Latest news with #BureauofConsularAffairs
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
This Caribbean Island Got an Updated Travel Advisory for Petty Crime and Violence—What Travelers Should Know
A new alert from the State Department advises travelers to exercise increased caution when visiting Cuba due to crime and electrical outages. U.S. travelers are only allowed to go to Cuba in specific situations, but those who do travel should remain alert and prepare for events like power a visit to the Caribbean can promise sunshine, beaches, and plenty of fun, travelers to Cuba need to exercise caution, according to a new alert. The United States Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs recently issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the island due to crime and unreliable electrical power. The advisory, which was published on May 7, says that petty crime, violent crime, armed robbery, and homicide are on the rise in Cuba. The Level 2 alert encourages travelers to "exercise increased caution," and is below the maximum Level 4 of "do not travel." In addition to the crime and homicide risk, the agency also mentions the potential of frequent electrical disruptions. 'Since October 2024, there have been several prolonged nationwide power outages,' the advisory states. 'Scheduled and unscheduled power cuts lasting up to 12 hours occur daily in Havana, and even longer outside the capital.' The advisory also reminds travelers that United States citizens are prohibited from traveling to, from, or within Cuba for tourist or leisure activities, however the government has an approval process for travelers to visit for a variety of reasons including educational purposes, religious activities, athletic competitions, or for humanitarian reasons. Travelers who are still planning on visiting Cuba should stay aware of their surroundings and avoid displaying signs of wealth such as expensive watches or jewelry, according to the alert, which also notes that travelers should not physically resist an attempted robbery. It's also a good idea to stock up on nonperishable food and water, have flashlights and batteries easily accessible, and keep mobile phones and power banks charged in case of a power outage, the alert advises. U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba can monitor the Department of State, as well as the U.S. Embassy for Cuba, for additional information and travel alerts. For any United States citizen traveling internationally, the agency encourages them to register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program or STEP. The free program shares contact information with regional embassies so that American citizens can be notified in the event of an emergency or other critical situation. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
05-05-2025
- Politics
Passport processing wait times remain low as Real ID deadline looms
Laura Hruby, director of public and congressional affairs within the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the U.S. State Department discusses the approaching May 7th Real ID deadline.
Express Tribune
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
US raises travel advisory for Pakistan to level 3
The US Department of State has warned its citizen of travelling to Pakistan due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict. Pakistan Travel Advisory level 3 issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs has asked US travellers to reconsider travel to Pakistan. The specific areas mentioned in the advisory include Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) — including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the immediate vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control. "Violent extremist groups continue to plot attacks in Pakistan. Terrorist attacks are frequent in Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KP), which include the former FATA. Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in numerous casualties, and small-scale attacks are frequent. Terrorism and ongoing violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilian, as well as local military and police targets. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist attractions, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and government facilities," read the advisory. The US Department of State has also advised its citizens to stay away from unlawful protest demonstrations during their travel to Pakistan, adding, "Local law prohibits protesting or demonstrating without a permit. Being near a protest can draw scrutiny from Pakistani security forces. US citizens have been detained for participating in protests and for posting content on social media perceived as critical of the Pakistani government, military, or officials." Pakistan's security environment remains fluid, sometimes changing with little or no notice. There are greater security resources and infrastructure in the major cities, particularly Islamabad, and security forces in these areas may be more readily able to respond to an emergency compared to other areas of the country, the advisory mentioned. It further stated the government of Pakistan restricts the travel of US government personnel working in Pakistan.
