Message for U.S. Citizens: Reservations available for April 21 U.S. Government flight

Location: Bujumbura, Burundi

Event:  Reservations available for April 21 U.S. Government flight

DS-5528 Evacuee Manifest and Promissory Note (PDF 103 KB)

The U.S. Government-organized special humanitarian flight is now scheduled to depart from Bujumbura on Tuesday, April 21.  Cost of the flight expected to be approximately $1900 per adult.  Please note that we anticipate high demand for this flight.  The U.S. Government cannot predict when another flight will become available.

While we hope to accommodate all interested travelers, seating is not guaranteed.  To commit to occupying a seat, please follow these steps as soon as possible:

  • Download the attached DS-5528 “Evacuee Manifest and Promissory note” document for processing the payment voucher for your flight.
  • Fill out questions 1-96, as applicable (leaving blank “Part 3: Consular Notes: For Official Use Only”). We will collect your signature for question 92 at the airport.
  • When complete, please email your scanned DS-5528 to BujumburaC@state.gov.

While it is still unclear how many seats will be available, please note that we will acknowledge receipt of your email within 24 hours and let you know the moment more information becomes available.

Many free mobile software applications permit quick scanning of documents at a quality level sufficient for us to be able to process them, without requiring the use of a full-size flatbed scanner.  With that said, please take care to ensure the highest quality scan possible (ideally in bright lighting, written legibly in dark blue or black ink).  Alternatively, you can also fill the form digitally from within Adobe software.

The Embassy strongly encourages American citizens in Burundi who wish to return to United States in the near future travel via these or other opportunities as soon as possible.  Otherwise, they should be prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.  It is unclear when Burundi’s international airport will resume normal operations, or when other flights may be scheduled.  The Department of State cannot guarantee that there will be future flight options.  If evacuation or charter flights later become available, they may be substantially more expensive than these special flights.  If you hope to travel to the United States via a humanitarian flight, please be ready to travel on very short notice.

If an American citizen is destitute or otherwise unable to pay for this special humanitarian flight, they should contact BujumburaC@state.gov to explore alternate payment methods.

Please note that the ticketing deadline for the April 18 Japanese-organized Rwandair Express special commercial flight detailed here and here passed on Sunday, April 12.  For those of you who may have already been in touch about this flight but not yet committed, or have not yet been in touch but are still interested, you may be able to get access to any remaining seats if you reach out to the points of contact immediately.

For those of you planning to pass through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia en route to the United States, please take into account the  following points from U.S. Embassy Addis’s COVID-19 page:

  • All air passengers arriving in Ethiopia as their final destination will be subject to a 14-day quarantine period at a designated hotel or quarantine center at their own expense.
  • All air passengers planning to transit through Addis Ababa must have onward tickets in hand upon arrival at Bole International Airport or they risk being placed in extended quarantine in a designated hotel at their own expense.
  • Transit passengers are also strongly advised to have their onward ticket be for a same-day connecting flight. Bole International Airport authorities are not allowing passengers to stay overnight in the airport. Transit passengers who do not have same-day connecting flights will be required to spend the night in a designated hotel at their own expense.

Additional Actions to Take:

Assistance:

  • U.S. Embassy Bujumbura, Burundi

B.P. 1720

Avenue des Etats-Unis

+257 22-207-000

https://bi.usembassy.gov/

  • State Department – Consular Affairs

888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444