General Election Registration Deadlines

June 10, 2008  

This is a reminder that general election deadlines are fast approaching. Even though most State’s deadlines are in October, voters are encouraged to register as early as possible to avoid mailing delays. We encourage voters to act now so that registrations may reach the appropriate County Clerks, are verified, and ballots returned to the voter in time for the General Election.

Voters are strongly advised to visit the official U.S. Government website for overseas absentee voting assistance (Federal Voting Assistance Program - FVAP)   at   http://www.fvap.gov

Online Passport Renewal and Extra Pages

Starting July 1, 2008, all U.S. citizens wishing to renew their U.S. Passport or have extra pages added to their U.S. Passport must visit http://www.travel.state.gov/passport  and fill out the online form(s). This will shorten your wait time at the Embassy and expedite the processing of your request. The U.S. Embassy will no longer offer paper applications after this date.

Authenticating Documents

As of June 15, 2008, the US Embassy Doha is no longer authenticating any U.S. educational documents and degrees. Generally, documents authenticated by the State Department must then be forwarded to the Qatar embassy in Washington, D.C. If an individual has American academic credentials that need to be authenticated for use in Qatar or abroad, please follow the procedures found at: http://travel.state.gov/law/info/info_606.html  and as indicated at the U.S. Embassy web site, http://qatar.usembassy.gov.

Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the U.S. Embassy/Consulate’s website http://qatar.usembassy.gov, and the U.S. Department of State's travel website at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found.  The U.S. Embassy also encourages U.S. citizens to review to "A Safe Trip Abroad," found at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html , which includes valuable security information for those both living and traveling abroad.  In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada, or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

Citizens living and residing in Qatar are advised to register their presence in the country through the U.S. Department of State's automated online registration system, https://travelregistration.state.gov.  U.S. citizens may also contact the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy via email at ACSconsularDoha@state.gov or by calling 488-4101, extension 6117.   This complete message is available on the Embassy's website at http://qatar.usembassy.gov.