COVID-19 ALERT 02 | Update: An important notice to all Seafarers
14 March 2020
TO: Our Valued Industry Partners
The United States White House issued a Proclamation on March 11 to suspend entry for 30 days for most non-U.S. citizens who have been in or traveled through the 26 countries in the E.U.’s “Schengen Area” in the past 14 days.
We would like to inform you that seafarers can still travel to the US, as long as they have all valid visa documents according to Section 2 (a) par. (vii) which states that the
"Scope of Suspension and Limitation on Entry in Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply to:
any alien traveling as a nonimmigrant pursuant to a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa as a crewmember or any alien otherwise traveling to the United States as air or sea crew"
You may find the full executive order from the White House here.
In addition, any U.S. citizen or lawful U.S. permanent resident returning to the United States who has traveled to one of the Schengen Area countries within the previous 14 days must enter through an approved gateway for additional screenings. The following are the official approved entry points:
- Atlanta: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- Dallas-Fort Worth: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Detroit: Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
- Newark, NJ: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Honolulu: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
- New York City: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- Los Angeles: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Chicago: Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Seattle: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- San Francisco: San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Washington, D.C.: Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Please note that all final approval and authority to board the aircraft ultimately resides with the airline/immigration. As the situation develops, we strongly urge you to check with your airline, and official government or travel authority sources before traveling.
Trust to have informed you accordingly.