ACS Outreach Program

American Citizen Services (ACS) Outreach Programs

The American Citizens Services (ACS) sections at the U.S. Consulates General in Australia periodically provide citizenship services for U.S. citizens in cities where there is no permanent consular presence. During ACS outreach trips, we accept applications for U.S. passports, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and conduct mandatory interviews for the U.S. Social Security Administration. These outreach trips occur in designated cities within Australia and participation is restricted to applicants who are legally required to undergo an interview with a U.S. consular officer.

There are no visa services (including services related to green cards) provided during these outreach trips.

How does the ACS consular outreach work?

Applicants wishing to participate in an ACS consular outreach trip must first register their interest by emailing the U.S. Consulate General serving their area (see below). Registrants will be placed on a waiting list for an ACS outreach at the appropriate Consulate. Once the Consulate has scheduled a date for an outreach, registrants will be notified by email and will also be provided with the outreach-specific instructions. You will be instructed to submit the completed application, supporting documents (originals) and fees by the deadline noted on the instructions. Upon receipt of the application and supporting documents by the Consulate, they will be reviewed and you will be notified if further information is required. You will then receive an email confirming your appointment time. After the completed application is signed in the presence of a consular officer on the date of the scheduled outreach, CRBA and passports will be issued generally within 2-3 weeks. Applications for Social Security will be forwarded to the regional Social Security Administration (SSA) in Manila, Philippines for processing. The SSA processing time is generally 2-3months.

How do you register to participate?

If you are interested in participating in an ACS consular outreach at one of the below listed cities and would like to be included on a waiting list to be notified when the next outreach is scheduled, you can register by emailing an expression of interest to the appropriate Consulate. Your email should include your name, the name and date of birth of each applicant, as well as your address, telephone number, and a brief description of the service(s) you are requesting.

How do you prepare yourself for an ACS consular outreach?

We recommend that you review the instructions on the U.S. Consulates General website to ensure that, based on the services you are seeking, you have the required documents available prior to the scheduled date of the next ACS consular outreach trip.

How do you stay updated on upcoming ACS consular outreaches?

We encourage you to check our website periodically for the most up-to-date information regarding the ACS consular outreach program. Although you may have registered to be placed on a waiting list for an upcoming outreach, the onus is upon you to ensure that you are included in the appropriate outreach.

Are you traveling?

If you or your family has fixed future travel plans, we encourage you to plan accordingly to maximize your ability to participate in our ACS consular outreach program. Please note that should our intended visit dates not fit with your travel schedule, you also have the option of submitting the applications in person at the Consulate General serving your district to ensure you have a valid passport before your travel date.

QUEENSLAND - Brisbane

The U.S. Consulate General in Sydney tentatively anticipates that the next American Citizens Services (ACS) outreach visit to Brisbane will take place one day during the first week of July 2012.  For applicants who wish to register their expression of interest in this outreach to Brisbane, please email our Queensland Outreach unit and we will contact you as we prepare for a future visit to Queensland.

The decision to visit Townsville will be considered based on the reported need for services, consular officer availability and funding issues. When submitting an expression of interest to participate in an outreach, please specifically note in your email if you are interested only in Brisbane, if you would prefer Townsville or another location. Please also advise if you would still participate in the outreach if we determine that we are only able to visit Brisbane.  We will assess the numbers of applicants interested in other areas closer to a scheduled outreach date and will advise those interested applicants accordingly.   

Those wishing to register their interest in participating in our upcoming ACS outreach in Brisbane, should email QueenslandACS@state.gov. Please include in your email your contact details and the details of the citizenship service you wish to submit an application for (please also include the names and dates of birth of each applicant).  Once you have registered with us we will contact you via email to confirm the outreach date and to provide you with further instructions about how to prepare and submit your application/s.

Please note that although you may have registered to be placed on a waiting list for an upcoming ACS outreach, the onus is upon you to ensure that you are included in the appropriate outreach. Therefore, we recommend that you check our website for the most update information regarding our ACS outreach program.

TASMANIA - Hobart

The U.S. Consulate General in Melbourne anticipates our next ACS outreach will take place in Hobart. The date has not been confirmed. Those wishing to register their interest in participating in this outreach, should email MelbourneACS@state.gov. Please include in your email your contact details and the details of the citizenship service you wish to submit an application for (please also include the names and dates of birth of each applicant).  Once you have registered with us, we will contact you via email to confirm the outreach date and to provide you with further instructions about how to prepare and submit your application/s.