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About the Consulate General
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Past Events 2007
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Consul General Marjorie Ames welcomes BCI Edge at the Consulate December 27, 2007 Players and coaches of BCI Edge, in the Netherlands to participate in the Haarlem Basketball Week, were welcomed by Consul General Marjorie Ames at the Consulate on December 27th. The Embassy had arranged for them to give a skills clinic at a Basketball Camp in the Apollo Hal in Amsterdam later that day. More than 80 young kids enjoyed the afternoon's workout with the team members. On Christmas Day, the team went to Den Helder (most northern part of Holland), where they gave a clinic in a youth prison. BCI Edge, who were also in the Netherlands last year, again proved to be great goodwill Ambassadors for the U.S. and for their sport.
Application Fees for Non-Immigrant Visas to Increase on January 1, 2008 Media Note from U.S. Department of State, Office of the Spokesman December 21, 2007 Effective January 1, 2008, the application fee for a U.S. non-immigrant visa will increase from $100 (Euro 74) to $131 (Euro 94.32). This increase applies both to non-immigrant visas issued on machine-readable foils in passports and to border crossing cards issued to certain applicants in Mexico. As of January 1, 2008 all visa applicants will be required to pay the $131 fee (Euro 94.32).
Applicants who paid the prior $100 (Euro 74) application fee before January 1 will be processed only if they are scheduled to appear for a visa interview before January 31.
Applicants who paid the prior $100 (Euro 74) application fee and appear for visa interviews after January 31, 2008 must pay the difference between the old and new fees -- $31 (Euro 20.32) – before they will be interviewed. The Department of State is required by law to attempt to recover the cost of processing non-immigrant visas through the collection of the Machine-Readable Visa application fee. Because of new security-related costs, new information technology systems, and inflation, the $100 Machine-Readable Visa fee is lower than the actual cost of processing non-immigrant visas. In fact, the $100 fee was already lower than the cost of processing non-immigrant visas when the fee was reviewed as a part of the cost of service study in 2004. The Department of State has been absorbing the additional cost. The application fee has increased twice since September 11, 2001, the last time in 2002. Additional information is available on our non-immigrant visa pages.
New "Visa Wizard" Answers Questions About Visa-Free Travel December 19, 2007 The Consulate General in Amsterdam announces a new website tool designed to help travelers to the U.S. determine whether they need to apply for a visa or if they can travel visa free on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The "Visa Wizard" is free, easy to use, and available on the Consulate General's website at our Visa Waiver Program pages. By answering a few simple questions, those interested in traveling to the United States can receive clear, updated guidance on whether they can travel visa-free. Ever since its implementation in 1990 the Visa Waiver Program has been the main means of facilitating the travel of Dutch citizens to the United States. The vast majority of all Dutch citizens travel to the United States without a visa using this program. Certain conditions must be met in order to travel visa-free. The Visa Wizard is designed to guide potential travelers based on these conditions. In addition to Dutch citizens, travelers from all nations who are currently present in The Netherlands should be able to find out quickly whether they will be required to apply for a visa or if they can travel visa-free. Questions from individual travelers and travel agents can also be addressed to: ConsularAmster@state.gov.
Assistant Secretary of State for consular Affairs maura harty deposits United States Instrument of Ratification for the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption  | Ambassador Roland Arnall, Assistant
Secretary Maura Harty (middle), and U.S.
Consul General in Paris Catherine Barry
with representatives from the Dutch
government and the Hague Conference
on Private International Law.
(Photo: K. Evenhouse) |
December 12, 2007 On November 16, President Bush signed the United States' Instrument of Ratification for the The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, authorizing the Department of State to deposit it with the designated authorities in The Netherlands. On December 12, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty formally deposited this instrument in The Hague. This was the final procedural step for the United States to become party to the Convention, effective April 2008, and completed the process which began in 1994. To read Assistant Secretary Harty's remarks, click here. To read the Convention's Secretary General Hans van Loon's remarks, click here. For more information on the The Hague Convention on the State Department website, click here.
