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Welcome to the February newsletter!
Upcoming Holidays and ACS Office Closures The Embassy and Consulates will be closed for the following holidays:
A full list of all of our holiday closings is online here. American citizens who require emergency assistance during holidays should contact the office serving their part of Japan. If you do come to see us at the Embassy in Tokyo, note that we have two lines to enter the building; a (usually) longer line for visa applicants and a much shorter line for customers coming for American Citizen Services help. Check the signs by the Embassy entrance, which will direct you to the appropriate line. We use a computerized customer ticketing system; upon entering the Consular section, you can select the type of service you require (e.g. Passport, Notary, etc.) and wait in the ACS Waiting Room for your number to be called.
Security Situation The security situation in Japan remains the same, with no new credible threat information. The Government of Japan maintains heightened security measures at key facilities and ports of entry as counter-terrorism precautions linked to the increased tensions in the Middle East. On January 17, the Department of State issued an updated Worldwide Caution Public Announcement. It supersedes the Worldwide Caution dated October 9, 2007. Please view the full text online here. You can always read the most current information online here. Since our last newsletter, the Department of State has issued four new Travel Warnings (Eritrea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Iran) and one Travel Alert (Kenya). Please review them online here. The most up-to-date information regarding permitted and prohibited items on flights can be viewed online here. For additional information, please visit "Americans Traveling Abroad" on the State Dept. website. To obtain up-to-date information on security conditions, call 1-888-407-4747 (toll free in the United States), or 1-202-501-4444 if you are in Canada or outside the United States.
Increases to Passport Fees and New Parental Signature Requirements for Minors On February 1, 2008, the U.S. Government will increase its fees for certain U.S. citizen passport services. For adult applicants renewing a passport, the total fee will increase to $75. For first-time applicants age 16 and over, the total fee will increase to $100. The fee for minors under 16 years of age will be $85. Effective February 1, 2008, passport applicants who are U.S. citizen minors under the age of 16 must appear personally with their parents to establish identity, proof of citizenship and proof of relationship. For parental application permission, both parents must appear together and sign, or one parent may appear to sign and submit the other parent's notarized statement, or one parent may appear, sign, and submit primary evidence of sole authority. Minors age 16 and 17 may apply in person with their own identification, but for security reasons, parental consent may be required. If your child does not have identification of their own, a parent will be required to accompany the child and present identification. Please refer to the Department of State's website at www.travel.state.gov for complete information on all new requirements, including downloadable revised forms that must be used as of February 1, and the U.S. Embassy website, for complete U.S. passport application instructions. Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the U.S. Embassy website and the U.S. Department of State's travel website at www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. The U.S. Embassy also encourages U.S. citizens to review to "A Safe Trip Abroad," found at this site online, which includes valuable security information for those both living and traveling abroad. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada, or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. Citizens living and residing in Japan are advised to register their presence in the country through the U.S. Department of State's automated online registration system, https://travelregistration.state.gov. U.S. citizens may also contact the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy via e-mail or by calling 03-3224-5000.
New Passport Application Forms The Department of State has created new passport application forms. Starting on Friday, February 1, new versions of the DS-11, DS-82, DS-4085, DS-5504, and DS-3053 will be required for all passport applications. These numbers represent the three passport application forms, the application for additional visa pages, and the notarized consent form. The Department will replace the old forms online with the new ones on February 1. We will not be able to accept out-of-date forms, so please be sure to use the new form if you plan on applying for a citizenship service.
Voting: Toll-Free Telephone Numbers from Overseas The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) maintains toll-free telephone numbers from 67 countries to the FVAP offices in Washington, D.C. that overseas voters can use to ask questions about overseas voting. Some states also allow the electronic transmission of ballots and voter registration forms through the FVAP toll-free fax numbers (see article below). Details about the toll-free voice and fax numbers and a list of numbers by country can be found at this page online.
