The US State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs announced recently that all minors must appear in person to apply for a United States passport. The announcement indicated that this requirement applies to all regular, official and diplomatic passports for children under the age of 14, even if the child has previously been issued a passport. The new requirement changed a previous policy that allowed parents to obtain passports for their children under the age of 14. Now, in addition to the physical presence of the child, parents must also submit documentation of parental relationship and consent. The standard documentation requirements must also be met.

For additional information about passport application requirements, you may visit the Passport Information page at travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html (new link). The National Passport Information Center also provides assistance at +1-877-4872778, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, Eastern time.

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On March 25-27, 2004, the Sixth International Families in Global Transition Conference will take place in Dallas, Texas. With discussions from leading experts in the field of international mobility, the conference offers advice and information on how to facilitate an international move the family of a person accepting an international assignment.

Presentations include "Seven Traits of a Healthy Transition," which focuses on strategies for increasing the likelihood of a positive global transition. This presentation posits that an employee is greatly influenced by the rate of his or her family's adjustment to a new country. A second presentation, entitled "A Non-Western Approach to Repatriation: Children of Temporary Overseas Residents and Their Return to Japan," discusses the importance of a child's ability to integrate into a new society when the family moves overseas. Additionally, this presentation discusses the difficulties children face when repatriated after an extended, but temporary, stay abroad. A third presentation, "The 'Trailing Spouse': From Global Research to Real Solutions," addresses the adjustment of a spouse who follows a person assigned abroad. This presentation addresses issues such as the key concerns facing expatriate spouses today, the needs of male accompanying spouses as opposed to those of female accompanying spouses, approaches organizations can take to support trailing spouses, and things spouses can do for themselves in order to thrive, not just survive, on an international assignment.

The Families in Global Transition conference highlights a variety of issues that face families making an international move. You can register for this conference on-line at www.figt.org/conf2004.

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The US Career and Citizenship Day is currently being organized by volunteers from the American Studies for Kids program, the American Women's Club of Bern, the American Women's Club of Zurich, the U.S. Embassy of Bern, and the American Club of Zurich. They are hoping to attract participants from all over Switzerland. United States citizens between the ages of 13 and 21 are encouraged to contact any of these sponsoring organizations to enroll.

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As part of the new Food Bioterrorism Regulation, the US Food and Drug Administration now requires advance notice of the importation into the United States of food and beverage items. The prior notice requirement applies, inter alia, to individuals mailing food items to the United States. The notice must be received and confirmed electronically by the FDA no more than five days before arrival and no fewer than two hours before arrival by land by road, four hours before arrival by air or by land by rail, and eight hours before arrival by water.

For purposes of the new requirement, food is defined by reference to Section 201(f) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. This definition includes articles used for food or drink for humans or animals, chewing gum, and articles used as components of any such articles. Certain foods are excluded from the prior notice requirements. These include food accompanying an individual arriving in the United States that is for that individual's personal use, which includes consumption by that person or his or her family or friends. Another exclusion from the advance notice requirement applies to food a person makes in his or her personal residence and sends as a gift to another person.

The prior notice must include several items of information, including identification of the person submitting the prior notice; an identification of the type of food, including the complete FDA product code, and the estimated quantity; the identification of the manufacturer and the grower if known; the country of production; the anticipated date of mailing and the country from which the food is mailed; and the anticipated arrival information, including the U.S. recipient. Technical assistance is available for persons required to give prior notice. Notice can be submitted through the FDA Prior Notice System Interface at www.access.fda.gov, and technical assistance is available via telephone from 7:00 am until 11:00 pm US Eastern time. The telephone numbers for help in submitting prior notice are as follows: from the United States, call +1-800-2167331; from all other countries and locations, call +1-301-5750156; or send a fax to +1-301-2100247. A complete description of the FDA's new Food Bioterrorism Regulation can be viewed at www.cfsan.fda.gov.

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Thanks to the generosity of the Hôtel du Rhône, Geneva, which provided the venue, and to hundreds of other international individuals and businesses, ACA's 5 March fundraising auction contributed an all-time high to the organization's coffers.

ACA serves American citizens worldwide with no funding from the US Government or major corporate funding. Its work is executed primarily by volunteers YOU could be one, no matter where you are situated! The scope of ACA's work is largely determined by its financial resources. There are many unresolved issues, and interesting possibilities to be followed-through. Contributions of YOU time and/or money can make a real difference. Contribute online on this website or contact us at acage@aca.ch to offer your services.

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This News Update is, like ACA itself, of, by, and for Americans abroad. ACA is staffed through the efforts of volunteers, with its primary income source being membership fees and donations from private American citizens around the world.

WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE HANDS-ON TO ACA WORK:

1. NEWS UPDATE EDITORS. ACA is seeking to supplement its News Update staff. Work involves actually writing the News Update 2 - 3 times a year, under supervision of a Senior Editor, and monitoring raw material considered for the newsletter on a regular basis. Calls for e-mail access and an ability to write/edit succinctly and against a deadline. ACA takes pride in the global spread of its editors.
2. BOOK REVIEWS/REVIEWERS. ACA is interested in discovering books of particular interest to Americans abroad. It also seeks individuals willing to review such books. Reviewers get to keep the book, and to see their contribution in print. Click here for a list of books or contact the ACA office.

WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE TO ACA'S FINANCIAL SUCCESS:

1. Did you know that by accessing amazon.com (click on any Amazon link you find in the book review section, ACA web site) and then browsing and purchasing as normal, ACA receives—at no cost to you—a small percentage on the purchases you make? Check ACA's web site and make a painless contribution: it makes $&sense!
2. Join us for our annual auction, now being planned for Friday 5 March 2004 in Geneva's Hôtel du Rhône. The FUNdraiser evening produces the single largest annual contribution to ACA's working budget. And the highest bids are for items ingenious and/or exotic. It's a good bet that someone in the attending crowd of internationals will be intrigued by even the most distant and/or unusual of objects or services.
3. And, of course, an outright contribution via check or charge card is the most obvious way to support the work of ACA and its worldwide volunteers working to help YOU. Membership is only $40 a year ($30 for seniors). Secure payment via this web site, or mail to: ACA, 5 rue Liotard, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland.

Disclaimer: "While ACA makes every effort to be accurate in the information it transmits, such information is not to be considered a substitute for specific and qualified professional advice."

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