Diversity Visa Lottery Application Period ended at Noon EST on December 2, 2007 December 3, 2007 Yesterday the application period for the DV-2009 lottery ended. Now the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) will start processing all valid applications it received, and make a random selection of winners. Those lucky winners will be notified by KCC in the fall of 2008. The Consulate General in Amsterdam will not receive any information from KCC other than in the form of files of winners with an appointment in Amsterdam to apply for their visas. These appointments will be scheduled to take place in the fiscal year 2009 which runs from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009. Please visit our immigrant visa section for more information on the Diversity Visa lottery. For a State Department media note on the last year's lottery, the DV-2008, click here.
Dutch-American Heritage Day, November 16 November 16, 2007 Consul General Marjorie Ames attended a commemoration of Dutch American Heritage Day sponsored by the Stichting Nederland Verenigde Staten at the Pilgrim Father's Church in Delftshaven. To read Consul General Ames' speech, click here. Presidential Proclamation Establishing Dutch American Heritage Day, read more ..
Consul Answers Questions on Studying in the U.S.
  | Consul Michael Barkin |
Each year thousands of Dutch students study in the U.S. in high schools, colleges and universities. They do so because the U.S. provides educational opportunities unique in the world. In honor of International Education Week Consul Michael Barkin participated in a webchat on November 13, 2007, in which he answered questions about studying in the U.S., including how to get a visa, and advice on where to turn for more information on studying in the U.S. Please see our pages on student visas and exchange visitor visas. For a transcript of the webchat, click here. The number of students now exceeds the pre the 9/11 level. More information at usinfo.state.gov and the media note below, as issued by The State Department at the conclusion of International Education Week.
Department of State Issues Record Number of Visas to Students to Study in the United States We are pleased to mark the end of International Education Week, November 12 – 16, by announcing that the Department has issued a record number of visas to students to study in the United States, exceeding pre-9/11 levels. During Fiscal Year 2007, the Department issued more than 651,000 student and exchange visitor visas – 10 percent more than last year and 90,000 more than were issued in Fiscal Year 2001. As Secretary Rice has noted, “In this celebration of international education and exchange, the U.S. Department of State joins with the U.S. Department of Education to highlight the critical role of education in our efforts to secure a bright future based on international partnership and understanding.” The number of foreign students attending American institutions of higher learning continues to grow and the Department of State, in partnership with the Institute of International Education, academic institutions, and American colleges and universities, continues to spread the word to international students that we welcome them. Embassy and consular officials meet with prospective foreign students to explain the student visa application requirements and process and they participate in overseas college fairs providing information about education opportunities available in the United States. All consulates offer special appointments in an effort to ensure that foreign students do not miss their classes in the United States while waiting for a visa interview. International students have heard us and are choosing the United States as a premier destination for higher education.
The Birds of America — The Masterpiece of John James Audubon 
| November 3, 2007 Consul General Marjorie Ames participated in the opening ceremony of an exhibition of John James Audubon's monumental work, The Birds of America, at the Teylers Museum in Haarlem on November 3. The exhibition is also supported by Vogelbescherming Nederland and focuses on the study of birds from the late eighteenth century to the present. The centerpiece of the exhibition is one of the rare original "double elephant" editions of Audubon's beautiful work documenting American bird species. To read Consul General Ames' opening remarks, click here. The exhibition, "Vogels van formaat: Het meesterwerk van Audubon" runs until January 20, 2008, at the Teylers Museum, Haarlem. More information is availabe at: www.teylersmuseum.nl |
Call The Police: 112 for Emergencies or 0900-8844 for less urgent matters  | Staff of the U.S. Consulate General Amsterdam with
Amsterdam police officials at the police station on
the Elandsgracht. |
October 31, 2007 City of Amsterdam police officials hosted the staff of the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam during one of the Consulate's regular professional development and training days. During their visit, Amsterdam police officials briefed the Consulate's staff on their emergency (112) facility as well as their non-emergency call center (0900-8844). Together these two facilities handle over 1,400,000 calls annually.
