GuidANCE for NEwly ArrivEd missioN sTAff ANd THEir dEPENdENTs

57 Pages·2010·9.5 MB·English

CONNECTICUT • MAINE • MASSACHUSETTS • NEW HAMPSHIRE • NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK • PENNSYLVANIA • RHODE ISLAND • VERMONT
W E L C O M E !
GuidANCE for NEwly ArrivEd
missioN sTAff ANd THEir dEPENdENT s
united states department of state
bureau of diplomatic security
New york reGioNal office of foreiGN missioNs
Aerial view of the New York City skyline
Welcome to the United StateS!
i
QuiCk GuidE To GETTiNG sETTlEd
before you get
started on anything
else, you’ll want to turn to page 21 to page 39 contains
make sure you have learn how to import valuable information
three very important your personal items on how to register
matters taken care when you first a vehicle with ofm
of. turn to page 3 for arrive in the u.s. here in the u.s.
more information!
Ü
H
you’ll want to get contact information
Just arrived? flip to
your driver’s license for state department
page 95 for a useful
and tax exemption offices and other
checklist to help you
card right away, so useful agencies can
as you start your tour
turn to pages 34 and be found beginning
of duty in the u.s.
67 for instructions. on page 13.
TABlE of CoNTENTs
welcome to the uNited states!
Quick Guide to GettiNG settled
CHAPTEr 1: firsT THiNGs firsT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
before you read aNy further ........................................................ 3
CHAPTEr 2: wHo doEs wHAT? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
the office of foreiGN missioNs....................................................... 9
if you’re posted outside New york................................................... 9
the office of protocol...............................................................10
what is e-GoverNmeNt (e-Gov)?........................................................11
useful local coNtacts aNd importaNt offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
other helpful GoverNmeNt aGeNcies aNd useful coNtact iNformatioN ........... 16
protocol or ofm? .....................................................................17
CHAPTEr 3: CusToms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
customs aNd border protectioN (cbp)................................................21
importiNG persoNal Goods ...........................................................21
orderiNG duty-free items ............................................................22
did you kNow…work authorizatioN? .................................................23
customs Quick tips ...................................................................25
View of Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan from the East River
CHAPTEr 4: rEAl EsTATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 QuestioNs & aNswers .................................................................58
property proGram ....................................................................29 did you kNow…photoGraphs for applicatioNs? ...................................... 60
did you kNow…moviNG? ...............................................................30 dmv Quick tips ........................................................................61
CHAPTEr 5: diPlomATiC moTor vEHiClEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 CHAPTEr 6: TAX EXEmPTioNs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
diplomatic motor vehicles...........................................................33 tax exemptioNs .......................................................................65
tax exemptioN cards..................................................................67
state departmeNt driver’s liceNse ..................................................34
tips for hassle-free, tax-free shoppiNG .............................................68
state departmeNt NoN-driver ideNtificatioN cards.................................36
GasoliNe tax exemptioN ..............................................................71
iNtroductioN to iNsuraNce ..........................................................37
utility tax exemptioN ................................................................72
vehicle reGistratioN.................................................................39
reNewiNG your tax exemptioN card ..................................................73
importiNG a vehicle ..................................................................40
receiviNG airliNe tax exemptioN .....................................................74
traffic violatioNs....................................................................43
QuestioNs & aNswers .................................................................75
vehicle reGistratioN reNewal .......................................................45
did you kNow…social security Numbers? ............................................79
iNsuraNce reNewal...................................................................46
tax Quick tips.........................................................................81
driver’s liceNse / NoN-driver i.d. card reNewal ......................................48
disposiNG of your vehicle............................................................50 CHAPTEr 7: our PArTNEr iN wAsHiNGToN, d.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
selliNG a vehicle outside the diplomatic commuNity...............................51 the office of protocol...............................................................85
selliNG a vehicle withiN the diplomatic commuNity (dip-to-dip traNsfer) ......... 53 NotificatioN of appoiNtmeNt.........................................................85
exportiNG a vehicle ..................................................................54 coNsular i.d. card reNewal ..........................................................86
disposiNG of NoN-coNformiNG vehicles ..............................................56 termiNatiNG your tour of duty ......................................................87
JuNkiNG a vehicle ....................................................................57 QuestioNs & aNswers .................................................................88
CHAPTEr 8: CHECklisTs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 C H A P T E R 1
checklists............................................................................93
beGiNNiNG your tour checklist ......................................................95
duriNG your tour checklist .........................................................97
eNdiNG your tour checklist .........................................................99
firsT THiNGs
firsT
United Nations Headquarters,
East side of Manhattan
BEforE you rEAd ANy furTHEr...
