Does America value family? According to the recent U.S. Embassy announcement barring emergency passports to those who have not yet received U.S. Citizenship, it appears family is not a priority at all.

‘The Embassy does not view ‘bringing a new baby to meet US relatives as an emergency’ (sic). Sadly, this new change basically closes the only avenue available to those with newborn children seeking to travel to their native United States for Pesach.’

This sentiment was confirmed at our visit to the US Embassy today when we were rudely and abruptly turned away from our valid appointment for an emergency passport for our son.

US Citizens who give birth in Israel are suddenly unable to acquire a passport for their infant unless the child has a CRBA.

With a six month CRBA appointment backlog, it is next to impossible to obtain a CRBA, rendering hundreds of American families stranded in Israel before Pesach.

Let’s show the US Embassy in Israel that the American people do NOT agree with this new rule that was passed over the weekend and demand that they give us CRBA’s for our children as well as passports and other assistance so we can travel with the liberty every American citizen deserves.

 

FULL DETAILS OF US EMBASSY RULE 

Disappointing Announcement Precludes US Citizen Newborns from Traveling for Pesach
Published March 12, 2023 1:44 PM IST

In recent months, it has been extremely difficult to obtain appointments for passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) for US citizens in Israel. This is particularly frustrating in advance of the upcoming Pesach travel season, when US citizens living in Israel often seek to travel home. 

On February 6, the US Embassy in Israel announced a new appointment system. One of the goals of the new system was to weed out fraudulently obtained appointments and to generally streamline the process. The system also offered a method for emergency passports for those with immediate plans for travel to the USA.

At the time, it was hoped that the new system would gradually ease the appointment pressure and resolve this challenging situation.

Disappointingly, on Friday, March 10, the Embassy announced changes to the new system. Until now, emergency passports had been offered to “those who have immediate travel to the United States and need an in-person appointment for an emergency passport….. “  That announcement stated “you can define your need for emergency travel”.  This option has now been canceled. Rather, emergency passports will now only be granted to those who have been previously documented as US citizens. This precludes parents from applying for emergency passports for their newborns. 

The Embassy announcement states that the Embassy does not view ‘bringing a new baby to meet US relatives as an emergency’ (sic). Sadly, this new change basically closes the only avenue available to those with newborn children seeking to travel to their native United States for Pesach.

 

A REAL LIFE ENCOUNTER AT THE US EMBASSY:

For the first time in my life, I am embarrassed to be an American citizen. For the first time in my life, I have seen how a slow and cumbersome government can literally destroy lives. 

As a young newly married couple living in Israel without any family here, we desperately look forward to our visits to America to reconnect with our family, a basic human right.

We were blessed with a beautiful baby boy just eight weeks ago, and we immediately booked an appointment for his CRBA. However, the first available appointment isn’t for another eight months. We have travel plans before that time so we waited until two weeks before our flight to book an emergency passport appointment for our son, as per the embassy’s instructions.

After spending an inordinate amount of time compiling and copying the necessary documents, we managed to find a last minute overnight babysitter for our daughter who would remain at home. We woke up at six in the morning, took off of work and cleared our schedule for the day, so we could get our son his rightful passport.

We arrived early for our appointment but there was already a line. When our turn came, we were asked for proof of our appointment confirmation, which we gave. We were then asked for the reason for our visit (which was stated on the appointment confirmation page) but we said it anyway. The guard then asked if our son has a CRBA to which we responded of course not, as the first appointment wasn’t until August. We were then told to come back in August for a passport. We explained that we had urgent travel plans and had followed the embassy website instructions, but the guard simply said, sorry. Next. That was it.

We asked to speak to the consular general as per US law, but were denied multiple times.

We had booked a legitimate appointment, and we were rudely turned away due to a sudden bait and switch, as we hadn’t received ANY email or notification cancelling our appointment. We did everything according to the letter of the law, but we were denied for no good reason.

As I watched countless other couples get turned away from the counter for the same reason, some with sick and dying parents back in USA, some just three days after giving birth (it is dangerous for a women who is three days postpartum to stand outside in the boiling sun for three hours- the US Embassy do not provide water fountains, benches to sit on, or even shade to stand in- rendering it disgraceful that there is no online option) I couldn’t help but feel mortified. 

This is America, supposedly the world’s superpower, and a first world country that values democracy, equal rights and liberty for all.

It doesn’t feel very democratic to have a law changed on us without giving due notice.

It doesn’t feel like liberty to be denied entry to my home country unless I leave my eight week old son with the neighbors.

And it definitely doesn’t feel like I’m a citizen of a first world country when all my Israeli and British counterparts can easily get passports for their children in Israel, while us Americans are stranded on foreign shores, because our pathetic embassy makes laws that are neither FOR the people nor BY the people.

There is not a single American citizen in Israel right now that is being accurately represented by this new law not allowing emergency passports to be issued without citizenship.

Either open up emergency CRBA appointments or rescind the law.

By continuing with this totalitarian approach, you are denying US citizens their right to return home, and causing tremendous heartbreak, and needless suffering in the process. 

And if even Israeli citizens can get through bureaucratic red tape faster than us US citizens, America, you have a problem.