The US Embassy and me

Some people think Americans have a privilege to go into any US Embassy in the world and feel right at home. While the US Embassy certainly does feel a lot like America (automatically flushing toilets imported from America, etc), citizens don't actually have any right to just go to the Embassy for a visit. The truth of the matter is that a regular old US citizen like me is pretty low on the priority list. I don't even know who our Ambassador is. I don't have a seat reserved on any evacuation plane should such an event become necessary although they will "assist" if possible. I don't get whisked out of the country through my Embassy if I break the law in Kenya. I don't have any pull with Kenyans trying to get Visas to America. And no, there's no McDonald's in Kenya - not even at the US Embassy cafeteria. But they do take care of us as much as they can for which we are wonderfully grateful.

This month we received our quarterly "American Citizen Services Newsletter" from the US Embassy in Kenya. Here's what our Embassy can do for us (pasted from the newsletter):

What Can Our American Citizen Services Unit Do For You? We Assist With the Following:

BIRTHS: We can issue a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, which functions as an American birth certificate.

ARRESTS: We can visit you if you are arrested,  provide you with a list of lawyers, contact your family members or friends (with your permission), describe the trial process, and check on your welfare throughout your imprisonment.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES:  We can help coordinate air evacuation, provide a list of hospitals or doctors, contact your family and friends (with your permission), and visit you in the hospital.  In some cases, we can help  arrange a loan for emergency medical care.

SENDING MONEY:  We can help your family  members or friends send emergency funds to you.

EMERGENCY RETURN TO THE U.S.: We can help Americans in distress find ways to return to the U.S.

DEATH:  We can notify the next of kin, help the family negotiate the disposition or possible repatriation of remains and personal effects, and assist with death certificates.

FEDERAL BENEFITS: We can act as liaison for your Social Security and Veteran Affairs benefits.

TAXES: We share information about filing U.S. taxes.

SELECTIVE SERVICES: We can help you enroll.

VOTING: We can help you with absentee voting.

NOTARY SERVICES:  We can provide notary services including notarization of affidavits.

PASSPORTS: We can process your application for passport renewal, add pages to your passport, or report and replace a stolen or lost passport.

TRAVELING AND LIVING IN KENYA:  We maintain information about Kenya at www.travel.state.gov  regarding safety, security,  Kenyan visa requirements and more.

CRISES:  We assist citizens during incidents of terrorism, civil unrest, or natural disasters.

Other Sources of Assistance

KENYAN VISAS: Only Kenya can allow you to enter the country. Contact Kenyan Immigration directly at +254 (0)2 222022 or dis.immigration@go.ke.

AMERICAN VISAS: E-mail our visa units at VisitorVisaNairobi@State.gov or ImmigrationVisaNarobi@State.gov

BUSINESS DISPUTES:  We can provide a list of Kenyan lawyers that may be able to help.

LOCAL SERVICES: We can give you a list of Kenyan hospitals, attorneys, and security firms. Please check the internet for your other service needs, such as banking and loan information, shipping, and document translation.

PAYMENT FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT: With your permission we can contact your friends and family to request their assistance.  

AUTHENTICATIONS: Please contact us about fraudulently obtained or forged U.S. Passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad.  For other document authentications, please contact the authority that issued them.

SCHOOLS OR BUSINESSES IN THE U.S.: The best source for information often comes from the institution    itself.  Please check their website as well as reputable rating institutions like the Better Business Bureau or U.S. News and World Reports.

FINGERPRINTS:  For fingerprinting related to petitions that are filed locally, please contact USCIS directly at USCIS.public@dhs.gov, or at +254 (0)20-363-6111.  For other U.S. Government fingerprinting matters, please  contact the U.S. Agency requesting them.  You can also have your fingerprints taken at any Kenyan police station.

RENEW OR REPLACE A DRIVER’S LISCENSE: Please contact the issuing authority directly. 

That's not too bad. I appreciate it and I've made use of several of these services for our family over the years. Thanks, Uncle Sam!

-Shauen