Voting: Electronic Transmission of Election Materials With primaries already in full swing, be sure that you know all of your options when filling out and sending voting materials. Insufficient mail transit time is a common obstacle that many citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) encounter when voting by absentee ballot. The FVAP Electronic Transmission Service (ETS - email and fax) has been very successful in improving delivery of voting materials. The service is an effective and efficient alternative to the by-mail delivery of election materials between local election officials and UOCAVA voters (where permitted by state law). With proper controls in place, the service can reduce the ballot transit time by at least half, helping to ensure that citizens are able to cast a ballot when they would not otherwise have been able to vote due to time and location constraints. To date, 51 states and territories allow for some type of electronic transmission of absentee voting materials for UOCAVA citizens. The provisions and guidelines for transmitting election materials electronically are identified in each state and territory section of the 2008-09 Voting Assistance Guide (the Guide is available online here). To maintain the integrity of the process, citizens should follow the instructions provided in Appendix B of the Guide. An ETS transmission sheet, which can be duplicated for repeat use, is provided on page 433. In addition to Appendix B the following guidance is provided for those citizens whose state allows electronic transmission:
Voting: Residency Guidelines for Uniformed Services While the issue of voting residency can be complex, the following are general guidelines for helping members of the Uniformed Services and their family members residing outside the U.S. determine their state of legal residence for voting purposes. Foremost, you should keep in mind that Uniformed Service personnel and their family members may not arbitrarily choose which state to declare as their legal voting residence without meeting the state's residency requirement. The following are basic guidelines to follow in determining residency for military personnel and their family members:
"Home of Record" should not be confused with legal residence. "Home of Record" is the address a military member had upon entry into the Service. It does not change. "Home of Record" and legal residence may be the same address, and usually are, when a person enters military service. It can remain so even though the person or his/her relatives no longer live at that location, as long as the military member has not established a legal residence elsewhere after entering active duty. If a military member changes legal residence after entering active duty, he/she may not revert to claiming the "Home of Record" as legal residence without re-establishing physical presence and intent to remain in or return to that state. Family members of active duty military personnel may each have a different legal residence. A spouse does not automatically assume the legal residence of the active duty member upon marriage. The spouse must meet the physical presence and intent to remain or return criteria. Minors typically assume the legal residence of either parent when they become 18. They also have the option of establishing their own legal residence which can be different from either parent, assuming they have met the guidelines of physical presence and intent to remain or return. These are general guidelines for determining legal residency for voting purposes. Citizens should consult their legal or JAG officer for specifics.
Voting: Residency Guidelines for Overseas Civilian Citizens The following are voting residency guidelines for citizens residing outside the U.S. The "legal state of residence" for voting purposes is the state in which the citizen last resided immediately prior to his or her departure from the U.S. This right extends to overseas citizens even though they may no longer own property or have other ties to their last state of residence and their intent to return to that state may be uncertain. Keep in mind that exercising one's right to vote in elections for Federal offices only does not affect the determination of residence or domicile for purposes of any tax imposed under Federal, state or local law. Voting in an election for Federal office only may not be used as the sole basis to determine residency for the purposes of imposing state and local taxes. If you claim a particular state as your residence and have other ties with that state in addition to voting, then you may be liable for state and local taxation, depending upon that particular state law. Voting Assistance Officers at Embassies/Consulates will assist overseas U.S. citizens in obtaining and completing Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) requests for registration and absentee ballots; witnessing or notarizing FPCA forms (if required); and, providing other absentee voting information as needed. Embassy/Consulate locations may serve also as postage-free mailing points for FPCA forms and other election materials to be mailed back to your local voting jurisdiction in the U.S. where absentee registration and ballot requests are actually processed. Organizations of American citizens overseas such as Democrats Abroad, Republicans Abroad, etc., and overseas corporations have the voting materials necessary to assist citizens in requesting registration and ballots. Always, when completing the FPCA, be sure to consult the appropriate state section in Chapter Three of the Guide and complete the residence section of the form by entering the complete street address of your last residence in that state, including your street or rural route and number. If using a rural route number, include specific information on the location of residence. Your right to vote in your state and determination of voting precinct depend on your physical residence while you were within that state. Additional information on residency is provided in Chapter Two of the Guide (PDF).
Voting: February Primaries - It's a busy month On Feb. 5:
Other February Elections:
Voting: Citizens who have Never Lived in the United States See this link for state specific information regarding the requirements one has to meet to register to vote if she/he has never lived in the United States.
