Consulate Closure Notice
Please be advised that the U.S. Consulate in Halifax will be closed on Friday July 4, to observe Independence Day.

03 July 08
Double Celebration.
On July 2nd the U.S. Consulate General in Halifax celebrated the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Consulate and the 232nd birthday of the United States of America. The event was co-hosted by Consul General Harold Foster and Commander Fred Pyle, Commanding Officer of the USS Winston S. Churchill. Over four-hundred guests were treated to a traditional Independence Day picnic barbeque on the jetty between the USS Winston S. Churchill and HMCS Charlottetown. Both ships were recently deployed together in the Arabian Sea. The theme of the event was “Salute to the Military.” [View Photo Slideshow]

28 June 08
Release of a Juvenile Bald Eagle.
Consul General Harold Foster was the special guest at the release of a juvenile bald eagle. The bird was rehabilitated by the Hope for Wildlife Society of Nova Scotia. The event was in honor of Canada Day and U.S. Independence Day and highlighted the efforts Canada has made to help the United States re-establish its bald eagle population. [View Photos]

28 May 08
Memorial Day 2008 - Deadman's Island, Halifax.
On U.S. Memorial Day, the U.S. Consul General and U.S. Navy Exchange Officers honored those who gave the ultimate sacrifice with a small ceremony on Deadman’s Island in Halifax. Historians have concluded that nearly 200 American Prisoners of the War of 1812 died while confined on Melville Island and are buried on Deadman’s Island. The ceremony was attended by members of the U.S. and Canadian military and honored American and Canadian armed forces personnel. In preparation for the ceremony, work crews from the USS Donald Cook and USS Barry with support from the city of Halifax performed clean–up duties on the island. [View Slideshow]

22 April 08
Earth Day in Moncton, New Brunswick.
Consul General Harold Foster celebrated Earth Day in Moncton, New Brunswick. He spoke to children at Birchmount School about the first Earth Day in 1970 and the importance of learning good recycling habits early. He also presented the school with the U.S. Department of State’s 2008 Earth Day poster. [Photos]

18 February 08
U.S. Recognizes Kosovo as an Independent State
Secretary Rice (Feb. 18): The United States has today formally recognized Kosovo as a sovereign and independent state. We congratulate the people of Kosovo on this historic occasion. President Bush has responded affirmatively to a request from Kosovo to establish diplomatic relations between our two countries. The establishment of these relations will reaffirm the special ties of friendship that have linked together the people of the United States and Kosovo.
Full Text.  |  Briefing by Under Secretary Burns.

28 January 08

President outlines priorities for final year in State of the Union address. “Our foreign policy is based on a clear premise: We trust that people, when given the chance, will choose a future of freedom and peace,” President Bush says in his final State of the Union address. Bush also is seeking a boost in U.S. foreign aid funding to help developing countries realize democracy’s benefits. [Full transcript]

17 January 08
The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa would like to remind travelers that beginning January 31, 2008, individuals crossing the border will be asked to present documents denoting citizenship and identity when entering the United States through land and sea ports of entry. This change primarily affects American and Canadian citizens, who have previously been permitted entry by oral declaration alone, and marks the transition toward standard and consistent documents for all travelers entering the United States. [More] [What documents are needed?] [FAQs]

9 January 08

To celebrate the Consulate’s 175th anniversary the Consulate will be presenting U.S. Flags and letters of congratulations from the Consul General to all children who receive their U.S. basic citizenship document at the Consulate in 2008. The first child to receive their Consular Report of Birth Abroad document at the Consulate this year was 10-month old Edith.

7-8 January 08

The U.S. Consulate General in Halifax and the Bluenose BoSox Brotherhood (BBB) welcomed the Boston Red Sox and the World Series Trophy to Halifax. U.S. Consul General Harold Foster was happy to assist the BBB with their bid to bring the World Series Trophy to Halifax. The event marked the first time the World Series Trophy has visited Halifax and was a great way to open the Halifax Consulate’s 175th season. Photo courtesy of the government of Nova Scotia.

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), for entry into the United States at land or sea borders, as of January 31, 2008:
- Oral declarations of citizenship alone will no longer be accepted;
- U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older will need to present a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate;
- Children ages 18 and under will only be required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate;
- Passports and trusted traveler program cards - NEXUS, FAST, and SENTRI - will continue to be accepted for cross-border travel. All existing nonimmigrant visa and passport requirements will remain in effect and will not be altered by this change. A passport has been required for air travel since January 23, 2007. [read more on WHTI]
NEW. Entry requirements at land or sea borders in effect June 1, 2009:
Washington -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced today the final rule for the land and sea portion of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), a core 9/11 Commission recommendation. The WHTI final rule requires travelers to present a passport or other approved secure document denoting citizenship and identity for all land and sea travel into the United States. WHTI establishes document requirements for travelers entering the United States who were previously exempt, including citizens of the U.S., Canada and Bermuda. These document requirements will be effective June 1, 2009 [Press Release] [FAQs] .

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