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Kokua Line June Watanabe |
State issues photo
ID cards for toddlersQuestion: I will be traveling to Mexico with a 2-year-old. How do I get a photo ID card for her, or do I need one to go outside the United States?
Answer: Your toddler can get a state photo ID card from the state ID Office in Room 102, 465 S. King St.
A child must be accompanied by a parent, and there are no guarantees that a card will be issued, said Liane Moriyama, administrator of the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data System, which oversees the ID office. "It depends on how cooperative the 2-year-old is to get fingerprints, etc.," she said.
Call 587-3111 or check the Web site at www.state.hi.us/hcjdc/sid.htm for information on what documents are required. It costs $15 to get an ID card, $10 if you're over age 65.
According to the State Department, the Mexican government requires all U.S. citizens to present proof of citizenship and photo ID to enter Mexico. A U.S. passport is recommended, but other documents, such as a certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate, a Naturalization Certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a Certificate of Citizenship, are acceptable.
Driver's permits, voter registration cards, affidavits, etc. won't be accepted as proof of citizenship for readmission into the United States. You don't need a visa to enter Mexico for a tourist stay of less than six months.
Because of problems with international child abduction, many governments have set up special procedures to check the relationship between adult and child. In Mexico's case, minors require notarized consent from both parents if traveling alone or in someone else's custody, or from the absent parent if traveling with only one parent, according to the State Department. For more information on entry and visa requirements, contact the Embassy of Mexico at 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006; telephone 202-736-1000; or check its Web site at embassyofmexico.org.
You can also get more information on the State Department's Web site at http://travel.state.gov/mexico.html.
Q: Do you have the address for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and any information about its scholarships for minority students?
A: To obtain information and applications for the foundation's minority scholarship program, write to Gates Millennium Scholars, P.O. Box 10500, Fairfax, VA 22031-8044. You can also call, toll-free, 877-690-4677, or get information online at www.gmsp.org/main.cfm.
The scholars program was established in 1999 by the Gates Foundation to help outstanding African-American, American Indian/Alaska native, Asian-Pacific Islander-American and Hispanic-American students attend undergraduate and graduate colleges.
Students must be nominated by someone familiar with their academic achievements but acting in a personal capacity, not as part of an institution. Nominators cannot be related to the student. In addition to strong academics, students must show leadership potential and a commitment to community service.
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Useful phone numbers
Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
E-mail to kokualine@starbulletin.com