Consular Staff Give Back to the Community

Consular staff at U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv got into the spirit of Consular Leadership Day on Feb. 24, 2011 by focusing on the Consular tenet "Build Great Teams," with an emphasis on a secondary theme of "Resilience."

The day began with community service and ended with structured teambuilding exercises, including a laughter workshop. Staff kicked off the morning by brightening the lives of two under-served communities in the city: a senior citizens' home and a local dog shelter.

Half of the Consular Section visited the dog shelter as the public service element of Consular Leadership Day. Armed with donated blankets and towels, staff came with bright paint and brushes to give the shelter a facelift. While some staff rolled up their sleeves to paint, others grabbed leashes and took dogs out of their cages for walks in the sunshine.
The morning concluded with a special donation from the Consular Section to the shelter - money which will go a long way to help these animals.

While one group of volunteers helped out our four-legged friends, another team headed to the Society for the Aged in Tel Aviv. The Consular Section has built a rapport with this senior citizens' home after visiting there last year for Consular Leadership Day.

The group presented the residents with two large rosemary plants to liven up their surroundings as well as their meals. With a theme of "peace," Consular staff sat with the residents to chat and work on a drawing project of doves. The Society arranged for a guitar player, and everyone participated in a sing-along. The room was energized when one elderly resident enthusiastically serenaded the audience.

At the conclusion of the morning's volunteer activities, the Consular Section convened at the Arab-Jewish Community Center in Jaffa for teambuilding activities. Consular staff split into teams to see who knew the most about their colleagues during a trivia quiz.

Ben Gurion University researcher Debbie Iancu-Haddad drew upon the group's energy level when she spoke on using humor to improve office morale. Flashing a bright smile and contagious laugh, she explained how a little bit of humor and a deep laugh can make any environment a better place to work. Her workshop dovetailed with the day's teambuilding and resilience themes.

Vice Consul Speaks to Israeli-Arab Students in Nazareth

On Feb. 22, 2011, a Vice Consul spoke to Israeli-Arab students at Galilee High School in Nazareth about student visas and study opportunities in the United States. The Follow-Up Committee on Arab Education facilitated the event.

In partnership with EducationUSA, 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 responded 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 Takes American Citizen Services on the Road

To better serve American citizens though Israel, the American Citizen Services section of Embassy Tel Aviv took their operations on the road to provide consular services across Israel.

Staff visited Bet Shemesh on Feb. 14, Dimona on Feb. 15, Beersheva on Feb. 16, and Madjal Shams on Feb. 17.

During the visits, staff processed hundreds of passport applications and provided many other consular services. Join the American Citizen Services email list serv to find out when the Embassy will next visit a town near you.

Israeli Media Note Consular Section Closure

We're in the news! Ynet (Hebrew language) wrote about Consular Section closure in a Jan. 10 story. Read the complete article at: http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4011466,00.html.

Also check out the Feb. 18 story from Ha'aretz, which notes the upcoming closure. Link to the article: http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/anglo-file/u-s-consular-section-closes-temporarily-1.344108.

Consul General Holds Live Web Chat at Ynet

On Feb. 16, 2011, Consul General Andrew Parker held a consular-related web chat on one of Israel's most popular online news portals, Ynet.co.il.

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 all the questions and answers at: http://www.ynet.co.il/home/0,7340,L-1303-6919,00.html.

Message to Applicants: Beware of Dishonest Visa Vendors

The Consular Section has learned that many visa vendors in Israel have charged applicants exorbitant fees to schedule emergency appointments. This is a fraudulent business practice the Embassy strongly condemns.

The Embassy does not charge a fee for emergency visa interview appointments. This is a free service provided to applicants who have a legitimate reason for emergency travel to the United States. All requests are considered on the individual merits of the case, in accordance with U.S. law.

Pleasure travel does not qualify as emergency travel. For more details about what qualifies as an emergency, visit the Embassy website at: http://israel.usembassy.gov/emergency-appointment2.html.

How to Request an Emergency Visa Appointment

To request an emergency appointment, applicants should first apply through the Visa- Point website at https://visainfo.us-visaservices.com/. If you have less than three business days left until your departure, you may submit the request to the Embassy via the email address NIVTelAviv@state.gov and put the word ‘emergency’ in the subject line of the email.

If you are granted an emergency appointment, the Consular Section reminds applicants that this is only an appointment for an interview—it is not a visa approval. Only a consular officer may decide if an applicant is qualified for a visa.

Once the consular officer approves a visa, it generally takes at least 24 hours to process the request. Applicants should never buy plane tickets in advance or expect that they will receive a visa the same day of an interview. Typically, passports are returned by mail within seven to ten days, depending on the location within Israel.

Temporary Consular Section Closure Dates Released

U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv has announced the Consular Section will close temporarily for renovations. The American Citizen Services Section will be closed February 10-22, 2011 and the Non-Immigrant Visa Section will be closed February 18-March 8, 2011.

No interviews for visas or passports will be conducted during this time. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for visas and passports well in advance of travel plans. Appointments can be scheduled for dates after the closure.

The American Citizen Services section will process a limited number of emergency cases during its closure. To request an emergency appointment, applicants should email AMCTelAviv@state.gov.

The Non-Immigrant Visa Section will process a limited number of emergency cases during the closure. To request an emergency appointment, applicants should first apply through the VisaPoint website at https://visainfo.us-visaservices.com.

Pleasure travel does not qualify as an emergency. To determine if your circumstances qualify for an emergency appointment, visit http://israel.usembassy.gov/emergency-appointment2.html.

During this time period, the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem and the U.S. Consular Agency in Haifa will be open for business as usual.