CBC
21-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Hunter Schafer says passport lists sex as 'M' after Trump executive order
Social Sharing American actress Hunter Schafer said she was "shocked" to find the gender marker on her passport listed as male, a forced change that comes after the Trump administration declared it would only recognize two genders. Schafer, one of the most visible transgender actresses in Hollywood, said she picked up her new passport on Thursday to find the gender marker written as "M", despite her having listed female on her application. "I was shocked. I was shocked. I don't know … I just didn't think it was actually going to happen," she said in an eight-minute TikTok, holding up her new passport. "I just feel like it's important to share, it's not just talk [from the administration]. This is real and it's happening. No one, no matter their circumstance, no matter how wealthy or white or pretty or whatever … is excluded. This is real." The new passport policy stems from one of U.S. Donald Trump's first executive orders after taking office in January. WATCH | Transgender people in the U.S. say they're worried about what's to come: Breaking down Trump's 'two genders' executive order 28 days ago Duration 3:20 The order declared federal agencies will only recognize "two sexes, male and female," which "are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality." The order said passports and other forms of government-issued identification must reflect the sex assigned at birth. It does not acknowledge intersex people, who are born with a combination of male and female traits and include an estimated 1.7 per cent of the population. It said the government would not recognize gender identity, or how someone identifies and represents themselves in society, on federal documents. The website for the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the agency that issues passports, said it will "only issue passports with an 'M' or 'F' sex marker that match the customer's biological sex at birth" and will no longer use the "X" marker for nonbinary people, citing Trump's order. Schafer said her previous identification to date, including old passports, had listed "female" ever since she got her driver's licence as a teenager. She applied to renew her passport in Los Angeles after her old one was stolen while she was filming in Barcelona last year. Schafer said she didn't post about her new passport on TikTok to receive consolation, citing her own privilege "as a celebrity trans woman" who is white and passing, meaning she is perceived as the gender with which she identifies. She said she wanted to prove to the public that the administration's order has taken effect and underscore the potential repercussions for other transgender people. "I also want to say, I don't give a f--k that they put an M on my passport. It doesn't change really anything about me or my transness however, it does make life a little harder," said Schafer, who is best known for her role as Jules Vaughn in HBO's Euphoria. WATCH | Queer rights lawyer explains what Trump's order might mean for Canada: U.S. government will only recognize two sexes, Trump says. What does that mean for trans rights? 1 month ago Duration 5:46 Personally, she said she will likely have to out herself to border patrol officers when she travels abroad. Seven transgender American citizens who sued Trump and the State Department in federal court this month said the order also exposes them to potential harassment or violence when they travel outside the United States. The lawsuit filed in the District Court of Massachusetts claimed the new passport policy violates their constitutional rights by discriminating on the basis of sex and infringing on privacy. The Trump administration has until mid-March to file a response in court. Canadians who do not identify as female or male have been able to list their gender as "X" on their passports since 2019. About 3,600 Canadians have the marker on their passports, according to the federal government. The Canadian government website warns people with gender-neutral passports that "you may face entry restrictions into some countries that do not recognize your gender."
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hunter Schafer Says She Was Issued A Passport With A Male Sex Marker, Thanks To Trump Order
Hunter Schafer had 'a bit of a harsh reality check' thanks to an upcoming trip. The 'Euphoria' star — who is one of the most prominent transgender women in Hollywood — posted a series of TikToks on Friday in which she says her new passport was issued with an 'M,' or male, legal sex marker, even though she listed her legal sex as female on her application. In a roughly eight-minute video, which was also uploaded and shared in full to X, formerly Twitter, the 'Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' star, 26, noted that her gender has been listed female on all her government-issued IDs since she applied for a driver's license as a teenager. She later noted that she never had her gender changed on her birth certificate, however. The switch in Schafer's gender marker is likely a result of President Donald Trump's executive order declaring the government will now only recognize 'two sexes, male and female.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told NOTUS in January that the order will not impact passports that were issued prior to Trump taking office. But she also said that any passports issued after Trump signed the order, including those being renewed, will show the marker that reflects a person's sex assigned at birth. Schafer said that she recently had to renew her passport because it was stolen while she was working in Barcelona, Spain last year. Schafer said that since it was stolen she was issued a temporary passport, which had a female marker, but it expired. Schafer said she had to renew her actual passport because she's traveling abroad next week. 'I'm sure most of us remember on, I think, the first day of Trump's presidency, he signed an executive order to declare only two genders recognized by the state, male and female assigned at birth,' Schafer said in the video. She appeared to quote a page from Advocates for Trans Equality advising transgender travelers: 'The Bureau of Consular Affairs has frozen passport applications requesting a gender marker change or renewals or new applications with a gender marker differing from an applicant's gender assigned at birth.' HuffPost has reached out to the Bureau of Consular Affairs for comment, but did not receive an immediate response. The 'Kinds of Kindness' actor said that she decided to speak out about her experience because she wanted to make others aware of 'the reality of the situation, in that it is actually happening,' and not because she wants to 'create drama or receive consolation.' 'I was shocked, because, I don't know, I just didn't think it was actually going to happen,' she said. Schafer went on to admit some of the reasons why she initially thought this new policy wouldn't directly affect her. 'I want to acknowledge my privilege, like not only as a celebrity trans woman who is white, and thin, and can adhere to contemporary beauty standards, and I can participate in all of that, and I 'pass.' And it still happened,' Schafer said. Schafer went on to say that she personally doesn't 'give a fuck that they put a 'M' on my passport.' 'It doesn't change really anything about me or my transness. However, it does make life a little harder,' Schafer said. She continued, 'It's going to come along with having to out myself to, like, border patrol agents and that whole gig, much more often than I would like to or is really necessary.' Schafer also acknowledged that even though she's making assumptions about what her personal experience may be like, other trans people may have similar or even more extreme issues while traveling internationally. 'Thinking about other trans women who this might also be happening to, or other trans people,' Schafer said, 'the list only gets longer, as far as the intricacies that come along with the difficulty that this brings into real life shit.' Schafer attempted to conclude her video on a slightly more positive note — though she got in one last jab at Trump. 'Trans people are beautiful,' Schafer said. 'We are never going to stop existing, I am never going to stop being trans. A letter on a passport can't change that. And fuck this administration.'
