Evacuation of US citizens and green card holders from Russia: how to get on a special flight

The US Mission to Russia continues to work on passenger lists for special charter flights for US citizens and - if there is room - for US legal permanent residents (green card holders), the website said US embassies in Russia.

Photo: Shutterstock

It is expected that flights with Americans and legal immigrants will be operated from Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport on Thursday, April 9, 2020, starting at 5:45 a.m. Passengers can take two pieces of checked baggage with a maximum weight of 23 kg each. Flight details are still subject to change.

Please note: if you are not a US citizen, but are, for example, a green card holder or a non-citizen of another category, you MUST fill out this form or contact [email protected] until 08:00 on Wednesday, April 8. This is a very short period of time. If you do not contact, you will NOT be eligible for a seat on these flights, the embassy website notes. UK immigration rules require your travel to be registered in advance for legal transit through London Heathrow Airport without a visa.

Individuals who have already contacted the US Mission in Russia regarding interest in these flights should have received an email with additional instructions, including a request to be sent to the US Embassy to complete mandatory ticketing procedures. If you registered before April 6th but did not receive this email, please contact [email protected]. Please pay close attention to these instructions as failure to comply may result in delays or inability to fly.

Flights will include a Moscow-London flight from Heathrow Airport and a subsequent connecting flight to one of the five US cities served by British Airways: Chicago O'Hara (ORD), New York (JFK), Washington Dulles (IAD), Boston ( BOS) and Los Angeles (LAX).

Note: Seattle is no longer an available destination, and other destinations can be removed by the airline upon request. The traveler is required to arrange for his own further trip after arriving in the United States.

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Since passengers on this flight will transit through London Airport, they will be subject to UK border regulations. They also fall within the scope of Presidential Proclamation 9996, which prohibits foreign nationals who are not green card holders or immediate family members of US citizens or legal permanent residents from entering the United States who were in the United Kingdom for 14 days before they entered USA.

Accordingly, foreign nationals who are not legal permanent residents or immediate relatives of US citizens or green card holders will not be able to fly this flight.

US law requires that travel assistance to private US citizens or third-country nationals be provided on a reimbursable basis, so those evacuated must reimburse the cost of their transportation. Passengers will have to sign a bill to guarantee compensation to the US government before the embassy confirms their place on the flight.

No pets allowed on these flights.

Priorities for passengers will be arranged in this order:

1. US citizens who are at increased risk for COVID-19 disease with their immediate family members. In accordance with current CDC recommendations, priority will be given to older people (65 years of age and older) and people of any age with significant underlying diseases that increase the risk of serious illness when exposed to COVID-19.
2. US citizen minors (under 18 years of age) and their US citizen parents or legal guardians, or ONE foreign parent, legal guardian or chaperone.
3. Adult US citizens in need of medical care who do not fall into a higher priority group.
4. All other US citizens are usually in order of priority.
5. All legal permanent residents (who are not eligible for a higher priority) are usually on a first come, first served basis.
6. Other foreign family members of US citizens.
7. Eligible non-US citizens who are seriously ill or injured or whose lives are in danger (but they are not eligible for a higher priority).
8. Other suitable persons.

All travelers must have a valid travel document to enter the United States.

If you have not declared your interest in the flight, click here and fill out all the necessary information for each participant of your trip.

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More information can be found at website. Make sure you are registered with Smart Traveler (STEP). The embassy will regularly send Health and Travel alerts and emails when it receives additional information about charter flights. In case of emergency, you can contact the embassy through a special list of contacts.

Additional recommendations:

• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Latest CDC recommendations.
• Crisis page COVID-19 at travel.state.gov.
• Consult your airline, cruise line or tour operator for updated information about your travel plans and / or restrictions.
• Embassy webpage about COVID-19 in Russia.
• Department of Homeland Security webpage the latest travel restrictions for the United States.

Where can I go for help:

US Embassy, ​​Moscow, Russia
Bolshoi Devyatinsky Lane No. 8

• +7 (495) 728-5000
• [email protected]
• https://ru.usembassy.gov/

US Consulate General in Yekaterinburg
st. Gogol, 15

• +7 (343) 379-3001
• After hours - +7 (917) 569-3549
• [email protected]
• https://ru.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/yekaterinburg/

US Consular Agency in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Hotel Lada, room 210
st. Komsomolskaya 154

• + 7-4242-42-49-17 (Monday and Thursday, 0900-1300)
• After hours - + 7-914-704-07 62
• [email protected]

US Consular Service

• 888-407-4747
• 202-501-4444

Page about Russia on the website of the US Consular Service

Earlier, Aeroflot notified American diplomats who could not fly from Moscow to New York on Friday April 3 that they were automatically reissued tickets for a new flight, registration for which ended a few hours after receiving the letter - at 13:00 Moscow time writes "New Newspaper".

As US Embassy press attache Rebecca Ross said on Twitter, “Last evening and this morning, the Russian authorities and Aeroflot assured that there would be no flight today.” After this, they were informed that the plane’s departure from Sheremetyevo, which was supposed to take place at 14:15 Moscow time, was postponed to 18:00.

“We understand your dissatisfaction with the sharp changes in the schedule and notification of them. We are doing what we can to collect the available information and continue to help Americans living in Russia, ”Ross wrote.

The plane to New York on April 3 was stopped just before the departure; At John F. Kennedy Airport, several hundred Russian citizens were also waiting for him to return to their homeland. On that day, Russia decided to permanently close international air traffic and suspend flights for the export of citizens to their homeland. According to various estimates, from 25 to 30 thousand Russians remained then abroad.

On the evening of April 6, flights were resumed, the first aircraft from Kyrgyzstan and Bangladesh had already arrived in Russia. On April 7, Russia expects four flights from the capital of Thailand, Bangkok, as well as one flight from Tokyo, Seoul and Algeria. Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in Washington said that the number of applications from those wishing to return to their homeland from the United States is not yet enough to send even one plane. The Foreign Ministry suggested placing the remaining in the United States in the families of compatriots.

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