Gaining a better understanding of the Amsterdam police capabilities and how they coordinate emergency response will help consulate staff in their service to the American community in the Amsterdam area and throughout The Netherlands. The Dutch emergency phone number 112 Is what you would call, for instance, if you are a victim of or a witness to a crime in progress, whereas you would call 0900-8844 if, for example, you find your bike has been stolen, as that does require police action but not that very minute. In an emergency situation the police can be at the scene often within two minutes from the moment the call center receives your call.
Expatica Fair in Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam
 | October 21, 2007 Consular Specialist Charles Woolley, Vice Consul Alfred Boll, and Consular Assistant Marga Hartman-Meijler represented the Consulate General at the "Expatica Fair" at the Beurs de Berlage on Sunday, October 21, 2007. They answered questions on topics ranging from how American citizens residing abroad can obtain an absentee ballot to vote in U.S. elections, to how to apply for a non-immigrant visa. |
University of Amsterdam hosts "Destination Abroad" Event  | October 10, 2007 Staff from the Consulate General participated in the "Destination Abroad" event hosted by the University of Amsterdam on October 10. Approximately 1,600 students attending this popular informational program, which features representatives of organizations that encourage work and study outside The Netherlands. The staff from the Consulate General answered literally hundreds of questions from students about study, exchange and internship opportunities in the United States. The Consulate General also provided handy reference information so that the students can continue their research online. Representatives from the U.S. Fulbright Center in Amsterdam were also present. |
Additional information on study, exchange and internship opportunities in the U.S. is available at: http://educationusa.state.gov/
Information on the Fulbright program is available at: http://www.fulbright.nl/ Information for students and exchange visitors who seek U.S. visas can be found on this website: student visa information page.
Foreign Commercial Service Branch Closed October 1, 2007 The Amsterdam branch of the U.S. Commercial Service in the Netherlands was closed on September 30, 2007. The Consulate General keeps providing all consular services and assistance to American citizens and visa applicants, of course. For commercial sevices assistance, from now on please contact the office of the U.S. Foreign and Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy The Hague, the Netherlands. That office can be reached by e-mail at: The.Hague.Office.Box@mail.doc.gov.
Delaware Governor and delegation visit the Consulate General in Amsterdam 
Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gallager, Governor Ruth Ann Minner and Consul Dan King at the Consulate General in Amsterdam. | September 26 and 27, 2007 Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner led a delegation of state legislators and other officials to The Netherlands on September 26 and 27. The main purpose of the Governor's visit was to explore offshore wind farming technology. The delegation also met with officers from the U.S. Embassy in The Hague and the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam to discuss ways in which to boost the commercial ties between The Netherlands and Delaware. |
Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Fair held in Amsterdam  | | Click on the picture for a larger view |
September 23, 2007 Consul General Marjorie Ames spoke to more than 200 students and professionals considering studying for a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at the 2007 MBA Fair held in the Barlaeus Gymnasium in Amsterdam. Present were representatives from some of the world’s top-ranked business schools, including, from the U.S., the Universities of Chicago, Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Northwestern, Stanford, and Pennsylvania, and from Europe, IESE, INSEAD and the London School of Business.  Listen to the Podcast (14 minutes, 7 MB)
Transcript of this speech as prepared for delivery
Podcast of Consul General Ames' remarks before the American Women's Club | | Consul General Marjorie Ames |
September 13, 2007 Consul General Marjorie Ames spoke at the Fall Kick-Off Meeting of the American Women's Club of The Hague. The event was held at the Warenar Cultural Center in Wassenaar.
