Message for U.S. Citizens: Special Flight Leaving on March 24 to the United States

Message for U.S. Citizens: Special Flight Leaving on March 24 to the United States.

Effective March 19, the Government of Cabo Verde announced the closure of all international travel in and out of Cabo Verde.  We recognize this has been a challenging period for many of our fellow Americans, particularly those of you seeking to depart Cabo Verde.

U.S. Embassy Praia has organized a charter repatriation flight for Tuesday, March 24.  The flight will board certain pre-arranged passengers in Sal and then fly to Praia to board remaining passengers.  The flight will arrive at Boston Logan Airport.

The cost of the ticket is 147,000 CVE or about $1,375 USD per person.  All passengers will need to pay for the cost directly with the agency organizing the flight.  You will be responsible for any arrangements or costs (lodging, onward destination or local transportation, etc.) beyond your initial destination in the USA.  Passengers will be allowed only one 50lbs piece of luggage and one carry-on.

The flight is currently scheduled to depart Sal (SID) at 05:00 and arrive in Praia (RAI) at 06:00.  The flight will depart Praia (RAI) at 09:00 and arrive at 17:15 at Boston Logan (BOS).  Exact departure time and routing are subject to change.

Tickets are available for sale from Girassol Tours.  You can either purchase your ticket in person at Girassol Tours which is located on Rua Abilio de Macedo, next to the U.S. Embassy in Praia. You can also purchase a ticket over the phone by calling:  +238-996-1514, +238-262-4440, or +238-262-2876.  The agency accepts U.S. Visa and Mastercard credit cards.  (We recommend you contact your credit card company in advance to let them know about the purchase to avoid your card being declined.)

Girassol Tours will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 22 (closed for lunch from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.) and on Monday, March 24 at 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  We recommend going in person if you are in Praia.

We are also working on the possibility of a second flight later in the week and will announce once we have confirmation and additional information.  The charter flight would depart from Praia.

If you have not already contacted U.S. Embassy Praia, please email PraiaConsular@state.gov with your full name, date of birth, U.S. passport number, and your current location.  Please also ensure you are enrolled at STEP.state.gov.

Effective March 19, 2020, U.S. Embassy Praia has suspended routine consular services.  For emergency American Citizens Services, including emergency passports, please visit our website for additional information, or contact us at PraiaConsular@state.gov.

The Department of State has issued a Global Level 4 Health Advisory for COVID-19.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 Global COVID-19 Outbreak Notice. 

Actions to Take: