diseases of public health significance.

Learn more at the following link: http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegrams/telegrams_4631.html.

Passport and Citizenship Services Fees Increase

The Department of State recently announced increases in consular services fees, including passport and notarial fees, effective July 13.

The new fees are:

- An adult passport (using form DS-82) will change from USD 75 to USD 110.
- A minor passport (under age 16, using form DS-11) will change from USD 85 to USD 105.
- An adult passport (using form DS-11) will change from USD 100 to USD 135. Please refer to www.travel.state.gov to determine which form is appropriate.
- The application fee for passport cards will increase, from USD 20 to USD 30 for adults, and from USD 10 to USD 15 for minors.
- A new fee of USD 82 for additional passport pages will be imposed.
- The fee for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad will change from USD 65 to USD 100.

Find the complete list of fee increases online at http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_5079.html.

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Fourth of July to all our American citizen friends!

The Consular Section of U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv extends best wishes to all our American and Israeli friends for a fun-filled independence day celebration.

Consul General Visits Migdal Ohr Youth Village

Consul General Andrew Parker and several Embassy staff members visited Migdal Ohr, one of Israel’s largest youth villages, in Migdal HaEmek on June 21, 2010.

Under the direction of Rabbi Yitz-chak David Grossman, Migdal Ohr houses and educates more than 6,500 orphaned and impoverished children. The organization also runs prisoner rehabilitation programs and a soup kitchen that produces 15,000 meals a day.

Parker and Embassy staff toured the facility and learned about the good work of Rabbi Grossman and his staff.

Learn more about Migdal Ohr at www.migdalohr.org. Check out more photos from the visit at our Facebook album.

Vice Consuls Speak to Fulbright Participants

Several Vice Consuls spoke to Israeli Fulbright program participants and answered questions about student visas on June 17, 2010.

This flagship international exchange sponsored by the U.S. government is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries. Participants are chosen for their academic merit and leader-ship potential.

For more information about applying for a Fulbright scholarship, visit the Fulbright program website at http://fulbright.state.gov.

Reminder: Visa Applications Must Contain Valid Photograph

Example of an invalid photo

When completing the DS-160 visa application (with or without assistance from a third party), applicants must upload a valid photograph of themselves.

The Consular Section has recently seen many DS-160s containing photos of celebri-ties such as George Clooney and Brad Pitt, instead of the applicant.

The Consular Section reminds applicants that clicking the "submit" button creates your electronic signature, certifying that all information contained in the application is true and correct, including the photo.

Learn more about DS-160 photo requirements at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/visaphotoreq/visaphotoreq_5334.html.

Visa Application Fees Increase

The Department of State announced increases in non-immigrant visa application (Machine Readable Visa (MRV)) fees, effective June 4, 2010. The new fees are:

- USD $140 for B1/B2 (business/tourism), F, M and J visas (student and exchange visitors);
- USD $150 for H, L, O, P, Q, R (petition-based visas);
- USD $390 for E (treaty trader/investor visas).

Applicants who paid the former USD $131 fee and have an appointment scheduled at the Embassy after June 4 must pay the USD equivalent difference at any Israeli post office branch before the interview.

Applicants will not be admitted to the waiting room until the entire MRV fee is paid. Visit the following link for a current list of visa application fees and other visa related fees collected by Department of State: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1263.html.

Jewish Agency for Israel Visits Embassy Tel Aviv

The visa section invited staff from the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) to visit Embassy Tel Aviv in May 2010. Several consular officers met with Ilan Wagner, the Director of Market Engagement for North America, and other staff from the agency’s Education Department.

Visa staff learned about JAFI’s cultural exchange programs, specifically the summer shlichim program, which sends thousands of Israeli youth to summer camps across America each year as camp counselors.

JAFI’s exchange programs comprise a significant number of the exchange visitor visas the Embassy adjudicates each year.

Did you Know?
More than 8,000 youths apply for the shlichim program each year. Only 1,000-1,200 are accepted. 

Embassy Hosts Voting Workshops for American Citizens

American Citizen Services hosted several voting workshops for American citizens on May 17, 2010. More than 100 attendees learned how to register and vote via absentee ballot.

The 2010 U.S. mid-term elections will be held Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 36 out of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate will be contested this year.

For more information on voting, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program at www.fvap.gov.

Consul General Holds Live Web Chat at Tapuz Headquarters

On May 17, 2010, Consul General Andrew Parker held a consular-related web chat on a popular online portal, Tapuz.co.il.

Tapuz, one of Israel’s most visited websites, hosted the Consul General on its popular “Traveling to the U.S.” forum.

Along with Embassy press and consular staff, the Consul General responded to questions on topics ranging from visas and travel to the United States, to post-doctoral study, same-sex marriage and its implications for family travel, and post-army Israelis’ requests for tourist visas.

Check out the conversation at: http://www.tapuz.co.il/Forums2008/ViewMsg.aspx?ForumId=456&MessageId=141485153&r=1.

Consular Section Stresses ‘J’ Visa Compliance

One of the Embassy's Vice Consuls spoke to more than 200 exchange visitor (J) visa applicants at the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise’s (AICE) annual seminar on May 16. AICE sponsors hundreds of Israeli youth who participate in cultural exchanges to the United States as summer camp counselors.

The Vice Consul spoke about exchange visitor visa requirements, answered questions about the application process and stressed the importance of abiding by the terms of all U.S. visas.

Visa abuse, such as working at American mall kiosks on a tourist visa, or after the J visa program’s expiration, may result in the visa’s revocation and the visa holder being barred from entering the United States for a number of years.

Learn more about exchange visas at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1267.html.

Ambassador Cunningham Meets with Embassy Wardens

Ambassador James Cunningham met with 28 American wardens from across Israel at U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv on April 14. He spoke about U.S.-Israel relations, the peace process, the situation in Gaza and U.S foreign policy on Iraq and Iran.

The wardens, all volunteers, were updated on American Citizen Services by the Consul General and the American Citizen Ser-vices Chief. In addition, the Regional Security Officer and the Assistant Army Attaché described their experiences in crisis situations and gave tips on how to be prepared for an emergency.

“Wardens are an integral part of our Embassy community,” the American Citizen Services Chief said. “They assist the Consular Section in disaster prepar-edness by alerting U.S. citizens to emergency situations. We’re lucky to have such a great team supporting our work.”

The term “warden” originated in World War II when air raid wardens alerted the public to danger.