![](media/image2.png){width="6.25in" height="0.10416666666666667in"}

***Provided as a service to American Citizens in the Republic of
Serbia***

***Issue 11, Fall 2006***

***U.S. Embassy, Belgrade***

***Kneza Milosa 50, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia***

***American Citizen Services: +381-11-306-4665 or 4860***

***Immigrant visas: +381-11-306-4660 or 4662***

***Nonimmigrant visa appointments: +381-11-305-0550***

***Fax: 381-11-361-5497***

***E-mail: <BelgradeACS@state.gov>***

![](media/image3.png){width="5.125in" height="0.19791666666666666in"}

**Dear Fellow Citizens,**

**It is my pleasure to greet all of you as the new Chief of the Consular
Section in Belgrade. I only recently arrived in Belgrade, and am looking
forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the next three years.
If there is an issue you would like me to address in the future
newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact the Consulate. We are
working very hard to serve you as efficiently and effectively as
possible as we look toward the future. If there is anything we can help
you with at this time, do not hesitate to contact us.**

**Kind regards,**

**Carolyn M. Gorman**

**Consul**

![](media/image4.wmf){width="4.375in" height="2.875in"}

**Table of Contents:**

\~2006 U.S. Elections Notice

\~Providing Social Security Numbers

on Passport Applications

\~Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

\~2008 Diversity Visa Program

***UPCOMING HOLIDAYS:***

*October 9, Monday - Columbus Day*

*November 10, Friday - Veterans\' Day*

*November 23, Thursday - Thanksgiving Day*

*December 25, Monday - Christmas Day*

**Voting is one of the most important functions of a**

**democratic society; we encourage Americans residing**

**overseas to register to vote and to obtain absentee**

**ballots.** More details on second page.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="2.876388888888889in" height="3.175in"}

**2006 U.S. Elections Notice**

**Registration, Absentee Ballot Request Deadlines Approaching**

U.S. citizens who plan to vote in the upcoming mid-term elections on
November 7, 2006 are urged to submit their voter registration and/or
absentee ballot requests without delay.  Use the Federal Post Card
Application, available on-line from the Federal Voting Assistance
Program (FVAP) website at [http://www.fvap.gov](http://www.fvap.gov/).

Each state has its own regulations and deadlines for registering and
requesting absentee ballots.  Your state may require receipt of your
request as early as 30 days before the election.  Check the FVAP website
for guidance.

Many states now allow overseas voters to fax in their registration and
absentee ballot requests.  Some states will fax out blank ballots to
overseas voters, and a smaller number of states allow overseas voters to
fax back the voted ballot.  A few states allow the use of e-mail.  See
your state's rules for use of fax or e-mail at
<http://www.fvap.gov/ivas/fvap_state_menu.html>

 

Some states will begin mailing out absentee ballots to overseas voters
by the third week in September. Voters should pay careful attention to
their state's ballot receipt deadlines, and must comply with any
post-marking, witnessing or notarization requirements.  Overseas voters
who are required to mail in their voted ballot should plan to allow up
to three weeks for delivery via U.S. diplomatic pouch or international
mail.  Some express mail companies may offer special rates or services
for U.S. overseas voters. 

  

Voters who fail to receive a ballot from their local election officials
may be eligible to use a federal emergency write-in ballot.  The federal
write-in absentee ballot, or FWAB, is available on-line from the FVAP
website.  However, most states will allow you to use it only if your
initial ballot request reaches local officials by October 7, 2006 (30
days before the election).

For additional resources about absentee voting, including links to
non-partisan sources of information, see the U.S. Department of State
website at <http://www.travel.state.gov/law/info/info_2964.html> 

**PROVIDING SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS ON PASSPORT APPLICATIONS**

**Applicants for a U.S. passport must/must provide their social security
numbers on the passport application or otherwise indicate that they have
no social security number.**

**American passport applicants are required to provide their correct
social security number in box number five of the passport application
form DS-11. As stated in the instructions, if the person does not have a
social security number, they should enter 0\'s in box five.**

**Applicants who fail to provide a valid social security number are
subject to a 500 dollar penalty enforced by the Internal Revenue
Services (IRS}. Although we cannot deny issuance of a passport based on
the applicant\'s failure to provide a social security number, the IRS
intends to enforce the penalty.**

**WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE**

**On August 11, a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) was published in
the Federal Register describing a proposed plan by the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State to implement the
first phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Phase I
will require all travelers, including U.S. citizens, to present a
passport or other accepted travel document as evidence of citizenship
and identity when entering the United States by air or sea.**

![](media/image6.png){width="3.5in" height="6.285416666666666in"}

**Section 7209 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act
of 2004 (IRTPA) requires U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens alike to
present a passport or other acceptable document as evidence of identity
and citizenship when entering the United States. The IRTPA specifically
imposes a document requirement for all international travel within the
Western Hemisphere (travel to/from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and
Bermuda) which affects many travelers who were previously exempt. The
WHTI proposes a phased approach to implementation. The document
requirement would be effective on January 8, 2007 for air and sea travel
and on January 1, 2008 for land borders. WHTI will strengthen border
security and facilitate entry into the United States for American
citizens and legitimate foreign travelers by ensuring that travelers
possess secure, verifiable identity and citizenship documents.**

**At the present time, U.S., Canadian and Bermudan citizens traveling
within the Western Hemisphere are exempt by regulation from the passport
requirement. Evidence of citizenship and identification required for
entry into the United States currently consists of a wide variety of
less secure documents: driver\'s licenses, birth certificates, school
IDs, etc. This requires U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers to
be familiar with numerous types of documents to make entry decisions.
The IRTPA eliminates this exemption and requires the Secretary of DHS,
in consultation with the Secretary of State, to develop and implement a
plan to require U.S. citizens and all foreign travelers to present a
passport or other document(s) deemed by the DHS Secretary to be
sufficient to denote identity and citizenship when entering the United
States. Only a limited number of specific documents will be acceptable
for presentation at U.S. ports of entry under this plan.**

***A detailed message on WHTI and how it may affect travelers is also
available on the State Department\'s consular website
[www.travel.state.gov](http://www.travel.state.gov/) and the Department
of Homeland Security\'s website [www.dhs.gov](http://www.dhs.gov/).***

**Anyone wishing to comment on the proposal may access the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at
[http://www.regulations.gov](http://www.regulations.gov/) and follow the
instructions for submitting comments.**

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="1.625in" height="1.53125in"}

***2008 Diversity Visa Program Information***

-   **The DV-2008 lottery registration period will run from Wednesday
    noon, EDT on October 4, 2006 until Sunday noon, EST December 3,
    2006.**

-   **The DV-2008 lottery will be conducted entirely electronically,
    including electronic entry. Paper entries are not accepted. The
    Department has established a dedicated website for the submission of
    E-DV entries,
    [www.dvlottery.state.gov](http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/).**

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Successfully registered entries will result in the display of a
    confirmation screen containing the applicant\'s name, date of birth,
    country of chargeability, and a date/time stamp, which can then be
    printed.**

-   **People may prepare and submit their own entries, or have someone
    submit the entry for them. Regardless of whether an entry is
    submitted by the individual directly, or assistance is provided by
    an attorney, friend,**

**relative, etc., only one entry may be submitted in the name of each**

**individual, and the person entering the lottery remains responsible
for**

**insuring that the information is correct and complete. If the entry
is**

**selected, the notification letter will be sent only to the mailing**

**address provided on the entry.**

***For more information about DV qualifying occupations, fraud warning,
and more please visit
[http://www.dvlottery.state.gov](http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/)***