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Health Alert: Upcoming Repatriation Flights – U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa (August 19, 2020)
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27 MINUTE READ
August 19, 2020

Health Alert: Upcoming Repatriation Flights – U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa (August 19, 2020)

Location: South Africa

Event: The South African Ministry of Health has confirmed 592,144 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. Some of the below flights have been included in previous announcements.

Flight information:

DATE DEPARTURE ARRIVAL AIRLINE
21 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Dubai (DXB) Emirates Airlines
21 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Doha (DOH) Qatar Airways
22 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Amsterdam (AMS) KLM
23 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Addis Ababa (ADD) Ethiopian Airlines
23 Aug 2020 Cape Town (CPT) Addis Ababa (ADD) Ethiopian Airlines
23 Aug 2020 Cape Town (CPT) Amsterdam (AMS) KLM
23 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Istanbul (IST) Turkish Airlines
24 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Dubai (DXB) Emirates Airlines
24 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Doha (DOH) Qatar Airways
26 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Dubai (DXB) Emirates Airlines
26 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Addis Ababa (ADD) Ethiopian Airlines
27 Aug 2020 Cape Town (CPT) Istanbul (IST) Turkish Airlines
28 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Dubai (DXB) Emirates Airlines
29 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Amsterdam (AMS) KLM
30 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Addis Ababa (ADD) Ethiopian Airlines
30 Aug 2020 Cape Town (CPT) Amsterdam (AMS) KLM
31 Aug 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Dubai (DXB) Emirates Airlines
5 Sept 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Amsterdam (AMS) KLM
6 Sept 2020 Cape Town (CPT) Amsterdam (AMS) KLM
10 Sept 2020 Cape Town (CPT) Istanbul (IST) Turkish Airlines
12 Sept 2020 Johannesburg (JNB) Amsterdam (AMS) KLM
13 Sept 2020 Cape Town (CPT) Amsterdam (AMS) KLM
24 Sept 2020 Cape Town (CPT) Istanbul (IST) Turkish Airlines

*Please note the above flights and schedules represent the information provided to us as of August 19, 2020 and are subject to change. Please contact the airline directly for a complete list.

 

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

    • Website: You can book your ticket through KLM’s website www.klm.co.za by searching for a one-way trip and specific date. The calendar view will not display them. Please book only for the flights on these dates.
    • Call centre: KLM sales and Service Centre can be contacted to book a flight, via phone: +27 (0)10 205 0100 or +27(0)10 205 0101, daily between 09:00 –16:00. Payment can only be made with credit card. If you have an existing booking with Air France or KLM you can use it to (partially) pay for this flight.
    • Additional Information: During the booking process a link will be given to fill in a web form. You need to fill in the form for each passenger in your reservation. It is mandatory to fill in this web form. In case you missed the link in your booking process, you can find it here: https://www.klm.com/travel/za_en/customer_support/repatriation_flights.htm.
  • Air France by contacting the same KLM information above.
  • Qatar Airways: for reservations visit www.qatarairways.com/WeWillGetYouHome and use promo code PR_CR981 or call +27 11 267 7700.

Please Note:

  • Passengers will be responsible for travel to their final destination in the United States from the arrival airport listed above.
  • These flights are open to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and U.S. visa or valid ESTA holders who have received DHA approval to depart South Africa if required (Note: that due to Presidential Proclamation 9993 and Presidential Proclamation 9996 most U.S. visa holders will not be allowed to transit the EU, United Kingdom, and Ireland).
  • 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 are no longer required to cross South African provinces to arrive at the assembly point.
  • For any questions regarding availability, cost, baggage allowance, or other flight details, please contact the 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 U.S. Embassy or Consulate for South African citizens with valid U.S. visas or travel documents.  Please contact your local DHA office with any 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, the UK and Brazil).  You may visit 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 flights, 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 70 repatriation flights have departed to the United States in coordination with airlines and friendly mission partners since the government lockdown, returning thousands of 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/category/alert/

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/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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