Stranded US citizens must act now to avail of government organized flights this week.
Are you an American citizen stuck in India due to coronavirus pandemic? If you want to return to the US to feel safe at home, the time to act is now.
US government has been organizing repatriation flights for its citizens since last week. However, on April 6, the US Embassy in India updated that no more repatriation flights from India may be available from next week onward.
The message on the US Embassy website says: “Now is the time to act if you want to return to the United States. The US Mission India is facilitating a series of flights to the United States this week.”
“We do not know if US government-organized flights returning to the United States will continue after this week. We urge US citizens who want to return to the United States to take advantage of the current opportunities.”
American citizens who found themselves stuck in India, due to flight closures, have been asked to fill out a form on the website, to express their intent to return to the US.
The passengers are then chosen depending on their age, urgency and other considerations and informed by the authorities via an email to make arrangements to board a flight on a certain date.
At this point, the citizens cannot choose the date, they would like to return. However, the mission asks the citizens to inform them immediately in case they cannot board the flight offered to them, so that it can be passed on to the next passenger.
While the cost of the ticket has not been decided yet, the passengers once confirmed by the embassy are asked to sign an evacuation loan repayment agreement.
From March 22 onwards, India had suspended all international flights arriving and departing from India. On March 24 India imposed a 21-day total lockdown which is due to end on April 15.