Voting: Illinois to hold Special Primary on February 5 (14th District) On Tuesday, February 5, 2008 there will be a special primary election in 14th Congressional District of Illinois to fill the seat of Representative Dennis Hastert. To determine if your legal residence is in the 14th Congressional District, you can click on “Communicating with Your Elected Officials”, then “Who is my Representative?” at the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website. The winners of this special primary election will compete in a special general election to be held on Saturday, March 8, 2008. Registering to Vote and Requesting a Ballot: All members of the U.S. Uniformed Services, their family members and citizens residing outside the U.S. who are Illinois residents from the 14th District should request a ballot for this special primary election by completing and submitting a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), SF-76, as soon as possible, if you have not done so already in calendar year 2008. The online version of the FPCA is available from the FVAP website. Specific instructions for Illinois are available at this site (PDF). Voters who are Illinois residents from the 14th District and have already requested a ballot for the Presidential and State Primary on February 5, 2008 will automatically receive this ballot, and need not take any further action. Because this is a partisan primary election, you must indicate your party affiliation (either Democrat, Republican, or Green) when applying for your ballot. The County Clerk or Board of Election Commissioners must receive the request for absentee ballot not later than Monday, January 28, 2008. Illinois allows members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and their family members to send the FPCA for ballot request by fax. After faxing, submit the original FPCA by mail. Use the following toll-free fax numbers for the U.S. and Canada: 1-800-368-8683, (703) 693-5527 or DSN 223-5527 (military). At this online site, there is a list of additional toll-free fax numbers from overseas countries. Illinois does not allow faxing of the FPCA for registration. APPLICATION FOR BALLOT BY PROXY: If you are a member of the U.S. Service, and your spouse, dependent, mother, father, sister, or brother is registered to vote in your election precinct of voting residence, he or she may use a special application provided by the election official to request that an absentee ballot be mailed to you. RECEIVING YOUR BALLOT: Illinois does not allow you to receive the blank ballot by fax. RETURNING YOUR BALLOT: When returned, your ballot will be counted if it arrives at the appropriate board of elections not later than February 8, 2008, as long as it is postmarked by February 4, 2008. Illinois does not allow return of the voted ballot by fax. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: State specific information on your precinct, candidates, elections, and voting is available at the Illinois State Board of Elections website.
Voting: Massachusetts Extends Ballot Receipt Deadline for Primary Massachusetts has extended the deadline for returning ballots voted by military and overseas voters to the local election official for the upcoming February 5, 2008 Presidential Primary only. Uniformed Service members, eligible family members, and U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S. are asked to vote their Massachusetts state ballot following the instructions accompanying the ballot and mail it as soon as they receive it. Citizens are encouraged to vote and send their voted ballot no matter how late they receive it, as long as it is postmarked by election day (February 5, 2008) and returned to the Town or City Clerk so that it arrives not later than 15 days after the election (February 20, 2008). Please note that Massachusetts does not allow receiving the blank ballot or returning the voted ballot by fax or email. Candidate names for the Presidential Primary election are available at the Secretary of the Commonwealth website. A Notice from the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on this election is available at this site as well. Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1155 or through email: vote@fvap.ncr.gov. Visit the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov
Voting: Tennessee Authorizes Use of FWAB and Extends Ballot Receipt Deadline Tennessee has been authorized by a federal court to extend by ten days the deadline for returning ballots cast by overseas military and overseas civilian voters to the local election official for the upcoming February 5, 2008 Presidential Primary only. Because some ballots were delayed, ballots (including Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots) will be accepted from Uniformed Service members stationed overseas, eligible family members, and U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S., provided the ballot is postmarked by Election Day (February 5, 2008) and so long as the ballot is received by the close of business on February 15, 2008. If voters have not received their ballots from the local election officials, they are authorized to vote a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot as provided below. All Tennessee residents that are covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) also may vote in the February 5th Presidential Primary Election using the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). The FWAB ballot allows a qualified person to vote for all the offices and measures that would appear on their precinct ballot, as if they were voting in-person. A FWAB that is submitted by a UOCAVA voter will be considered the citizen’s cast ballot. Voters also are asked to vote their Tennessee state ballot and mail it as soon as they receive it. Tennessee residents who have requested an absentee ballot but have not received their ballot should submit the FWAB as soon as possible. In Tennessee, you may only vote in either the Democratic or Republican Presidential Primary. Presidential candidates on the Democratic and Republican ballots can be found online here (PDF). Those voting in the Republican Party election may also vote for a Delegate to the Republican National Convention. A list of these candidates can be found at: this site online (PDF). After writing in the name of the selected candidate, the ballot must then be placed in the Security Envelope. The Security Envelope and the signed Voter’s Declaration/Affirmation should be placed in an envelope and mailed to the voter’s County Election Commission. The online version of the FWAB is available from the FVAP website. A postage paid envelope is available at this site online (PDF). The envelope may be printed on a No. 10 size business envelope or blank sheet of paper and then should be secured to the voted ballot package and mailed to the county election official. A list of Tennessee county officials and addresses is available online here (PDF). Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20301-1155, vote@fvap.ncr.gov and on the World Wide Web at www.fvap.gov or to the Coordinator of Elections, Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office at (615) 741-7956.
