AMERICAN CITIZENS SERVICES NEWSLETTER
U.S. EMBASSY KYIV, UKRAINE
June 27, 2006
Please note that the Embassy is closed tomorrow, Wednesday, June 28, in observance of Ukrainian Constitution Day.
Please see more information on other closures at the end of this newsletter.
Through the monthly American Citizens Services newsletter, the U.S. Embassy provides security and other information of general interest to U.S. citizens in Ukraine who have subscribed by registering with the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and providing an email address. This newsletter also serves as monthly test of our ability to reach Americans in Ukraine in the event of a wide-scale emergency. If you believe others would benefit from receiving this newsletter, please forward it to them and encourage them to subscribe. Please see the information on subscription at the bottom of this newsletter.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
· 2006 Annual American Independence Day Charity Picnic
· Avian Influenza in Ukraine
· Important Notice About the 2006 U.S. Elections
· Information on the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act
· Moldova Abolishing Visitor Visas for Citizens of the U.S., EU, Canada, Switzerland and Japan
Request for Cellular Telephone Numbers for Text-Messaging
Internet-Based Registration System (IBRS)
Travel Information: Warnings and Public Announcements
Other Useful Internet Addresses Available for U.S. Citizens
Holidays and Other Embassy Closures
Subscription to American Citizens Services Newsletter
2006 ANNUAL AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY CHARITY PICNIC
Saturday, July 1st, 4PM – 10PM
Aerodrome Chayka
The 2006 Annual American Independence Day Picnic in Kyiv will take place Saturday, July 1st starting at 4PM at Aerodrome Chayka. All proceeds from this excellent Family Picnic are donated to worthy Charities throughout Ukraine in conjunction with the Ukrainian Citizen Action Network's (UCAN) Corporate Matching Grants program. The Chamber is expecting to host several thousand people this year.
All attendees of the Picnic will enjoy complimentary ice-cream, Coca-Cola products, Clearwater, and coffee as well as all children who attend the Picnic will walk away with a goody bag filled with really cool stuff! There will also be a Kid’s Zone and other special surprises for the little ones included in the Entrance price. Fireworks, hot air balloon rides and live music will also entertain all guests whether young or old and there will be plenty of opportunities to sit back, sip a cold beverage and just relax on the lawn with family and friends…don’t forget to bring a blanket!
The tickets are only available at the Picnic on the day of the Event for a small donation. Each Picnic Buck can be purchased for 5UAH. Tickets include but are not limited to:
· Entrance – 20 UAH / $4 - children up to 3 years of age free
· Cold Draft Beer - 1 Picnic Buck over two dozen different types of tasty food to choose from – 3 to 8 Picnic Bucks per plate.
· Grand Raffle - 1 Picnic Buck per ticket – all prizes valued more than $500.00.
Very cool T-shirts and other fun souvenirs will also be available for purchase with your Picnic Bucks.
There will be plenty of security as well as first aid facilities and rest rooms available.
ONLY Hryvnia (UAH) will be accepted at the Picnic
NO DOLLARS, NO YEN, NO EURO, NO RUBLES…
NO Currency Exchange Points at the Picnic!
Bring plenty of UAH cash
Directions to Aerodrome Chayka:
· Plenty of free parking at the Picnic. Only 15 minute drive from the center.
· More information and a map to the event can be found at:
www.amcham.ua click on the flying dog.
· Picnic buses will depart every 15 minutes from 3:30PM till 9:00PM from Zhytomyrska metro station (across “Ecran” cinema) and return throughout the day. Look for the Picnic logo to find the bus.
· From Svyatoshyn metro station you can take bus #37 or marshrutka #561
AVIAN INFLUENZA IN UKRAINE
Please see the latest update on avian influenza in Ukraine issued by the Embassy at
http://kiev.usembassy.gov/amcit_wardenmsg_0622_eng.html.
