LOCATION: Ethiopia
EVENT: As you know, the Department of State issued a Global Level 4 Health Advisory for COVID-19 on March 19. The U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa continues to urge those American citizens who want to return to the United States to depart promptly. If you prefer to remain in Ethiopia, you should be prepared to stay for an indefinite period of time.
The Department of State is currently not organizing an evacuation of American citizens from Ethiopia as commercial flights are available. However, we understand that Turkish Airlines is no longer flying as the Turkish government closed its airspace as of midnight on March 28. We also understand that Ethiopian Airlines flight options are becoming more limited due to reduced demand. Please note that if you wish to return to the U.S. but your Ethiopian Airlines flight is cancelled, you should ask to be re-booked on the next available flight to the United States, even if this results in a change of destination airports. The Embassy is unable to assist you in booking or re-booking your flight. We do encourage you to explore all of your options and all possible routes to get to the United States, even if that means not arriving at your preferred airport.
As previously indicated, for those who wish to return to the United States, the Embassy strongly urges you to explore your options to return now, as there is no guarantee that the U.S. government will be able to arrange evacuation flights. Also, evacuation flights are not free-of-charge and are, in fact, frequently more expensive than currently available commercial travel.
For the most current information regarding COVID-19, the March 11 and March 14 Presidential Proclamations and their impact on travel to the United States, please visit www.coronavirus.gov,www.dhs.gov/coronavirus and www.whitehouse.gov/.
ASSISTANCE:
U.S. Embassy, Addis Ababa Ethiopia
+251-111-306-000
+251-111-306-911 or 011-130-6000 (after hours)
State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
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