HomeMedia Credentials and Visa Information...Foreign Press Center Media Credential Application Guidelines (New York, NY)

# 									Foreign Press Center Media Credential Application Guidelines (New York, NY)							

The Foreign Press Centers (FPCs) issue press credentials to foreign media with a primary audience/circulation located outside the United States.  These credentials grant access to the FPCs’ events, facilities, and services in Washington, D.C. and New York, NY.  They are widely recognized by government and other organizations convening media events.  Validity of the FPC credential is in accordance with the terms of the applicant’s visa status, duration of eligibility to work in the United States, and/or reciprocity with the employing media agency’s home country.  Validity will not exceed a term of three years, but credentials are renewable at the end of that period for members of the foreign media on continuing assignment in the United States.  

To apply for an FPC credential from the New York Foreign Press Center (NYFPC), please submit the following documents via e-mail to **NYFPC@state.gov** with your complete application package**.**The******NYFPC Media Relations Officer******responsible for your geographic region will respond to your inquiry.   *Application packages must be submitted via e-mail.* Please review the requirements carefully, since failure to include all relevant documentation will lead to delays in processing an application.

**PLEASE NOTE: Credentials do not guarantee admission to any specific media event, and journalists are encouraged to check specific instructions from hosting organizations and on notices of press availabilities.**

**IMPORTANT: Walk-ins are not accepted.  Currently, all credential processing is conducted via e-mail.**

**TO APPLY, ALL APPLICANTS:**

Please provide the following information (copy and paste into the body of your e-mail).  All information should be in English: 
        - Surname/Family Name  
        - First Name  
        - Middle Name, if any.  
        - Country of Media Organization  
        - Name of Media Organization  
        - Job Title  
        - Please include a short (2 – 4 sentence) biography describing your work and experience as a journalist.             - Example: Susan has been the New York correspondent for the Example newspaper since 2017 and covers American politics with a focus on U.S. policy toward the Middle East. Founded in 1992 and based in London, the Example has bureaus in Tokyo, New York City, Johannesburg, and Buenos Aires, and publishes across all digital platforms. Previously, Susan served as the Bureau Chief for Another Example newspaper in Amman, and began their career covering health and technology issues for Another Example radio in Melbourne. 
        - Type of Media (magazine, newspaper, TV, radio, online, news agency, other)  
        - Audience size and location of primary audience 
        - U.S. Office Address  
        - Office Phone  
        - Mobile Phone  
        - E-mail Address  
        - Twitter Handle(s)  
        - Media Organization Website Address  
        - Name of Employee you are Replacing, if any.  

Also include:
        - One recent passport-size color photo  in .jpg format  (Note: Photo must be no older than six months).  The photo  must have a  **white background** ; and 
        - A .pdf or .jpg format copy of the biodata/photo page of your passport;. 
        - If other than a U.S. passport *,* also include a .pdf or .jpg format copy of documentation showing that you are legally authorized to work in the United States.  Qualifying documents include:             - A valid “I” journalist visa.  [Bearers of other temporary worker visa categories may qualify under certain circumstances.]  The copy of any visa should include the entry stamp from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer at the port of entry into the United States.  The stamp should indicate how long the applicant is authorized to remain in the United States; or  
          - a U.S. legal permanent resident “green” card; or  
          - a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) or temporary authorization pending EAD issuance.  

*The FPCs reserve the right to request additional documentation attached to any work authorization.*

If you are presently located outside the New York City metropolitan area, a mailing address where you wish to receive your credential and, if applicable, DMV letter.

**ADDITIONAL JOB-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:**

**FOR BUREAU CHIEFS AND STAFF REPORTERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, AND CAMERA-PERSONS****:**
        - An original letter addressed to the State Department’s Foreign Press Centers, scanned in .jpg or .pdf format, from the director of the media organization for which you work, written in English, on the organization’s letterhead, and dated no more than 30 days prior to your application, confirming the details of your assignment to the United States.  The letter should include your title/position and the expected duration of your assignment. This letter  cannot  be signed by the applicant; and 
        - Three articles, images, or other media produced by the applicant and run by foreign news organizations within the last sixty days that show the applicant as the author/creator.  Hyperlinks to online news platforms and media YouTube channels also suffice.  For photographers and videographers, this can also be demonstrated by presenting assignment sheets or other formal records from an assignments editor that indicate that the applicant has covered media events.  

