U.S. Embassy & Consulates
in South Africa

Health Alert: Repatriation Flights on Emirates Airlines – U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa (July 16, 2020)

Location: South Africa

Event:  The South African Ministry of Health has confirmed 311,049 cases of COVID-19 within its borders.

Announcing Additional Emirates Airlines Repatriation Flight

Emirates Airlines has notified us of upcoming special commercial repatriation flights on Tuesday, July 21; Friday, July 24; and Tuesday, July 28.

Flight information:

Interested passengers must book their tickets directly with the airline’s local ticket office or using the below contact information:

• Emirates tickets must be booked directly with the Emirates Johannesburg office, by contacting eksa@emirates.com and completing a required booking form

Please Note:

• The flight transits Dubai with onward connections to the United States. Passengers will be responsible for onward travel to their final destination in the United States.
• Passengers will be responsible for finding transportation to the required assembly point, which will be communicated by the airlines 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 and only if you must cross a provincial border to join this repatriation flight, please write 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 the airline directly.

For information about additional repatriation flights, please see this recent alert at the U.S. Embassy website containing multiple airlines’ contact information: https://za.usembassy.gov/health-alert-upcoming-repatriation-flights-u-s-embassy-pretoria-south-africa-july-8-2020/

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 U.S. Embassy or Consulate for South African citizens with valid U.S. visas or travel documents.  Please contact DHA with the additional information they require to issue permission to depart South Africa.

For individuals who hold valid U.S. visas: 

Please remember that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has final authority regarding admissibility into the United States at the port of entry.  You must have a valid visa for your purpose of travel.  The Embassy does not provide additional documentation related to your admissibility into the United States.  Moreover, holders of U.S. visas must ensure their travel route does not transit one of the countries subject to travel restrictions under the Presidential Proclamation found here (including much of Europe and Brazil).  You may contact the CBP website or hotline if you have further questions about admissibility.

Can visa holders who already have a valid H-1B, H-2B, L, or J nonimmigrant visa (or their family members who hold visas in a derivative visa category) still enter the U.S.?

This Presidential Proclamation is not retroactive. No valid visas will be revoked under this Proclamation.  For questions regarding entry into the United States, we refer you to the Department of Homeland Security.

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 50 repatriation flights have departed to the United States in coordination with airlines and friendly mission partners since the government lockdown, returning over 2000 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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