As of today, U.S. Embassy Press Release...
Source: Press Releases | Embassy of the United States Dominican Republic
A partial shutdown of the U.S. Government, to include U.S. Embassy operations in Santo Domingo, now appears possible because of a lack of agreement in Congress on current budgetary appropriations. The partial shutdown would begin tonight, Friday, at midnight, and continue for an indefinite period. In the event of partial shutdown, the U.S. Embassy will continue to provide emergency services, including emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in need. However, routine visa issuances are not considered to be an emergency service and therefore would not be provided during the possible partial shutdown. The Puerto Plata Consular Agency would be closed during a partial shutdown.
As the situation changes, all updates will be posted to the U.S. Embassy public website at santodomingo.usembassy.gov as well as to our Facebook page at Embajada USA - Santo Domingo | Facebook. All Consular updates will be posted as a Consular Services Update on the Embassy website under "More News." As budget negotiations between the White House and the Congress are ongoing, we also encourage monitoring of the news. Effective April 11, the following Embassy and Consular services can be expected if a shutdown is confirmed.
American Citizens Services (ACS): ACS would be staffed and provide emergency assistance for cases involving deaths, arrests, hospitalizations and missing persons. Notarial, report of birth, and routine passport services would be suspended. Applications for emergency passport appointments would be considered only for stranded U.S. citizen visitors facing extreme hardship or those with a documented medical emergency. Questions and requests for emergency passport appointments can be sent to acssantodom@state.gov.
Federal Benefits (FBU): The routine distribution of Social Security Administration (SSA) checks would not be affected. The Federal Benefits Unit would only provide assistance to SSA beneficiaries with pending claims in dire need. Questions and requests for emergency appointments can be sent to fbu.santodomingo@ssa.gov. Telephone inquiries and routine appointments would not be available.
Non-Immigrant Visas (NIV): Routine appointments would be rescheduled by the Embassy. Emergency services, narrowly defined, would be provided. Pending issuances would be completed and returned to applicants.
Immigrant Visas (IV): If there is a government shutdown, Santo Domingo's Immigrant Visa Unit would not be able to interview any applicants. The IV Unit would reschedule any affected April appointments for the first available dates in June. The Consular Section would consider for emergency appointment any IV cases where children will age out.
Per the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner, Douglas H. Shulman, federal taxes would still be due on April 18. Any further questions should be directed to the IRS website.
Source: Press Releases | Embassy of the United States Dominican Republic
A partial shutdown of the U.S. Government, to include U.S. Embassy operations in Santo Domingo, now appears possible because of a lack of agreement in Congress on current budgetary appropriations. The partial shutdown would begin tonight, Friday, at midnight, and continue for an indefinite period. In the event of partial shutdown, the U.S. Embassy will continue to provide emergency services, including emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in need. However, routine visa issuances are not considered to be an emergency service and therefore would not be provided during the possible partial shutdown. The Puerto Plata Consular Agency would be closed during a partial shutdown.
As the situation changes, all updates will be posted to the U.S. Embassy public website at santodomingo.usembassy.gov as well as to our Facebook page at Embajada USA - Santo Domingo | Facebook. All Consular updates will be posted as a Consular Services Update on the Embassy website under "More News." As budget negotiations between the White House and the Congress are ongoing, we also encourage monitoring of the news. Effective April 11, the following Embassy and Consular services can be expected if a shutdown is confirmed.
American Citizens Services (ACS): ACS would be staffed and provide emergency assistance for cases involving deaths, arrests, hospitalizations and missing persons. Notarial, report of birth, and routine passport services would be suspended. Applications for emergency passport appointments would be considered only for stranded U.S. citizen visitors facing extreme hardship or those with a documented medical emergency. Questions and requests for emergency passport appointments can be sent to acssantodom@state.gov.
Federal Benefits (FBU): The routine distribution of Social Security Administration (SSA) checks would not be affected. The Federal Benefits Unit would only provide assistance to SSA beneficiaries with pending claims in dire need. Questions and requests for emergency appointments can be sent to fbu.santodomingo@ssa.gov. Telephone inquiries and routine appointments would not be available.
Non-Immigrant Visas (NIV): Routine appointments would be rescheduled by the Embassy. Emergency services, narrowly defined, would be provided. Pending issuances would be completed and returned to applicants.
Immigrant Visas (IV): If there is a government shutdown, Santo Domingo's Immigrant Visa Unit would not be able to interview any applicants. The IV Unit would reschedule any affected April appointments for the first available dates in June. The Consular Section would consider for emergency appointment any IV cases where children will age out.
Per the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner, Douglas H. Shulman, federal taxes would still be due on April 18. Any further questions should be directed to the IRS website.