Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Bucharest, Romania (April 9, 2020)
Location: Romania
Event: As of March 30, 2020, the Romanian Immigration Office postponed all expiration dates for U.S. citizens present in Romania on a temporary, or 90-day, visa. The visas are automatically extended until the end of the state of emergency or official notification. Any documents that expire during the state of emergency can be renewed within 90 days after the state of emergency ends. U.S. citizens who change their residence are required to inform the local office, although the permit for this change can be completed at the end of the state of emergency. Residence cards which expire during the state of emergence remain valid until the end of the state of emergency. This exception does not apply to U.S. citizens on a work permit (permis de munca). A U.S. citizen whose work permit is expiring should contact the Romanian Immigration Office via email. Click on the contact tab at this link http://igi.mai.gov.ro to obtain the email address of the regional office where you are residing.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. passport agencies have suspended processing and shipping overseas regular passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs) until further notice. We will accept and transmit passports when normal operations resume.
U.S. Embassy Bucharest’s highest priority remains supporting U.S. citizens in Romania. If a U.S. citizen needs a passport to travel before normal operations resume, please call and make an appointment or send an email to ACSBucharest@state.gov to apply for an emergency passport for an adult or a minor. If you have not yet received your CRBA due to this delay in processing and have immediate travel plans, please contact us to discuss the possibility of an emergency passport.
Please consider waiting to apply for citizenship services until we resume normal operations. If you have previously applied for a passport or citizenship service, you should expect significant delays receiving your passport and your citizenship evidence documents.
U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States should make commercial arrangements immediately unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. Flights from Bucharest OTP have been significantly reduced: TAROM has suspended flights until May 1, but WizzAir continues to fly to Stockholm, Oslo, Lisbon, and Malmo. Other flights may be available sporadically, but those flights are not consistently advertised in advance. Please check bucharestairports.ro for the most up-to-date information. The U.S. government does not anticipate arranging repatriation flights in Romania at this time.
U.S. citizens who remain in Romania are reminded to utilize the Ministry of Interior’s personal and employment declaration forms when traveling outside of the home. Both forms, as well as the latest information about military ordinances, may be found on the Ministry of Interior’s website here.
The U.S. Department of State maintains a Global Level 4 Health Advisory: Do Not Travel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Notice for Romania as well as a Global Level 3 Travel Notice.
Actions to Take:
- Reschedule your appointments with the American Citizen Services section at U.S. Embassy Bucharest, unless you have an emergency.
- Arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless you are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.
- Visit the Otopeni “Henri Coanda” International Airport website for a schedule of departing flights and check with airlines for updated information about your travel plans.
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information and the CDC’s latest recommendations on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 Information on conditions in Romania.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Bucharest, Romania
B-dul Dr. Liviu Librescu, nr 4-6
Section 1, 014118, Bucuresti
+40-21-270-6000
Email: AcsBucharest@state.gov
Embassy website: https://ro.usembassy.gov
State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