The Consul General talked about services available at the Consulate, including voter registration, the Consulate outreach program and the latest developments concerning the Consulate website. Listen to the Podcast (19 minutes, 17.4 MB)
Transcript of this Speech
Commemoration of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks | 
Mayor Cohen of Amsterdam and
Consul General Marjorie Ames on the
front page of the September 11 edition of national newspaper Het Parool
| On September 11, 2007 the U.S. Consulate General held a ceremony commemorating the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. In attendance were officials from the city of Amsterdam, the district of Oud-Zuid, the Governor of the Capital Major General Oostendorp, police and fire officials, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the American community in Amsterdam and the staff of the Consulate General. Consul General Marjorie Ames and Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen delivered brief remarks, followed by a moment of silence in honor of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
Remarks of Consul General Marjorie Ames
Remarks of Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen |
| American Artists Exhibit in The Netherlands | 
| August 26, 2007 Consul General Marjorie Ames delivered remarks at the opening of the "Rhythms" exhibit at Art Gallery Gooilust, located direct across from North Holland's lavish botanical gardens Gooilust) at Zuidereinde 124, 1243 KL ’s-Graveland; tel. +31 (0)35 6569636. Routing information is available at the gallery's website: www.artgallerygooilust.nl . The exhibit runs until September 30. Pictured from right to left: Artists Willem van Oijen and Sam Middleton, Consul General Marjorie Ames, Artist Sherard van Dyke, and Art Historian Erica Kubic, in front of Sherard van Dyke's painting, Mr. Wonder and Friends |
Northwest and KLM launch daily service between Hartford and Amsterdam | 
Click on the picture for a larger view
| July 1, 2007 U.S. air carrier Northwest Airlines (NWA), in cooperation with its joint venture partner KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, launched daily nonstop service between Hartford's Bradley International Airport and Amsterdam's Schiphol International Airport on July 1. The inaugural flight from Hartford included a delegation of 70 top business leaders and government officials from Connecticut and Western Massachusetts which visited the Amsterdam region from July 2-5. The delegation was headed by Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal and Connecticut Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele. The group participated in a number of events in the Amsterdam region, including a welcoming reception, briefings by top officials at Schiphol International Airport, and business and tourism discussions. We wish Northwest Airlines success as it continues to expand its European flight network to the United States. More photos ... |
Annual Meeting of the Consular Corps of Amsterdam | 
| At their annual general meeting, the Consular Corps of Amsterdam elected new officers. Pictured from left to right are Vice President and Secretary P.W.L. Russell (Honorary Consul of Brazil), Treasurer M.C.F.J Verbeek (Honorary Consul of Japan), President Marjorie Ames (Consul General of the U.S.), Vice President L. G. Estrada Fernandez (Consul General of Colombia) and Mr. P.W. de Blieck (Honorary Consul of Belgium). Click here for more photos of Amsterdam's Consular Corps … |
| New USCIS Fees. Filing fee for I-130 petition now $355. | July 30, 2007 Effective today the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services have implemented a new fee schedule. This means that all services for USCIS offered by State Department by way of our Consulates and Embassies, must follow suit. The most important being the I-130 immediate relative petition U.S. citizens can file to start immigration for a spouse, child or parent. The filing fee for this form went from $190 to $355. For the complete current USCIS fee schedule, please click here. |
The American Consulate General in Amsterdam Celebrates Independence Day | 
| July 5, 2007 — Consul General Marjorie Ames and her husband Robert Satrom hosted a reception celebrating the 231st anniversary of the independence of the United States of America. Pictured with them are the "Essential Voices" who performed during the reception. |
America Celebrates Independence Day. | 
Consul General Ames, Ambassador
Arnall and Consul Degnan
| July 1, 2007 - Ambassador Roland Arnall greets Consul General Ames and Consul Chris Degnan, who provided consular services to American citizens at the community picnic celebrating Independence Day in The Hague. For more information on the Fourth of July, please click here.
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International Students Welcome in America, Officials Say United States seeking ways to make more financial aid available
By Louise Fenner
USINFO Staff Writer Washington, June 29, 2007 – The United States wants to provide more opportunities for international students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds to attend U.S. colleges and universities, says State Department official Thomas Farrell. The key message to international students is that “we want you to come here” and that “building a financial package for talented students is something we are expert at,” he told a House of Representatives subcommittee hearing June 29. Read the entire article.
