UPDATE: Consul General Karen Ogle of the U.S. Consulate in Hermosillo will be visiting Mazatlan and extends an invitation to meet her for coffee and to speak informally to members of the American citizen community.  She will be at Rico’s Cafe.  Ave. Marina #2216 Petroplazas from noon to 1pm on Thursday, March 16, 2017.
It is a difficult time for many US Americans who reside in Mexico. Our newly elected President has not ingratiated himself with our southern neighbor, long-time adopted home for many of us. I found it encouraging this morning, then, to read a newsletter that we receive from the USA Consulate General in Hermosillo (serving Sonora and Sinaloa), which included news on a collaborative project to support binational citizens. We get the newsletter because Greg and I are wardens, meaning we have a responsibility to help communicate information that can aid US American citizens in Mazatlán. Often times that is an unsavory role, as we find ourselves not agreeing with many of the legally mandated “warnings” that come out of the State Department.

Wardens are non-governmental volunteers of the American Citizen Services (ACS) Units of Mission Mexico. ACS offers routine and emergency services to U.S. citizens abroad. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, its nine Consulates General, and its nine consular agencies provide passport, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, and notarial services. American Citizen Services sections also handle visas, IRS, Social Security, and VA benefits; they assist U.S. victims of crime, visit U.S. prisoners, and help with missing U.S. persons and international parental child abductions. They provide assistance to families of deceased U.S. citizens and identify local resources for destitute and ill individuals as well as victims of domestic violence. Our local ACS email is hermoacs@state.gov, should you wish to contact them. Mazatlán’s USA consular agency can be reached at 01-81-8047-3145 or via email to conagencymazatlan@state.gov. After-hours number is  Embassy 01-55-5080-2000. The office is located across the street from the Hotel Playa Mazatlán in the Golden Zone, and it’s open 9am-1pm Monday through Saturday, except US and Mexican holidays.

I will share with you three pieces of today’s newsletter that I believe you may find helpful. Be sure to pass it on to those who might need it.

1. Soy México Initiative: Information for USA-born students or those seeking legal documentation upon return to or moving to Mexico
2. Expo Consular/Consular Road Show: Upcoming consular visit to Mazatlán and US American community meeting
3. Dispelling myths about obtaining a US American visa (video en español/in Spanish)

1. Soy México Initiative for Binational Kids

From the USA consular newsletter: “According to the 2010 census by the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography, there are approximately 600,000 children born in the United States that have returned to Mexico. A large number of these children face major challenges in accessing basic services in Mexico, especially education and public health services. The U.S. Mission in Mexico has partnered with the Mexican government at federal, state, and local levels, as well as with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), to assist these children.”

Did you know that Mexican school registration requirements have changed? Children born in the United States are no longer required to present an apostilled birth certificate to enroll in school. Moreover, a CURP is no longer required for school registration. Ask USA Consular Staff if you need more information about school access.

“Children born in the United States to Mexican parents have dual citizenship. They have rights in both countries and the U.S. Embassy wants to ensure they can fully exercise those rights. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico processes more than 20,000 passport applications each year. Two thirds of these passports are for children under 16 years old, the vast majority of whom are binational.”

“In September, U.S. Ambassador Jacobson and Mexican Secretary Osorio Chong announced the Soy México initiative, allowing U.S. born children living in Mexico to verify their U.S. birth electronically (48 U.S. states and the District of Columbia participate) and then register with the Civil Registry in Mexico and receive their Mexican birth certificate. The program nearly eliminates the need for the costly apostille, mak-ing the dual citizenship process much more efficient and cost-effective.”

“Over the past year, U.S. Mission Mexico has conducted extensive outreach to migrant communities in Mexico to encourage families to document their U.S. born children with U.S. passports. American Citizens Services staff from all our consulates traveled directly to these communities and conducted town halls and passport acceptance fairs in order to reach our most vulnerable populations.”

“In addition to direct outreach with the public, we also partnered with state-level government offices to offer “Train the Trainer” events. Through these events, consular officials provide guidance about passport applications and other consular services to state and municipal migrant assistance agencies. The agencies then use the training to help families complete passport applications and gather proper documentation for passport “fairs” that follow several weeks later.”

“Throughout this coming year, American Citizen Services will be traveling throughout our consular district to promote this important program and to document U.S. citizen children. Please let us know if you are familiar with a community that would benefit from these services. When we go on these outreach trips, we look forward to meeting the wardens that live and work in those areas. Please take a look at the outreach schedule below to see when we will be visiting a locale near you. We will likely be reaching out to you when we are in your city.”

Below is a video in Spanish about how to obtain a passport for children born in the USA.

2. Expo Consular/Consular Road Show

The consular office in Hermosillo is planning a coffee and meeting with citizens here in Mazatlán in March. As soon as the date and details are finalized, we will let you know. Below is from the newsletter.

“It’s our Consular road show! We provide wide ranging outreach and information to Consular clients in conjunction with local partners, to create a one-stop shop for accurate consular information. Our Expo Consular team includes officers and local staff from the non-immigrant and immigrant visas, Ameri-can Citizens Services, Social Security, and Customs and Border Protection offices along with Mexican government officials from the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Civil Registry, EducationUSA, Mexican Im-migration, Sonora Secretary of Education and Culture, and the national employment service.”

3. Dispelling myths about obtaining a US American visa

Finally, I think it’s important that non-US citizens know that the visa process is fairly straightforward and they don’t need to hire “coyotes” or outside help to apply for a visa. The staff in the consular agency are bilingual. Below is a video the government has put together to dispel some myths.