Health Alert: Announcing June 28 Repatriation Flight on Ethiopian Airlines – U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa (June 23, 2020)
Location: South Africa
Event: The South African Ministry of Health has confirmed 101,590 cases of COVID-19 within its borders.
Announcing June 28 Ethiopian Airlines Flight
We have been notified of a special commercial repatriation flight operated by Ethiopian Airlines to Chicago, United States on Sunday, June 28.
Flight information:
Flight information:
- Interested passengers must book their tickets directly with Ethiopian Airlines by contacting SouthAfricaSalesTeam@ethiopianairlines.com.
- The flight will depart from Johannesburg and then Cape Town on Sunday, June 28 before proceeding to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and onward to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, United States.
- Passengers will be responsible for travel to their final destination in the United States from Chicago O’Hare.
- This flight is open to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and visa holders who have received DHA approval to depart South Africa.
- Passengers will be responsible for finding transportation to the required assembly point, which will be communicated by Ethiopian Airways prior to the flight departure.
- Travel permission letters for U.S. citizens and green card holders are not required unless you will be crossing provinces to arrive at the assembly point. If you must cross a provincial border to join this repatriation flight, please write to SAEvacuation@state.gov requesting a travel letter. Include your name, passport or green card number, current address, and flight confirmation.
- For any questions regarding availability, cost, baggage allowance, or other flight details, please contact Ethiopian Airlines directly.
For South African Citizens wishing to travel to the United States for residence, work or study as allowed by the Government of South Africa:
DHA is not requiring individualized letters from the US Embassy or Consulate for South African citizens with valid US visas or travel documents. Please contact DHA with the additional information they require to issue permission to depart South Africa.
U.S. Mission Repatriation Efforts
If you would like to depart South Africa, we highly recommend you avail yourself of any available opportunity, even if it is not your desired flight route. We cannot guarantee frequency of special repatriation, nor can we guarantee that previously scheduled commercial flights will depart as planned. We do not have further information about when regular international commercial flights will resume.
To date, over 30 repatriation flights have departed to the United States in coordination with airlines and friendly mission partners since the government lockdown, returning over 1500 U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and visa holders to the United States. For questions about other potential upcoming repatriation opportunities, please contact the airlines directly for details.
Please see all past alerts at the U.S. Embassy website: https://za.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information//.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Notice for South Africa.
Local Resources
- View U.S. Embassy Pretoria’s most recent alerts
- President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speeches on the lockdown
- Announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of 21 day lock-down (Mar 23, 2020)
- Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on measures to combat COVID-19 epidemic
- COVID-19 information page on National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)
- Department of Home Affairs pagefor latest information on travel requirements for South Africa
- COVID-19 Corona Virus: South African Resource Portal
Other links
- COVID-19 information page on travel.state.gov
- CDC page on COVID-19
- Travel.state.gov Country Information and Travel Advisory page
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
Operating Status: Effective March 26, 2020, U.S. Consulates General Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban have suspended routine consular services. For emergency American Citizens Services, including emergency passports, please visit our websites for additional information.
Assistance:
United States Embassy to the Republic of South Africa
(Note: The Embassy does not provide consular services.)
877 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, Pretoria
Tel: 012-431-4000 (outside South Africa: +27-12-431-4000)
https://za.usembassy.gov/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USEmbassySA/
United States Consulate General, Johannesburg
(Covering Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, and Free State provinces)
1 Sandton Drive (corner of Rivonia and Sandton Drive)
Sandhurst, Johannesburg
ACSJohannesburg@state.gov
Tel: 011-290-3000 (outside South Africa: +27-11-290-3000)
After-hours emergencies: 079-111-1684 (outside South Africa: +27-79-111-1684)
https://za.usembassy.gov/johannesburg-u-s-consulate/
United States Consulate General, Durban
(Covering KwaZulu-Natal Province)
Delta Towers, 31st floor
303 Dr. Pixley KaSeme Street
ConsularDurban@state.gov
Tel: 031-305-7600 (outside South Africa +27-31-305-7600)
After-hours emergencies: 079-111-1445 (outside South Africa +27-79-111-1445)
https://za.usembassy.gov/durban-u-s-consulate/
United States Consulate General, Cape Town
(Covering Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape provinces)
2 Reddam Avenue, Tokai, Cape Town
AmericansCapeTown@state.gov
Tel: 021-702-7300 (outside South Africa: +27 21-702-7300)
After-hours emergencies: 079-111-0391 (outside South Africa: +27-79-111-0391)
https://za.usembassy.gov/cape-town-u-s-consulate/
State Department – Consular Affairs
1-888-407-4747 or 1-202-501-4444
South Africa Country Information
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