Anchorage Daily News

Mexico will open a full consulate office in Anchorage to provide services and promote trade, according to consul Jose Luis Cuevas.

Until now, Mexico has serviced its citizens living in Alaska largely through traveling consular officials who visit here.

An office is under construction and will open this fall at 610 C St. In the meantime, the consulate is looking for temporary space, Cuevas said.

It will have a total of 10 employees.

A Mexican consulate provides a variety of services to people of Mexican descent and tourists, including visas, birth certificates and identification cards. American-born children with Mexican parents can be granted dual citizenship, Cuevas said.

One of the consulate's first activities will be to host a celebration commemorating Mexico's independence from Spain from 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 15 on the Delaney Park Strip.

There are 50 Mexican consulates in the U.S.

Hispanics make up one of the fastest growing ethnic demographics in the state. Close to 40,000 Hispanics live in Alaska and about half are of Mexican descent, according to estimates from the U.S. Census and the consulate.

Find Julia O'Malley online at adn.com/contact/jomalley or call 257-4591.

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