Health and Travel Alert – U.S. Mission Russia (April 8, 2020)
Location: Russia, country-wide
Event: Additional Information on Thursday April 9 Chartered Flight and Departure of Aeroflot Flight
Yesterday a number of U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents departed Russia and successfully landed in New York. We are working hard to confirm who was on the Aeroflot flight and reconcile that against the list of U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents who registered for our charter flight.
We continue our planning for a chartered flight tomorrow, on Thursday, April 9. Today we will let you know if you have a confirmed seat on the flight and will send instructions on what to expect at the airport. Please note that the charter flight departs at 5:45 in the morning, and you will need to arrive to the airport significantly earlier than you would normally arrive for an international flight. It will take us some time to process all passengers and complete check-in with British Airways.
All travelers must have a valid travel document to enter the United States. Please check the expiration date on your U.S. passport now. You will not be permitted to travel with an expired passport or green card.
Individuals who have already contacted U.S. Mission Russia regarding their interest in these flights should have received an email with further instructions, including a request to report to the U.S. Embassy to complete mandatory procedures for ticketing eligibility. If you registered your interest prior to April 6, but did not receive this e-mail, please contact MoscowCharter@state.gov. Please pay close attention to these instructions as failure to comply may lead to delays or your inability to travel.
U.S. law requires that departure assistance to private U.S. citizens or third country nationals be provided on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable. By taking U.S. government coordinated transport, evacuees are obligated to repay the cost of their transportation. Passengers will be required to sign a promissory note to guarantee reimbursement to the U.S. government prior to the embassy confirming your seat on a flight.
If you are a U.S. citizen and have not submitted your promissory note, please fill it out and bring it to the airport. This will save you and us significant time in processing everyone at the airport.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, such as a Lawful Permanent Resident, the deadline to register for the flight has passed. Unfortunately, we cannot add you to the flight because of UK immigration rules.
We will continue to update the U.S. citizen community throughout the day.
The flight will include a Moscow to London Heathrow leg, and an onward connecting flight to one of five cities in the USA served by British Airways: Chicago O’Hare (ORD), New York City (JFK), Washington Dulles (IAD), Boston (BOS), and Los Angeles (LAX). Note: Seattle is no longer an available destination, and other destinations may be removed by the airline based on demand. It is the responsibility of the traveler to arrange any further onward travel after arrival to the United States. As travelers on this flight will transit through London, they will be subject to United Kingdom border regulations. They are also subject to Presidential Proclamation 9996, which bars entry to the United States of foreign nationals who are not lawful permanent residents or the immediate family members of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and have been in the United Kingdom within 14 days prior to their entry to the United States. Accordingly, foreign nationals who are not lawful permanent residents or immediate family members of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents will not be able to travel on this flight. As noted above, the registration deadline for non-U.S. citizens has passed.
Pets will not be permitted on these flights. Please see this link for British Airway’s definition of a service animal. British Airways reserves the right to refuse boarding any animal that does not fit their definition. Additionally, overweight luggage will not be accepted.
We will prioritize potential passengers in the following order:
- U.S. citizens at higher risk from COVID-19 along with their immediate household family members. Consistent with current CDC guidance, priority will be given to older adults (65 years and older) and people of any age with significant underlying health conditions that place them at higher risk of severe illness if exposed to COVID-19.
- U.S. citizen minors (under 18) and their U.S. citizen parent(s)/legal guardian(s) or one foreign national parent/legal guardian or escort.
- Adult U.S. citizens in need of medical assistance who do not fall into a higher priority group.
- All other U.S. citizens, generally on a first come, first served basis.
- All Lawful Permanent Residents (who do not qualify for a higher priority), generally on a first come, first served basis.
- Other foreign national family members of U.S. citizens.
- Eligible non-U.S. citizens who are seriously ill or injured or whose lives are in imminent peril (but who do not qualify for a higher priority).
- Other eligible persons.
Continued Communication: Also, please continue to monitor our website and ensure you are enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). We will issue Health and Travel alerts on a regular basis and email you directly when we have additional information regarding charter flights. In case of emergency, please reach out to us via the following points of contact – Emergency Contact List.
Additional Actions to Take:
-Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
-For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
-Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
-Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
-Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Russia.
-Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Moscow, Russia
Bolshoy Deviatinsky Pereulok No. 8
+7 495 728-5000
moscowacs@state.gov
Website – U.S. Embassy Moscow
- U.S. Consulate General Yekaterinburg
15 Gogol Street
+7 (343) 379-3001
After hours – +7 (917) 569-3549
ConsulYekat@state.gov
Website – U.S. Consulate General Yekaterinburg
- U.S. Consular Agency Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Lada Hotel, Suite 210
154 Komsomolskaya Street
+7-4242-42-49-17 (Mondays and Thursdays, 0900-1300)
After hours – +7-914-704-07 62
Sakh.agency@confidesk.com
- State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 202-501-4444
- Russia Country Information
- Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
