Health Alert: Update on Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways Repatriation Flights – U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa (May 18, 2020)
Location: South Africa
Event: The South African Ministry of Health confirmed 15,515 cases of COVID-19 within its borders.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight
If you submitted your information via the online form, your information has been passed to Ethiopian Airlines and they will be contacting you shortly to purchase tickets. Once Ethiopian Airlines has finalized a passenger manifest, they will send it to the U.S. Mission so that we can send out information regarding the required assembly point, including personalized travel letters.
Please note:
- For information regarding price details, payment methods, baggage allowances, and other specific questions, please contact Ethiopian Airlines directly.
- Please do not contact the U.S. Mission to South Africa at this time regarding assembly point logistics and travel permission letters for confirmed passengers. Please await further communication from the airlines and the U.S. Mission to South Africa once the passenger lists are confirmed.
- Failure to show up to the required assembly point will prevent you from boarding the flight. Please note that registration at an assembly point is a South African government requirement and all passengers must travel together via bus from the required assembly point to the airport. You cannot travel directly to the airport.
- For information on quarantining once you return to the United States, please see the regulations currently instituted at your final destination. We are unable to answer questions about individual localities’ specific regulations.
Qatar Airways Flights
We have been notified that Qatar Airways has limited availability for flights on May 26 and May 28 departing Johannesburg and arriving in Doha. Please contact the airline to book a ticket or for further information about the flight, including costs and baggage allowance. You will be responsible for booking onward travel from Doha and will not be permitted to enter Qatar due to COVID-19 related entry restrictions.
Please see all past alerts at the U.S. Embassy website: https://za.usembassy.gov/category/alert/
If you are a U.S. citizen in South Africa and your visa is expiring, please see the Department of Home Affairs announcement regarding measures put in place to address these concerns. We are unable to answer questions about visa extensions or when DHA will reopen.
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 page for 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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