Depending on reciprocity, the privileges and benefits described in this
book are yours to enjoy as a foreign mission principal or dependent
posted in the united states! however, there are a couple of things
you’ll need before you can apply for these benefits.
if you answer “No” to any of the following three questions, you should
immediately speak with your mission Administrative Officer and/or
e-Government account holder for further guidance:
1. do you have an A-1 or A-2 visa?
in order to work at a consulate or other foreign mission in the united
states, you must have an a-1 or a-2 visa. do not postpone adjusting
your visa! if you or your dependents do not have an “a” visa, contact
your embassy in washington, d.c., to begin the process of adjusting
your visa status.
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2. Have you been officially notified to … PlEAsE NoTE!
the u.s. department of state?
please note that if you have an
at the beginning of your tour, your mission should have submitted a a-2 visa and paid for your own
Notification of Appointment (DS-2003 or DS-2004) on your behalf to the
travel to the united states
Office of Protocol in Washington, D.C. If you are not officially notified, the pid Number must be provided with each application to
(rather than your government
we cannot recognize you as a member of the mission and process any our office. It is one number you will quickly come to memorize!
privileges or benefits for you. Dependents must also be notified to the paying), you are Not eligible to this number will appear on all your ofm-issued documents,
Office of Protocol. receive most of the services in such as your state department driver’s license and your tax
this book. you cannot be issued exemption card. if you have served previously in the u.s., you
3. do you have a Personal will be assigned the same pid Number as before.
a state department driver’s
identification (Pid) Number?
license (see page 58 for how
Now that you have your “A” visa, have been notified to the State
a pid Number is a unique eight-digit number that is assigned to you
to obtain a local state driver’s department, and have received your pid Number, please turn
after you have been notified to the Office of Protocol.
license) and you receive no tax to the next chapter to learn more about who we are, and how we
This number will appear on the consular identification (I.D.) card you exemption privileges, although can help you.
will receive from the Office of Protocol. If you have just arrived and have you may hold a mission tax
not yet received your consular i.d. card, ask the e-Gov account holder
exemption card (see page 67),
at your mission to check online for your pid Number. if he or she cannot
if your mission wishes.
locate your PID Number online, please have them call our office at
[phone] for assistance.
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C H A P T E R 2
The Boston skyline and sailboats on the Charles River
wHo doEs
wHAT?
THE offiCE of forEiGN missioNs
There are two offices within the U.S. Department of State you will frequently
interact with during your tour, and one of them is ours, located right here in
the Northeast — the New York Regional Office of Foreign Missions!
Our office will be your point of contact for tax exemption benefits, diplomatic
motor vehicle services, diplomatic importation requests (customs), and property and real estate services;
and it will be your go-to resource whenever you have questions during your tour. we serve all the members
of career and honorary consulates in connecticut, maine, massachusetts, New hampshire, New Jersey,
New york, pennsylvania, rhode island, and vermont.
Turn to page 17 for specific information on the services and benefits you can apply for through the New
York Regional Office of Foreign Missions. Our contact information is listed on page 13.
if you’rE PosTEd ouTsidE NEw york…
…you won’t be able to stop by our office to drop off applications for services, or come by to pick up your
documents once they’re ready, but you are still just a phone call or letter away! contact us with any
questions you have through the phone, fax, e-mail, or address information listed on page 13. we hope to
meet you in person one day, but until then we’ll have to conduct our business long-distance! we do make
visits to all of our states, so look for us to visit your mission soon.
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