Fulbright Students Assured of Timely Visa appointments | 
Vice Consul Heidi Arola and Fulbright Educational Advisor Erik van den Berg
| June 12, 2007 Vice Consul Heidi Arola briefed Fulbright students on U.S. visa procedures at the University of Amsterdam. Ms. Arola explained to the students that the Consulate is dedicated to ensuring that all students and exchange visitors receive timely appointments. Those with urgent travel needs will be accomodated by scheduling an appointment through the call center: 020-794-0808. For more information on the Fulbright Program please visit the Fulbright Center's website. |
Benelux Family Adoption Network's Annual BBQ | 
Vice Consul Fred Boll and captive audience
| June 10, 2007 Vice Consul Alfred Boll attended the Benelux Family Adoption Network's annual BBQ and meeting to brief members about U.S. intercountry adoption-related issues, and the implementation and ratification of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption by the United States. The State Department's website has more information on this topic. |
The American Women's Club of Amsterdam | 
Consul General Marjorie Ames with
members of the American Women's
Club of Amsterdam | June 8, 2007 Consul General Marjorie Ames spoke at the annual June luncheon of the American Women's Club of Amsterdam. The American Women's Club of Amterdam is a non-profit volunteer organization that provides friendship and support to American women and others with close ties to the United States living in The Netherlands. Founded in 1927, the club currently has about 550 members. Additional information is available at the AWCA website. |
Humanity in Action honored at the American Consulate General in Amsterdam | 
Consul General Narjorie Ames and Consul Michael Barkin. | June 6, 2007 Consul General Marjorie Ames hosted a reception honoring the participants in the 2007 Humanity in Action Fellow's Core Program. Humanity in Action is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building global leadership, defending democracy, protecting minorities, and improving human rights: www.humanityinaction.org. Each year, Humanity in Action sponsors intensive educational programs for European and American students and gives them the opportunity to interact with current human rights leaders. In addition to this year's Fellows, members of the Humanity in Action board, host families and staff from the Consulate General and U.S. Embassy in The Hague also attended the event. For more pictures and Consul General Ames' speech click here. |
Top U.S. Consular Official Visits Amsterdam | 
Assistant Secretary Maura Harty with Vice Consuls Fred Boll and Chris Degnan | May 11, 2007 Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty visited the Consulate General in Amsterdam and met with the staff to discuss consular issues. Amsterdam consular officers briefed the Assistant Secretary on recent efforts to provide services to American citizens outside Amsterdam through a series of "consular road shows" throughout The Netherlands. |
Opijnen World War II Crash Site Memorial Service | 
American War Graves in Opijnen
More pictures | May 4, 2007 On July 30, 1943, a U.S. B-17 Flying fortress was attacked by Nazi fighter aircraft and crashed in the city of Opijnen, The Netherlands. Eight of the ten crew members were killed. Villagers assisted the survivors as best they could, but the American soldiers were captured by the Nazis. The mayor of Opijnen at the time received special permission to bury the fallen soldiers in Opijnen, and the citizens of this town have maintained the graves in a beautiful manner to this day. Each May, on the Dutch day of rememberance for casualties of war, the city of Opijnen hosts a special ceremony honoring the American airmen who perished in defense of freedom. This year, American family members of one of the victims, George Krueger, joined the people of Opijnen and Mayor Loes de Zeeuw, members of the American Women's Club of Amsterdam, and U.S. Consul General Marjorie Ames at the special gravesite dedicated to honoring the sacrifice made by eight U.S. soldiers on July 30, 1943. |
Consulate General Amsterdam Staff Member contributes to ronald McDonald Huis | 
The Ronald McDonald Huis Team with Ms. Evans
| April 24, 2007 Consular staff member Lesley Evans participated in the 5 KM Algemeen Dagblad run in the Rotterdam Marathon on April 15. She chose to make a voluntary donation to one of the charities the Marathon was supporting, the Ronald McDonald Huis in Rotterdam. Sponsored by family, friends and colleagues for this good cause Ms. Evans was able to hand over euro 659.50, including four kilos of euro coins to the representatives of the Ronald McDonald Huis in Rotterdam.