*The FPC may, at its sole discretion, waive this requirement for new staff hired in the United States.*

**FOR FREELANCERS (PRINT/PHOTO/VIDEO)****:** Freelancers will be granted credentials based on their ability to demonstrate both that their primary employment is as a journalist and that the majority of their material is placed with media with a primary audience outside the United States.  Freelance credentials have a maximum validity of twelve months, with the option to renew, provided the conditions noted in this section are met.
        - An original letter, scanned in .jpg or.pdf format, from the director of a media organization for which you work regularly, written in English, on the organization’s letterhead and dated no more than 30 days prior to your application, confirming you have placed work with that organization in the past year and that they will continue to accept material from you.  Freelancers are encouraged to provide this same information for as many of the media placing their content as possible; and 
        - Three articles, images, or other media produced by the applicant and run by foreign news organizations within the last sixty days that show the applicant as the author/creator. Hyperlinks to online news platforms and media YouTube channels also suffice. For photographers and videographers, this can also be demonstrated by presenting assignment sheets or other formal records from an assignments editor that indicate that the applicant has covered media events.  

*The FPC may, at its sole discretion, waive this requirement for new staff hired in the United States.*

**FOR BLOGGERS AND OTHER SELF-EMPLOYED MEDIA****:** The FPCs will consider applications for credentials by bloggers and independent journalists on a case-by-case basis.  Applicants will be expected to demonstrate both that their primary content is news and that their primary audience is overseas.  Documentation of content-sharing agreements with established media and/or references from government media relations offices may be submitted in support of the application, but the FPC reserves the right to grant credentials at its sole discretion. 

**APPROVED CREDENTIALS MAY BE RETRIEVED IN PERSON****:** If approved, you will be contacted by the******NYFPC Media Relations Officer******responsible for your geographic region to confirm retrieval date.  Credentials may be mailed under extraordinary circumstances and at the discretion of FPC staff.. 

**IMPORTANT: The average processing time for a New York Foreign Press Center credential is two weeks from the date on which all required application materials are received by the Media Relations Officer.**

**CREDENTIAL RENEWALS****:** The procedure for renewing an FPC credential is the same as applying for a new one. 

**CHANGING MEDIA OUTLETS AND CHANGING STATUS****:** Credentials are specific to the media organization and authorized period of stay in the United States. 
        - Journalists who change media organizations should immediately notify the Media Relations Officer responsible for their geographic region in order to obtain a new credential.  If a journalist on a non-immigrant visa changes outlets or status, he/she should file a form I-539 with USCIS ( **https://www.uscis.gov/i-539** ).  Notification of approval is in the form of an I-797, which should be presented with the renewal application.  
        - Journalists on visas in the United States may apply with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to extend their status  **here** , and may be issued a temporary FPCs credential pending the decision by USCIS.   

**CREDENTIAL REVOCATIONS**: Credentials are the property of the U.S. Department of State.  Those credentialed are obliged to return credentials to the FPCs immediately if they expire, the credentialed person has ceased working as a journalist, or the credentialed person is notified that his/her credential has been revoked. 

Credentials from the FPCs are subject to revocation under any of the following circumstances: 
        - The period of assignment to the United States has expired; 
        - The credentialed person fails to inform the FPCs of a change in the media they work for; 
        - The FPCs determine that the credentialed person has provided false information regarding his or her employment, eligibility for employment, or visa status;  
        - The FPCs determine that the credentialed person has used his or her credential to misrepresent theirself in a non-journalistic context, or for some other unlawful purpose; 
        - The credentialed person fails to comply with the FPC’s rules regarding the conduct of events, such as physical placement or unsafe use of equipment; or physically disrupts events convened by the FPC or other U.S. government agencies to which the person was admitted using the credential.  

**Reporting, editorial opinion, or content of questions shall not be grounds for the revocation of a credential.**

**DMV LETTERS****:**The New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires that “I” visa holders present a letter of attestation from the FPCs prior to being issued a New York ID or driver’s license.  “I” visa holders can request letters of attestation from the Foreign Press Centers independently of requesting a FPC credential, or they may request the letter be processed along with a FPC credential application. Requests for DMV letters may be made at any time during the period for which the “I” visa is valid.  Requests should include a scanned (.pdf or .jpg) copy of the biodata (photo) page of the “I” visa from the applicant’s passport, and the page with the entry stamp from the first admission to the U.S. on the “I” visa.

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AUTHORITIES: The information on this site is requested under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 301, 22 U.S.C. §2651(a), 22 U.S.C. §1431, 22 CFR §2451 and Executive Order 13571.

PURPOSE: The purpose of gathering this information is to allow the Foreign Press Center (FPC) to issue press credentials to foreign media with a primary audience/circulation located outside the United States. These credentials grant access to FPCs’ events, facilities, and services in Washington, D.C. and New York, NY.

ROUTINE USES: The information requested through this process is not shared with any persons or agencies outside of the Bureau of Global Public Affairs (GPA) unless such disclosure is permitted by the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a (b) (“Conditions of Disclosure”). More information on the Routine Uses for the system can be found in System of Records Notice, State-22, Records of the Bureau of Public Affairs.

DISCLOSURE: Providing this information is voluntary. Failure to provide the information requested on this site may result in the applicant being denied access to the FPC locations and FPC events.

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