Alternative Minimum Tax To find out if you may be subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), refer to the AMT worksheet captioned "Worksheet to See if You Should Fill in Form 6251 – Line 45" in the Form 1040 Instructions. Alternatively, you may use the AMT Assistant for Individuals, an electronic version of the AMT worksheet available on the IRS webpage at www.irs.gov. The AMT worksheet may tell you that you do not owe the alternative minimum tax or it may send you to Form 6251, Alternative Minimum Tax - Individuals. If you are sent to Form 6251, you will have to complete that form to determine whether you owe the AMT. Form 6251 (PDF), Alternative Minimum Tax - Individuals, is available in a PDF format on the IRS webpage. For further information, please visit this site online.
Dollar/Yen Rate of Exchange for Tax Purposes We recently updated our tax page on our web site. If you need it, you will find the Federal Reserve’s average for the last four years online here.
Foreign Service Test Offered in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka in March U.S. Citizens who are interested in taking the Foreign Service Officer Test should visit this site online to get information on the exam and register for the test. The website also has information on many different career opportunities with the Department of State. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates will be administering the Foreign Service exam in Japan on the following dates:
Receiving frequently Updated Web Content via Web Services RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a subset of XML designed for sharing and distributing web content, such as headline news and newly posted web content. This technology allows you to receive news and web sites updates directly. More government agencies are using RSS feeds to increase awareness of government agency web sites. The Department of State's consular information just got even easier to access! Now you can receive travel warnings, alerts, and country specific information in your RSS reader. Follow this link for instruction on how to set up your feeds today!
Someone Asked the Consul About: Notarial Acts in Japan American Citizen Services (ACS) would like to remind the American community in Japan about available Notary Services. When an individual appears before a notary, that person is attesting that he or she is signing a document in person and without reservation. Accordingly, there are a few key points to consider when requesting these services. First, please know that the person or persons signing the document must come into the office; no one else can come on their behalf. For notarized translations, the person performing the translation must come in to the office him/herself. Also, please wait to sign the document in the presence of the consular officer. If the given document asks for witnesses to the signature, the customer is responsible for providing witnesses. For Tokyo clients, notary services are provided Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. only. For more particulars on notary services, including fees and the types of documents ACS can notarize, please visit our web page online here. ACS encourages clients who require Japanese notarials for documents, such as notarial deeds, authentication of private documents and articles of incorporation, affidavits and the attachment of officially-attested dates, to visit the website (look for the English button on the front of the home page) of the Japan National Notaries Association (JNNA) for more information about types of notarials, fees and locations of notary offices. ACS also has a directory of notary offices in Japan, including names of notaries, which is also available on the JNNA website. Please note that neither ACS nor the Japan National Notaries Association has information on which notaries provide services in English.
Leaving Japan? If you are departing from Japan after a long stay here, and you formally registered your stay with the Embassy or closest U.S. consulate, please be sure to "cancel" your registration when you leave. You can deregister yourself by visiting the travelregistration.state.gov site. You may also want to consider unsubscribing from the newsletter mailing list. Please see the instructions on how to accomplish this below.
Unsubscribing We make every attempt to include in our newsletter information of real value. We know that should world events dictate, we can use this email channel to get important information to you, as we did in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. That said, if you are leaving Japan or otherwise wish to unsubscribe from this list you can unsubscribe by writing from the same email address you used to subscribe, and send a blank email to:
leave-tokyoacs@mh.databack.comIf you need to receive these newsletters at a different email address, unsubscribe first, using the old address, and subscribe again from the new address.
Contact us:
American Embassy in Tokyo The Embassy helps Americans in Tokyo, Chiba, Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Yamagata and Yamanashi.
American Consulate General Sapporo The Consulate in Sapporo helps Americans in Akita, Aomori, Hokkaido, Iwate and Miyagi. As there are times when both officers are away from the office, we ask that you make an appointment before coming to the Consulate General.
American Consulate Nagoya Consulate Nagoya provides emergency consular services including death and arrest cases for Americans living in Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures. Please call Nagoya or Osaka for confirmation before traveling to Nagoya if you believe you have an emergency situation. Routine American Citizen services are provided by appointment only. If an appointment is not available, American residents may also receive service at the Consulate in Osaka.
American Consulate General Osaka-Kobe The Consulate in Osaka helps Americans in Osaka, Aichi, Ehime, Fukui, Gifu, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Ishikawa, Kagawa, Kochi, Kyoto, Mie, Nara, Okayama, Shimane, Shiga, Tokushima, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama.
American Consulate Fukuoka The Consulate in Fukuoka helps Americans in Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Oita, Saga and Yamaguchi.
American Consulate General Naha The Consulate in Naha helps Americans in Okinawa and the Amami Oshima Island group (which is the southern island group of Kagoshima Prefecture). Travel, safety and security information is also available directly from the Department of State.
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