Health Alert: Repatriation Flights – U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa (July 14, 2020)

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Message for American Citizens

Health Alert: Repatriation Flights – U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa (July 14, 2020)

Location: South Africa

Event:  The South African Ministry of Health has confirmed 276,242 cases of COVID-19 within its borders.

Announcing Additional Repatriation Flights

We have been notified of multiple upcoming special commercial repatriation flights operated by different airlines.

Flight information:

DATE DEPARTURE ARRIVAL AIRLINE
18 July 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Doha (DOH) Qatar Airways
19 July 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Addis Ababa (ADD) Ethiopian Airlines
23 July 2020 Cape Town (CPT) Istanbul (IST) Turkish Airlines

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

Please Note:

  • All flights transit the listed arrival airport and airlines offer connections to various destinations in the United States. Passengers are responsible for arranging 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 48 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

Other links

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/embassy-consulates/johannesburg/

 

By | 14 July, 2020 | Categories: Alert, Messages for U.S. Citizens, Notification, U.S. Citizen Services | Tags:

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