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT THE 2006 U.S. ELECTIONS
All American citizens are reminded that 2006 is an election year in the United States. Every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the seats in the U.S. Senate are being contested this year. Overseas citizens are eligible to participate in primary, run-off, and special elections that occur throughout the year, as well as the general elections in November.
We strongly encourage you to register to vote and/or request absentee ballots as early in the year as possible to ensure that you will receive all ballots for which you are eligible. Should questions or problems occur, you would still be able to address them in time to vote in the 2006 general elections.
The following is the basic absentee voting process:
· You complete an application form (see below) and send it to local election officials in the U.S.
· The local official approves your request, or contacts you for further information
· The local official sends you an absentee ballot
· You vote the ballot and send it back in time to meet your state's deadline
The official US Government website for overseas absentee voting assistance is the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at
www.fvap.gov. It has a wealth of information about absentee voting, including the downloadable absentee ballot application, state-specific instructions for completing the form, links to state and local officials, and a downloadable emergency ballot.
Overseas citizens groups help people to vote. We encourage you to contact Democrats Abroad, Republicans Abroad or other American citizens groups or organizations for assistance in registering to vote and requesting absentee ballots. Links to these groups are at
http://www.fvap.gov/links/ocitlinks.html.
To register to vote and to request an absentee ballot, download the Federal Post Card Application at
http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html. You can also obtain this form from overseas American citizens groups or from the U.S. Embassy/Consulate. Fill it out and send it in, following the guidelines for your state. A postage-paid envelope template, valid if you are using the U.S. postal system, is available at
http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/returnenvelope.html.
Each state has different voting procedures. Information about your state's procedures is available at
http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag/vagchapter3.html. Information about your state's deadlines to register and vote is available at
http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/primarycal.html. A calendar of election dates is available at
http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/primarycal.html.
States sometimes make last-minute changes. There may be late changes to your state's voting calendar, procedures or deadlines. When these occur, the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) will issue a News Release. News Releases are available at
http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/releases.html.
Be an educated voter. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues is widely available and easy to obtain via the Internet. Use the links appearing on the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at
http://www.fvap.gov/links/otherlinks.html, or choose any one of several search engines to locate articles and information.
An emergency ballot is available. If the ballot receipt deadline is approaching, and you have not yet received the blank ballot from local officials, you can download an emergency ballot, write in the names of the candidates and the offices for which they are running, and send it back in time to meet your state's ballot receipt deadline. The emergency ballot (SF-186, Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, or FWAB) is available on the Internet at
http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/forms.html.
The Voting Assistance Officer at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate in Kiev, Ukraine is available to answer questions about absentee voting. To contact the Voting Assistance Officer, call (+38 044) 490-4445, 490-4422 or send an e-mail to
acskiev@state.gov. Look for notices from the Embassy/Consulate throughout the year relating to the 2006 elections.
Again, we strongly encourage you to begin this process as soon as possible.
INFORMATION ON THE TAX INCREASE PREVENTION AND RECONCILIATION ACT
The Consulate General has received many inquiries regarding the new tax law and its effect on American Citizens overseas. This message provides some background information on the law and how it might affect you.
On May 17, 2006, President Bush signed H.R. 4297, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, into law. According to the Congressional Record, the new law includes two modifications to the tax exclusion rates for citizens living abroad:
"Exclusion for compensation -
The conference agreement provision adjusts for inflation the maximum amount of the foreign earned income exclusion in taxable years beginning in calendar years after 2005 (rather than, as under present law, after 2007). The limitation in 2006 therefore is $82,400."
"Exclusion for housing costs -
Under the conference agreement, the base housing amount used in calculating the foreign housing cost exclusion in a taxable year is 16 percent of the amount (computed on a daily basis) of the foreign earned income exclusion limitation (instead of the present law 16 percent of the grade GS-14, step 1 amount), multiplied by the number of days of foreign residence or presence (as previously described) in that year.
"Reasonable foreign housing expenses in excess of the base housing amount remain excluded from gross income (or, if paid by the taxpayer, are deductible) under the conference agreement, but the amount of the exclusion is limited to 30 percent of the maximum amount of a taxpayer's foreign earned income exclusion."
