Embassy of the United States Maputo, Mozambique

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique provides a range of consular services. Non-emergency American citizen services are provided by appointment only.

Click here to enter the Appointment System.

The Passport Wizard will assist you in completing the correct application form.  Please complete and print the form to submit at your appointment.  Please do not sign passport applications until you are requested to do so at the Consular Section.

If you will not be able to attend your appointment please cancel it by clicking here to make the appointment available for someone else.

REGISTRATION

It is recommended all Americans in Mozambique register their trip with the U.S. Embassy.  Registering assists the Embassy in providing you with vital information in the case of an emergency or disaster.  Registered Americans will also receive periodic Warden messages (usually via e-mail) from the Embassy regarding safety and security in the country and other pertinent information.  It is important to provide as much local contact information as possible, such as your email address and a local phone number.  It is also important to let us know where you will be in Mozambique so in the event of an emergency we can locate you to assist.

We also recommend U.S. citizens have a copy of their passport biographical page and Mozambican visa notarized by a Mozambican notary.  These can be used as proof of your identity and legal presence in Mozambique.

To register please click here. 

U.S. CITIZEN MESSAGES

The Consular Section distributes occasional messages to alert U.S. citizens of events or information relevant to the American community in Mozambique. These messages can either be emergency or non-emergency and are usually delivererd via e-mail. Click here to see the most recent Emergency Messages. The Consular Section also maintains the Country Specific Information (CSI) which is available on the Department of State website for any traveler to Mozambique. Click here to see the current CSI.

WARDEN SYSTEM

The Consular Section maintains a warden system to be activated in the case of an emergency.  Wardens are Americans who volunteer to act as a focal point for the American community in their respective province by relaying important information in the case of an emergency.  Because of the continuous turn-over of Americans resident in Mozambique, we are always looking for new wardens or back-up wardens.  If you are interested in volunteering to be a warden, please contact the Consular Section.

CRIME VICTIMS’ ASSISTANCE

The Consular Section provides assistance to victims of crime in Mozambique. Please contact the Consular Section if you are a victim of crime in Mozambique.  We can help you seek medical care, file a police report, facilitate obtaining emergency funds from home and obtain a new passport, if yours is stolen.

PASSPORTS

The Consular Section accepts passport applications and can add extra visa pages to passports.  A passport renewal normally takes 7-10 business days to process.

One color passport photo with a white background is required to apply for a passport. 

Please visit the Passport Wizard to complete the correct passport forms.  Please print the form and submit it at your appointment.

In compliance with the Two-Parent Signature Consent Law, both parents of minors under 16 years old must be present to sign the passport application and produce a certified or original birth certificate establishing the parental relationship.  An absent parent should submit a signed DS-3053 giving permission for the issuance of a passport to the minor child.  An applicant who is 14 years or older must sign his/her own application.

First time passport applications can also be accepted in the Consular Section for newborn Americans.  American citizens born outside of the U.S. must first obtain a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).  

If your child was born in Mozambique and you wish to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad please email us at consularmaputo@state.gov to make an appointment and for information and documentation requirements.

Emergency Passports are issued only in cases of extreme hardship or emergency and have limited validity.

Additional Passport Pages. This process takes 30 minutes and costs $82 dollars. Please note that if the passport holder is under 16 years of age, one parent must sign the application. It is not necessary for the minor child to appear at the Embassy.

PASSPORT FEES

For additional information on various Consular fees, please click here.

*** Lost and Stolen passports should be reported immediately to the nearest Embassy or Consulate and to the local police. ***

NOTARIAL SERVICES

The Consul can provide notarial services for U.S. citizens and on documents originating in or required for use in the U.S.  Notarial services may include affidavits, acknowledgements, certifications of true copy, etc. There are limitations on the type of notarial services that can be provided.  For additional information on notarials please click here.  Documents not signed in the presence of the Consul cannot be notarized.  If you have questions, please contact the Consular section.The notarial fee is $50 for most services. 

For more information on notarial and authentication services please click here.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

The Embassy accepts cash (either U.S. dollars or Mozambican metical) or credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and Diners Club).  We cannot accept checks, money orders or any other form of payment.

TRANSLATORS

The Consular Section maintains a list of Portuguese/English translators. These translators do not work for the U.S. Government.  The Embassy does not accept responsibility for the fidelity or legal acceptability of translations.  Click here to access the list of translators.

ATTORNEYS

The Consular Section cannot provide legal advice to U.S. citizens, but we will attempt to explain local laws and norms to U.S. citizens.  The Consular Section maintains a list of attorneys who practice law in Mozambique and who are willing to represent U.S. citizens.  The U.S. Government provides this list as a form of assistance to citizens in need of legal advice or representation in Mozambique but in no way seeks to promote the use of one attorney over any other.  Click here to access the list of attorneys.

DOCTORS

The Consular Section maintains a list of doctors and clinics in Mozambique who are available to treat U.S. citizens.  Click here to access the list of doctors in Mozambique.

VOTING ASSISTANCE

The Consular Section provides assistance to U.S. citizens interested in voting in elections taking place in the United States.  However, it is each citizen’s responsibility to plan ahead to be sure that s/he is registered and receives an absentee ballot in time to vote.  Information about registration, schedules of elections and absentee voting is available on-line at: fvap.gov. 

