US set to begin repatriation flights from New Delhi, Mumbai beginning April 4.
Even as the US begins repatriating its stranded citizens in India back home from Saturday, New Delhi has made clear that it has no plans for similar evacuation flights from US to India.
Amid such rumors on social media, the Consulate General of India in New York issued an advisory Thursday that no evacuation flights from US to India have been planned for now.
“Because of travel restrictions in both countries imposed to contain the spread of covid-19, it is not safe to travel at this stage,” it said.
The advisory posted on the Consulate’s social media page also asked “everyone to seek any information regarding traveling back to the US to its official website www.indiainnewyork.gov.in.”
“Please note that no evacuation flights from US to India have been planned,” the advisory stated.
RELATED: Hundreds of US citizens, NRIs stranded in India (March 27, 2020 )
“Because of travel restrictions in both countries imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19, it is not safe to travel at this stage.”
“Please do not give credence to any rumors and irresponsible social media posts regarding evacuation flights.”
Meanwhile, the US Embassy and Consulates in India posted a covid-19 update on April 3 regarding regarding status of Repatriation Flights for US Citizens.
“US Mission India is coordinating closely with the US Department of State and airlines to facilitate flights to the United States,” it said.
“We anticipate we will have several flights beginning the weekend of April 4. We will contact you as we develop more details,” it said.
“As the Mission moves closer to arranging flights from New Delhi to the United States, those US citizens in areas in northern India, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan, should work with the Consular Section to make travel arrangements to New Delhi,” it said.
The US Embassy can assist with curfew passes for drivers of privately arranged vans and buses for travel to New Delhi, it added.
To request this assistance, please email your request to indiaevac@state.gov, the post said. “We anticipate it will require at least 24 hours for the permission to be arranged.”
In a similar post, US consulate in Mumbai said, “We anticipate we will have several flights departing Mumbai and arriving in Atlanta, Georgia, beginning the weekend of April 4. We will contact you as we develop more details.”
The US Consulate General in Mumbai is working to facilitate ground transportation to Mumbai from areas likely to include Goa, some cities in Gujarat, and Pune, it said.
“In cooperation with the US Consulates General in Chennai and Hyderabad, we are also working to arrange domestic charter flights to allow US Citizens from those areas to reach Mumbai,” it said.
“We will make details available via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to citizens in those cities once the arrangements are finalized,” the post added.
The repatriation flights from Mumbai will terminate in Atlanta. Passengers will need to arrange and fund their own transportation to their final destinations.
The post advised US Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents interested in traveling from Mumbai to Atlanta to fill out this form immediately: https://tinyurl.com/uscit-india.
The consulate also warned US citizens to “Be wary of scams,” saying it had “become aware of scammers claiming to be offering repatriation flights and directing them to make online payments or transfers.”
READ MORE:
How to keep safe during corona times (April 1, 2020)
Global COVID-19 cases jump by a hundred thousand to top 700,000 (March 30, 2020)
U.S. now accounts for roughly one-sixth of global coronavirus cases (March 28, 2020)
US COVID cases tops 100,000 (March 27, 2020)
Coronavirus cases cross half a million globally (March 26, 2020)
Coronavirus: Global cases surpass 400,000 (March 25, 2020)
US could become COVID-19’s new epicenter: WHO (March 24, 2020)
Indiana Sikh American family offers homemade masks for Corona crisis (March 23, 2020)
Corona News: Cases top 200,000 worldwide, U.S., India curtail travel (March 20, 2020)
The different types of college students and their reactions to COVID-19 (March 20, 2020)
India bans travel from US, rest of the world beginning March 22 for one week (March 19, 2020)
India’s visa suspension creates anxiety, confusion in the U.S. (March 13, 2020)
Indian Americans step forward to help in COVID-19 crisis (March 17, 2020)
India’s Kerala state shows how to fight Coronavirus (March 18, 2020)
Coronavirus starts a toilet paper run in North America (March 13, 2020)
Hundreds of Coronavirus fighting Indian doctors stuck in green card backlog (March 18, 2020)
India’s visa suspension creates anxiety, confusion in the U.S. (March 13, 2020)
How India lover Elizabeth Schneider survived dreaded Coronavirus (March 12, 2020)
Religious institutions live stream prayer services amid Coronavirus shut down (March 15, 2020)
Indian American led team translating COVID-19 info in 30 languages (March 17, 2020)
Hum some desi tunes to fight Coronavirus blues! (March 17, 2020)