The complete text of H.R.4297 is available at the Library of Congress web site:
http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/109search.html A fact sheet about the new tax law is available at the White House web site:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060517-1.html MOLDOVA ABOLISHING VISITOR VISAS FOR CITIZENS OF THE U.S., EU, CANADA, SWITZERLAND AND JAPAN
The Parliament of Moldova has approved lifting visa requirements for U.S., EU, Canadian, Swiss and Japanese citizens as of January 1, 2007. These nationals would no longer need Moldovan visas and could stay in the country up to 90 days within a six month period without registration. President of Moldova is expected to sign the measure.
Current Moldovan government (GOM) border registration procedures will remain unchanged under the new law. Currently, U.S. and most other foreign nationals arriving in Moldova can obtain a visa and register at the point of entry (i.e., airport or border). The Border Guard Service enters the traveler's personal data into a computer program and transfers the data to the GOM's Population Register. Visitors are no longer given a paper "registration receipt."
For stays exceeding 90 days, foreign nationals will be required to obtain "immigration certificates" and residence permits from the National Bureau for Migration. Foreign nationals planning to work in Moldova must also obtain a work permit. Immigration, residence and work permits usually need to be extended annually, but may be issued for up to five years.
Until January 1, 2007, U.S. and other citizens will require a Moldovan visa. Although they may enter Moldova from Ukraine through the secessionist-controlled Transnistria region, they will be unable to obtain a visa at a border crossing (because the border is not under GOM control) and may face possible penalties in Moldova for illegal entry. Therefore, until January 1, 2007, U.S.
citizens planning to enter Moldova overland through Ukraine are strongly encouraged to obtain their visas in advance (e.g., from the Moldovan Embassy in Washington or Kyiv).
When the new law goes into effect, U.S. citizens will be able to enter Moldova through Transnistria without having to obtain visas or registration documents at the border. However, because they will not have been registered at the border, they will still have to register with the nearest office of the Ministry of Information Development (MID) within three days of arrival.
The 90-day duration of stay limitation may pose problems for some religious workers and others. The Roman Catholic Church, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Baptist Church have reported problems with legalizing the stay of their foreign missionaries that enter Moldova as volunteers. In the past, a missionary needed the consent of the State Service for Religions to apply for an immigration certificate from the National Bureau for Migration. Now denominations must conclude work contracts with missionaries to allow them to stay for more than 90 days. Churches are doing this whenever possible; however, most of the missionaries are volunteers. Churches that are not formally registered with the GOM (for example the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) have no legal standing to obtain work permits for their missionaries.
For more information, please contact either the Embassy of Republic of Moldova in Ukraine at (+38 044) 280-7721 located at 6 Sichnevogo Povstannya, Kyiv, or the Embassy of Moldova in Washington, D.C. at (202) 667-1130/31/37 located at 2101 S Street, NW, Washington DC 20008.
REQUEST FOR CELLULAR TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR TEXT-MESSAGING
The American Citizens Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has implemented a text messaging network, whereby registered American citizens in Ukraine can receive short text messages (SMS). The SMS is sent to cellular telephones, informing the user that a new warden message has been issued (i.e., posted on the Embassy website and e-mailed to individual registrants) and providing important information in case of an emergency. Since some of our registrants do not have constant access to the Internet, this text-messaging capability enhances our ability to contact Americans in the event of an emergency.
As with all personal information provided by American citizens, we consider privacy and information technology security to be a top priority. We will ensure that cellular phone numbers are protected properly as required by law.
If you would like to participate, please make sure that your cellular telephone supports the text messaging option and provide us with your phone number in the following format: (2-digit country code)(3-digit provider code)(7-digit number) without blank spaces, brackets or any other symbols. For example, a UMC cellular phone number in Ukraine will look like the following: 380501234567. Please send the phone number, along with your name, by e-mail to
acskiev@state.gov. We encourage your participation as an emergency preparedness measure.