TAXES

The Consular Section does not provide tax advice, but we can provide limited assistance to individuals interested in paying U.S. taxes. For further information regarding taxes, please refer to irs.gov.  Also, the Internal Revenue Service office located in the U.S. Embassy in London (which oversees the Africa region) maintains a useful webpage.  Helpful advice, contact information, and a frequently asked questions page useful to U.S. tax-payers resident in Africa can be found at: usembassy.org.uk/irs/

FEDERAL BENEFITS

The Consular Section provides assistance to recipients of some federal benefits who live in Mozambique.  Contact the Consular Section if you have questions about this topic.

PRISON VISITS

The Consular Section provides services to Americans imprisoned in Mozambique.  An imprisoned American should request to speak to a Consular Officer from the U.S. Embassy.  Prison visits are made by a representative from the Consular Section to ensure that the health, safety and human rights of the prisoner are not in jeopardy.  Other assistance may also be provided to the prisoner.  The U.S. Embassy cannot provide legal advice or representation to U.S. citizens abroad.  Please refer to the section on Attorneys.

IMMIGRANT VISAS

Effective August 15, 2011, petitioners residing overseas will no longer be able to routinely file Forms I-130, Petitions for Alien Relative, with U.S. Embassies and Consulates except in locations where U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a public counter presence within the Embassy or Consulate.  Petitioners residing overseas in countries where USCIS does not have a public counter presence will be required, starting August 15, 2011, to file their Forms I-130 by mail with the USCIS Chicago lockbox.  U.S. Embassies and Consulates that do not have a USCIS presence will only be able to accept and process Forms I-130 in exceptional circumstances, as outlined below.

Forms I-130 that were properly filed at an Embassy or Consulate overseas where USCIS does not have a presence before August 15, 2011, will not be affected by this change.

Filing Instructions beginning August 15, 2011:

Beginning August 15, 2011, petitioners residing overseas who wish to file a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, may do so as follows:

- If the petitioner resides in a country in which USCIS has a public counter presence, the Form I-130 may be filed directly with the USCIS field office (see instructions below) or through the USCIS Chicago Lockbox at one of the below addresses.

- If the petitioner resides in a country where USCIS does not have a public counter presence, the Form I-130 must be filed with the USCIS Chicago Lockbox at one of the addresses below, unless the petitioner requests and is granted an exception based on one of the criteria described below:

USCIS Chicago Lockbox addresses for regular mail deliveries:
USCIS
P.O. Box 804625
Chicago, IL 60680-4107
USCIS Chicago Lockbox address for express mail and courier deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: I-130
131 South Dearborn-3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517

For additional information about how to file a Form I-130 with the USCIS Chicago lockbox, please see the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov or contact USCIS by phone at 1-800-375-5283.

Filing at USCIS Overseas field offices:

From August 15, 2011, petitioners residing in a country where USCIS has a field office, with a public counter, may choose to file the Form I-130 either through the Chicago lockbox or at the USCIS field office.

Petitioners should contact the USCIS field office with any questions regarding the filing of petitions.  For more information on where USCIS has overseas field offices and contact information, please Visit:
http://www.uscis.gov/international.

Exceptional Filing at U.S. Embassies or Consulates without a USCIS Field Office:

Beginning August 15, 2011, petitioners, who do not reside in a country with a USCIS field office, but who believe that their situation merits an exception, may request an exception to allow the Consular Section at
the Embassy or Consulate to accept the filing.  Each request for an exception will be evaluated individually.

A petitioner seeking to file a Form I-130 at an Embassy or Consulate where USCIS does not have a presence should contact the Consular Section to request consideration of the request for exception and explain the circumstances in detail.  The Consular Section will then relay the request for an exception to the USCIS field office with jurisdiction over the Embassy or Consulate.  The determination of whether the case presents exceptional circumstances that warrant an exception to the general filing process will be made by USCIS.  USCIS will be publishing guidance on the circumstances that may qualify as exceptional on their website at:

http://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/AFM/HTML/AFM/0-0-0-1/0-0-0-3481/0-0-0-6254.html

Please contact the Consular Section at consularmaputo@state.gov for further information.

ADOPTION

For information on adoption, including country information on Mozambique, please visit the U.S. Department of State’s intercountry adoption website.

TRAVEL ALERT

The Department of State updates information on travel in all countries of the world and issues Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as necessary for countries or regions that are of particular concerns for U.S. citizen travelers.  The Department of State maintains current information on its website, travel.state.gov.  All travelers are advised to consult the site before traveling.

INSURANCE & MEDICAL EVACUATION

Obtaining medical treatment and hospital care abroad can be expensive, and medical evacuation to the U.S. can cost more than $50,000.  If your insurance policy does not cover you abroad, it is a good idea to consider purchasing a short-term policy that does.  More information can be found at travel.state.gov.

INTERNATIONAL VACCINATION CERTIFICATE

Mozambican authorities now require all travelers entering Mozambique to present a valid International Vaccination Certificate.  Additionally, travelers who have been to any of the 43 countries where Yellow Fever is known to exist must present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate.  If you cannot present a valid certificate on entry you may be vaccinated at your expense (approximately US$50).

For more information on Yellow Fever please click here.