Location: South Africa
Event: The South African Ministry of Health confirmed 3,158 cases of COVID-19 within its borders.
On April 9, 2020, the government of South Africa announced an extension to its period of “lockdown” for an additional two weeks until April 30. The lockdown measures were implemented to limit the spread of COVID-19.
There are no further U.S. government-coordinated evacuation flights planned. Please prepare to shelter in South Africa until commercial flights resume.
During the lockdown, the Consular Sections in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban will remain closed except for emergency services. If you have an emergency, please email acsjohannesburg@state.gov, or call 011-290-3510 during business hours or 011-290-3000 after-hours. Please visit our website to see past alerts and answers to most frequently asked questions.
If you submitted a passport application prior to the lockdown and have not received an email stating that it is ready for pick-up, then your new passport has not yet arrived. We are not open for passport pickups during the lockdown except in emergencies. Please note that domestic passport printing offices in the United States are closed, and new passports are not currently being printed. If you have an urgent, emergency need for a passport, please email us at acsjohannesburg@state.gov to discuss options.
We are not currently accepting applications for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs). The Department of Home Affairs is not issuing birth certificates during the lockdown and thus we are unable to process CRBAs or passports for newborns. Please make an appointment via our website after the lockdown has ended.
If you are a U.S. citizen in South Africa and your visa is expiring, please visit the South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA) website for information on extending your visa. We are unable to extend your visa or contact DHA on your behalf.
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.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Notice for South Africa.