[With all the attention focused on Israel on the occasion of its 50th birthday, this month we look to Jerusalem for the Consular Focus feature. Special thanks to Liam Schwartz of Yemin, Kan-Tor & Schwartz in Tel Aviv, Israel. Liam is an American Immigration Lawyers Association member practicing exclusively in the immigration law area.]

The US Consulate in Jerusalem has jurisdiction over Jerusalem and the West Bank. For many years, the US government has been promising to move its Israeli Embassy from Tel Aviv, but no firm date for this move has been announced and it may be some time before this happens.

Street Address: 27 Nablus Road, Jerusalem, Israel

Mailing Address: US Consulate General, PO Box 290 Jerusalem 91002 or Consulate General, Jerusalem APO NY 06972

Telephone: 972-2-622-7200 (calls are only answered between 2 and 4 pm Israel time on weekdays.

Fax Number: 972-2-628-5455

Web Site/E-mail: None

Non-immigrant visas: Applications accepted in person between 8:30 and 11:00 am Monday through Friday and are typically adjudicated in less than a day. Travel agents can submit applications with a one-week turnaround. A drop box is also available and has a one week turnaround. The drop box can only be used by persons who have been issued a non-immigrant visa in the past or who are seeking an H, J or L visa. Refused applicants can only re-apply by appointment and applicants refused more than one time have a six month time out period before a new application can be made.

Immigrant visas: Interviews by appointment only. One month processing times from the receipt of the package from the National Visa Center are normal. Third country processing only accepted in humanitarian cases.

Physicians:

Dr. Robert Tabash
Manager Square
Chamber of Commerce Building
Bethlehem
Telephone - 742882

Dr. C.B. Sherer/Jerusalem X-Ray Clinic
10 Jabotinsky Street
Jerusalem
Telephone: 636463

Dr. Ted Miller & Dr. Jonty Maresky
Family Medical Center
Telephone: 636265/532131

Dr. Yasser Obeid
Arab Health Center
Jamal Abdel Nasser Street
Bireh
Telephone: 954323,954335

Dr. Fahed Khalaf
Rukub Building, 1st Floor
Mahfal Street
Ramallah
Telephone: 953347. 95777386