INTERNET-BASED REGISTRATION SYSTEM (IBRS)
The Embassy strongly encourages all American citizens residing or traveling abroad to register with us.
U.S. citizens around the world who travel or reside abroad can access the State Department’s secure online registration website either through a link on
http://travel.state.gov or directly at
http://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs. We invite you to register yourself and your family and get acquainted with travel registration. Even if you believe you are already registered with this Embassy, please take a minute to check your record and update any information that may have changed.
If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions about the State Department’s registration website, please send an e-mail to
caibrs@state.gov. If you have specific questions about your registration with this Embassy please contact us at
acskiev@state.gov.
TRAVEL INFORMATION: WARNINGS AND PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Since our last Newsletter on April 27, 2006, the Department of State has issued Travel Warnings on Lebanon, Nepal, East Timor, Chad, Somalia, Eritrea, Philippines, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Burundi, as well as Public Announcements about travel to Central Asia, the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico, East Africa, Vanazuela, Middle east and North Africa. The full texts of these and other current documents are available at the Department of State, Consular Affairs, website
http://travel.state.gov.
OTHER USEFUL INTERNET ADDRESSES AVAILABLE FOR U.S. CITIZENS
U.S. Federal Government:
http://www.firstgov.govU.S. Department of State Consular Affairs:
http://travel.state.govU.S. Department of Homeland Security:
http://www.dhs.gov U.S. Federal Aviation Administration:
http://www.faa.gov U.S. Internal Revenue Service:
http://www.irs.gov Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov World Health Organization
http://www.who.org Social Security Administration:
http://www.ssa.gov SSA Newsletter:
http://www.ssa.gov/enews/ Federal Voting Assistance:
http://www.fvap.gov U.S. Customs & Border Protection:
http://www.cbp.gov (for information including importation of household pets, animal and plant health inspection, etc)
U.S. Department of Agriculture:
http://www.usda.gov (for information on food products, food safety and inspection service)
U.S. Postal Inspection Service:
http://www.usps.com/websites/depart/inspect/ Internet Fraud Complaint Center:
http://www.ifccfbi.gov Embassy of Ukraine in Washington, D.C.:
http://www.ukremb.com Consulate General of Ukraine in New York:
http://www.brama.com/ua-consulate Consulate General of Ukraine in Chicago:
http://www.ukrchicago.com Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco:
http://www.ukrainesf.com HOLIDAYS AND OTHER CLOSURES
The Consular Section will be closed to the public on the following official holidays for 2006:
June 28 (Wednesday) -- Constitution Day (Ukraine)
July 4 (Tuesday) -- Independence Day (U.S.)
August 24 (Thursday) -- Independence Day (Ukraine)
September 4 (Monday) -- Labor Day (U.S.)
October 9 (Monday) -- Columbus Day (U.S.)
November 10 (Friday) -- Veterans Day (U.S.)
November 23 (Thursday) -- Thanksgiving Day (U.S.)
December 25 (Monday) -- Christmas Day (U.S.)
*When a Ukrainian holiday falls on Saturday OR on Sunday, it is usually observed on Monday; when on Saturday AND on Sunday - it is usually observed on Monday and Tuesday.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine may make additional changes in the holiday schedule during the year.
SUBSCRIPTION TO AMERICAN CITIZENS SERVICES NEWSLETTER
To subscribe to our monthly newsletter and other updates, please register with the Embassy. You can do this online through the new Internet-Based Registration System (IBRS) directly at
http://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs or through a link on
http://TRAVEL.STATE.GOV. Please see above for more information on IBRS.
Published by the ACS Unit, Consular Section, U.S. Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine,
tel: (+38 044) 490-4422; fax: (+38 044) 490-4040; e-mail: acskiev@state.gov; website:
http://kiev.usembassy.gov; public hours: 8:30-12:30, Monday - Friday.
CONSULAR SECTION, U.S. EMBASSY KYIV, UKRAINE
6, M. PYMONENKA STR., KYIV 01901, UKRAINE
