American Citizen Services Staff Visit Safed



Passport Assistant Johnny Sakran assists
Americans with their passport applications.



A visit to the old city of Safed is generally to learn about the city’s vibrant history, to wander down the cobblestone alleys filled with art galleries and eateries, or to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Golan, Mount Hermon, Mount Meron and the Kinneret.

But on June 21, 2011, a group of Embassy employees from the American Citizen Services (ACS) section made the trek to northern Israel for an entirely different reason.

This ACS trip focused on outreach to the American community there and to provide consular services to them. Two Vice Consuls and five locally-engaged staff provided a full array of services, including accepting and adjudicating passport applications and Consular Reports of Births Abroad, providing notarial services and updating the American population about the recent closure of the Tel Aviv Federal Benefits Unit.

Join the American Citizen Services email list serv to find out when the Embassy will next visit a town near you.

Video: Illegal Work in the U.S.: The Price is Too High!

YnetNews Story Warns Against Working Illegally in the United States

Check out the June 22 article from YnetNews warning of the dangers of working illegally in the United States. The article showcases our new YouTube video which features interviews with young Israelis who were caught working in the United States—and the serious consequences they faced.

Read the full story at: http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4085336,00.html.

Watch the full YouTube video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0LiorPHmGyY#at=237.

Need Answers to All Your Visa Application Process Questions? Help is here!

The Department of State has recently updated its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page to address many of your questions about the visa application process and the DS-160.

We’ve also compiled a list of online resources to help answer your questions about technical and photo requirements. Finally, when filling out the application, don’t forget to save your work often!

Still have questions? U.S. Embassy London has posted a helpful DS-160 instruction video on YouTube which may help to answer your questions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Visit the Department of State’s updated FAQ page at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/forms_4401.html.

Technical Requirements:

Visit https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ for complete technical instructions on how to complete the DS-160 online application form.

Photo Guidance

Photo requirements and guidance are provided at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/visaphotoreq/visaphotoreq_5334.html.

DS-160 Instruction Video (English language)

Watch U.S. Embassy London’s helpful English-language instructional video for the DS-160 application process at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSd6gYr-aSs.

Important Notice Regarding the 2012 Diversity Visa Program



Watch the video: http://bcove.me/04q1rpqa.



The results of the selection process for the 2012 Diversity Visa (DV-2012) program have been voided.  Results previously available via the Entry Status Check (ESC) function on the Department of State website, dvlottery.state.gov, were posted in error and are now invalid.  The results were not valid because, owing to a computer error, they did not represent a fair, random selection of entrants, as required by U.S. law. 

This means that the State Department has rescinded all notices informing entrants that they had been selected for further processing in DV-2012; if you received such a notice via ESC on dvlottery.state.gov, it is no longer valid.

A new random selection process will be conducted based on the original entries for the DV-2012 program.  If you submitted a qualified entry from October 5, 2010, to November 3, 2010, you do not need to reapply.  Your entry will be included in the new random selection.  Your confirmation number, which is required to determine the status of your entry, remains the same.  The State Department is not accepting new entries for the DV-2012 program.

We expect the results of the new random selection process to be available by July 15, 2011, via the ESC function on dvlottery.state.gov.

We regret any inconvenience this might have caused.

For further information and future updates on the 2012 DV program, please see:

http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html

Ask the Consul: Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Question: I would like to know about a program called OPT. When I'm doing an MBA degree, am I allowed to work a full time while participating in the program?

Answer: Thanks for your question. Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student's major area of study and usually occurs after the completion of your coursework.  Students who are authorized for Optional Practical Training  must have an I-20 endorsed for OPT, and provide a USCIS-issued Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

Your OPT may occur while school is in session, provided that practical training does not exceed 20 hours per week. However, most students do OPT following completion of their coursework. Students must complete all practical training within a 12-month period following the completion of study.  OPT students have 60 days following completion of the course of practical training within which to depart the U.S.   

Effective April 8, 2008, an F-1 student with a degree in a DHS-approved science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) major, who is already in a period of approved post-completion OPT, may apply to USCIS to extend that period by up to 17 months, for a maximum total period of 29 months.

To learn more about OPT, please visit the Department of Homeland Security website, which includes frequently asked questions: http://www.ice.gov/sevis/students/opt.htm.

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Ask the Consul is a regular feature on the Consular Round Up blog. Every few weeks, one of the Embassy's Consular Officers answers an interesting consular question we've received from one of our readers. Think you can stump us? To submit a question, leave a comment, post one on our Facebook wall or send us an email at NIVTelAviv@state.gov. We look forward to hearing from you!

The State Department’s Role in a Crisis: What to Expect

What is the Department of State's role during a crisis overseas? Does the Department always evacuate U.S. citizens? What other assistance can the Department provide during a crisis?

These are a few questions we often receive from American Citizens traveling overseas.

The actions the State Department takes depend on the nature of the crisis. In some instances, we may only need to provide information on conditions in the country, such as warning about areas of unrest, how and where to seek help, and other useful advice. In more serious situations, we may recommend that U.S. citizens consider departing the foreign country, and, if commercial transportation is not at all available, provide departure assistance, as resources permit.

Check out the following link below to learn more about the State Department's role in a crisis and what happens during an evacuation: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1212.html.