Location: Port Vila, Vanuatu
Event: U.S. citizens who wish to depart Vanuatu immediately—and who can get to Port Vila—are advised to read this message carefully and closely follow all instructions, if applicable.
The U.S. Department of State is preparing, on a reimbursable basis, a potential charter flight for private U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States immediately. U.S. citizens who wish to request seats for this flight must follow the directions in this message as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours.
The proposed charter flight is expected to travel from Port Vila, Vanuatu (VLI) to San Francisco (SFO) via Apia, Samoa and Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL). U.S. citizens would be able to disembark in Honolulu or San Francisco and secure their own onward commercial airfare from either of those locations.
The charter flight would depart Port Vila on Monday, April 6th, at approximately 09:45 a.m. Confirmed passengers would need to arrive at Bauerfield International Airport (VLI) no later than 4 hours in advance.
The U.S. Embassy cannot provide transportation to Port Vila from other parts of Vanuatu.
The estimated cost of the flight to return to the United States is 1,677 USD. All passengers will be required to reimburse the U.S. government for the actual seat cost. No payment of any kind will be accepted in advance of the flight. Signed promissory notes from each adult passenger will be required before boarding.
Begin instructions: U.S. citizens who are prepared to return to the United States immediately—and who can arrive in Port Vila by the time referenced above—may request seats by providing the information in the table below to ConsularPortMoresby@state.gov and placing “Vanuatu Department Charter” in the subject line. Emails that do not use this subject line may be missed or miscategorized.
Please note, each U.S. citizen traveler or family unit must provide the information directly and in full. All information is required and should be submitted using the table format provided above. Each potential traveler should include their information in a separate row in the table.
U.S. citizens confirmed for the flights will receive a separate email with additional information. Unless you receive an email confirming your seat, please do not come to the airport. Only those with email confirmations will be allowed to board. End instructions.
Please Note:
- The Embassy cannot guarantee that it will be able to offer assistance to U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States
- In the event that assistance can be offered, only U.S. citizens and immediate family members are eligible to receive U.S. government support to return to the United States.
- Under U.S. law, travelers on any potential charter flight organized by the Department of State are responsible for paying the cost of their ticket, which may be higher than standard commercial fares.
- Space on any potential charter flight may be limited and would be filled on a first-come-first-serve basis or based on medical or emergency need.
- Due to the high volume of inquiries and limited staffing, you will not receive a response unless are you are confirmed for the potential flight.
Actions to Take:
- Provide the above information for each U.S. citizen traveler in your party. Please read the instructions carefully and provide complete and accurate information for each data field.
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
- For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s websiteon the latest travel restrictions to the United States
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Phone number: +675 301 2100
Email address: ConsularPortMoresby@state.gov
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/usembassyportmoresby/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/usembassypom?lang=en
U.S. State Department – Consular Affairs
+1 888 407 4747 or +1 202 501 4444
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