Travel Alert – U.S. Embassy, Montevideo, Uruguay (April 13, 2020)
Location: Uruguay
Event: Limited Flight Availability for Departure – Thursday, April 16 & Saturday, April 18
Amaszonas airlines has informed the Embassy of two flights, one departing Montevideo on Thursday, April 16, at 4:25 p.m. from Carrasco airport to Sao Paulo, and the other departing Montevideo on Saturday, April 18, at 4:25 p.m. from Carrasco airport to Sao Paulo. For the moment, Sao Paulo has a connecting flight on United Airlines to Houston. The cost of a one way ticket on the Amaszonas flight to Sao Paulo is currently USD $520 plus taxes. In order to board this flight, passengers must have an onward boarding pass from Sao Paulo to the United States on their cell phone in the United Airlines app. Also, U.S. passengers may only carry hand luggage for these flights since Brazil has closed its borders to U.S. citizens, and U.S. citizens are not allowed to clear immigration in Sao Paulo. NO CHECKED LUGGAGE IS ALLOWED as there is no method to retrieve checked luggage in Sao Paulo for U.S. citizens.
Please note that given the uncertainty of the situation, there is no guarantee that other flights will become available anytime soon. Therefore, the Embassy urges all U.S. citizens who wish to depart Uruguay to do so immediately.
Please contact our embassy travel agency partner, Romina Rodriguez (rrodriguez@buemes.com.uy) at the Buemes TMC on Phone: 29021050 ext. 179 or MontevideoACS@state.gov immediately if you wish to depart on one of these two Amaszonas flights.
All foreign citizens, including U.S. citizens, who are residents of Uruguay are prohibited from exiting Uruguay for tourism purposes. If you are a resident of Uruguay and wish to exit for a non-tourism purpose, you must first visit an Uruguayan Immigration office to fill out a declaration that attests that you are leaving Uruguay for a non-tourism purpose. In Carrasco International airport, there is an immigration office on the ground floor in the hallway next to the McDonald’s restaurant. You must carry that declaration with you and present it to an immigration officer upon exiting Uruguay.
The prohibition on the departure of Uruguayan residents also applies to those who have Uruguayan residency applications in progress and applies whether you are flying on commercial or charter service. For more information, visit https://medios.presidencia.gub.uy/legal/2020/decretos/03/msp_22.pdf
All U.S. citizens in Uruguay should continue to prepare by ensuring they have sufficient food, medicine, and supplies should they need to remain in Uruguay for an extended period of time.
U.S. Embassy Montevideo has suspended routine consular services. For emergency American Citizens Services, including emergency passports, please visit our website for additional information or send an email to MontevideoACS@state.gov. For emergency visa services, send an email to MontevideoVisas@state.gov.
If you previously registered in step.state.gov, please make sure to extend your end date through your account settings if you are still in Uruguay. This will ensure you continue to get the latest information from U.S. Embassy Montevideo.
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 3 Global COVID-19 Pandemic Notice.
Actions to Take:
- Email MontevideoACS@state.gov if you would be interested in departing Uruguay if an option becomes available and enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program so that the embassy can contact you with updated 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.
- Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 https://uy.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/ for information on conditions in Uruguay.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.
