On Oct. 30th, Consul Chad Cummins from the U.S. Consulate General in Nogales held his 3rd Puerto Peñasco Town Hall meeting of 2012, on what was actually his fourth trip to the area since stepping into the role of Consul in Nogales over a year ago. Consul Cummins had first visited the area in January this year for a Town Hall, again in February during the AZ-Sonora Commission meeting, and then in June for a 2nd Town Hall meeting. His last visit coincided with the commemorative ceremonies of Día de la Marina.
On this occasion, Consul Cummins was accompanied by Consular Chief Megan Phaneuf, American Citizen Services Chief Nate Rettenmayer, and Norma Lopez from the Consulate’s legal department. An additional part of this visit was a U.S. Passport Fair held earlier in the day aimed at any American citizen looking to renew their passports, or with inquiries about obtaining a passport card. By the way, as this inquiring mind wanted to know, it is not necessary to obtain a passport card if you already have your U.S. passport booklet though the laminated card (which is only good for travel within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean) is useful if you cross the border frequently in keeping the booklet in tact. More information at Getyouhome.gov Phaneuf and Rettenmayer, who organized the Fair, concluded it was another important step in offering services to U.S. citizens living (or passing through) Puerto Peñasco, though they may consider tacking the event to either right before or after Town Hall meetings on future visits.
As on prior visits, during the Town Hall Consul Cummins and his team addressed a variety of questions from members of the US community residing in Puerto Peñasco, and spoke about both emergency and US citizen services provided by their offices. One notable change in ongoing efforts to provide services to American citizens living in Puerto Peñasco is the growing presence of the Nogales U.S. Consulate General on social media. In the past, there was a type of “virtual consulate” set up at City Hall on the 1st Wednesday of each month where individuals could basically video-chat with someone from the American Services offices. This “virtual consulate” has been suspended for the time being in Puerto Peñasco, though the Consulate is now readily available on Facebook at U.S. Consulate Nogales , Twitter @USCGNOGALES and online at http://nogales.usconsulate.gov
As always, it was a pleasure to have Consul Cummins and members from the U.S. Consulate General in town and we look forward to future visits in 2013!
U.S. Consulate General Phone numbers
Tel: 631 311-8150 (Dialing from the U.S., first dial 011-52- ) Fax: 631 313-4652
Emergencies from Mexico cell phone (dialing from Puerto Peñasco) 045 631 318-0723
Dialing from Nogales: 044 631 318 0723 From the U.S. 011-521-631-318-0723
NogalesACS@state.gov
http://nogales.usconsulate.gov
Facebook: U.S. Consulate Nogales
Twitter: @USCGNOGALES
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service provided by the U.S. government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country. STEP allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the Department of State can better assist you in an emergency. Visit www.travel.state.gov to enroll in the STEP program.