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Dutch-American Friendship Day, 2007
This year on the 19th of April, marks the 225th anniversary of Dutch-American diplomatic relations, the longest continuous diplomatic ties the United States has. | 
John Adams
| April 19, 2007 A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America "On Dutch-American Friendship Day, we celebrate our longtime friendship with the Kingdom of the Netherlands and honor the many Dutch Americans who have made significant contributions to our country." Read the full text of the proclamation. For information please visit the Dutch-American Friendship Week feature on the website of the American Embassy in The Hague. Consul General Marjorie A. Ames made a speech at the Barbizon Hotel, where the John Adams Institute commemorated Dutch American Friendship Day and at the Schiphol WTC, before the Amsterdam American Business Club. |
Live Web Chat with the Consul General to Celebrate Launch of Consular Website |
Consul Marjorie A. Ames
| April 2, 2007 The U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam launched a new website in an effort to provide clear and up-to-date information to American citizens in the Netherlands and to the traveling public. Consul General Marjorie Ames hosted a webchat to commemorate the launch of the new website and answered questions on a broad range of consular topics. Transcript of this Webchat
Link to the Webchat page
What are Webchats?
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| The American Consulate General in Amsterdam launches its own website | 
| April 2, 2007 In close cooperation with the Embassy in The Hague, the staff of the Consulate General in Amsterdam has prepared its own website.
The site information is designed to better assist American citizens and other customers who need our services. Be it for a passport, a visa or other, we hope you will easily find your way and the information you need with only a few clicks. |
Meet and Greet at the Amsterdam Hilton, Amsterdam American Business Club | 
Consulate and Embassy staff members | March 22, 2007 Staff from the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam and the Embassy in The Hague participated in the annual "Meet and Greet" event hosted by the Amsterdam American Business Club at the Hilton Hotel. This event is a networking opportunity for hundreds of business professionals working in The Netherlands. Embassy and Consulate officials offered information on the activities of their respective organizations and answered questions about consular services for American citizens. |
| Emigration Fair 2007 | 
Emigration Fair 2007 | March 10 and 11, 2007 Staff members from the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam attended the Emigration Fair 2007 in Utrecht, describing the opportunities available for travel to the United States to study, work or reside permanently. They answered hundreds of inquiries on topics ranging from investment possibilities, student visas and scholarships in the U.S., tourist information, the Visa Waiver Program and the Diversity Visa Immigrant program. To review additional information on U.S. visa matters ... click here!
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U.S. Consul General opens Katz exhibition | 
Consul General Ames speaks at the
opening of the Alex Katz exhibition. | February 11, 2007 U.S. Consul General Marjorie Ames opened the exhibition "Alex Katz in European Collections" and gave a speech to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Scheringa Museum of Realist Art in Spanbroek.
Alex Katz is regarded as the most important artist of figurative painting of our time. The exhibition shows important exhibits from private European collections and provides an overview of the artists' work from the 1960s to the present day.
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American Speakers Bureau visits Purmerend | 
Photo: Da Vinci College Large Photo | January 26, 2007 Vice Consul Alfred Boll speaks to a group of students of the Da Vinci College of the Purmerendse Scholengemeenschap. The students found it "a very interesting and interactive guest lesson." Mr. Boll was invited through the U.S. Embassy American Speakers Bureau Program. |
New Emergency Passports For American Citizens | 
Consul General Marjorie Ames shows
Mr. Timothy Knapp his new
emergency American Passport Consulate Photo
| January 17, 2007 Today the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam began issuing a new generation of emergency passport to American citizens. The Emergency Photo-Digitized Passport (EPDP) represents the latest advance in the security of the U.S. passport.
The twelve page passport enables American citizens to continue their international travel after a passport has been either lost or stolen outside the United States. More... |
Vice Consul Publishes Book | 
Consul General Marjorie Ames (Left)
and Vice Consul Alfred Boll (Middle)
Large Photo
| January 10, 2007 Friends and colleagues congratulate Amsterdam Vice Consul Alfred Boll on publishing his first book, 'Multiple Nationality and International Law' at the Consul General's Residence in Amsterdam. |
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