Dear fellow Austrians and friends of Austria in the US,
While the government advises its citizens to stay separated we want to stay close to you and be at your side. With this special edition newsletter on the COVID-19 we want to inform you about how the US-Austrian trade and travel arrangements are affected at the moment.
Entry ban from the EU imposed | Should you leave the US?
Non-U.S. citizens who have been in the Schengen area during the last 14 days before their departure to the U.S. will be denied entry to the U.S. as of March 14, 2020. Exceptions to the ban apply to holders of a Green Card, (generally) family members of US citizens and other groups of persons expressly mentioned in the proclamation. This means that tourist and business visas no longer entitle you to enter the USA for the time being. So what does that mean for you?
Be aware that travel will be restricted for an extended period of time. The decision to stay or to leave the US should result from questions such as: Where is the “center of your life”? Where is your direct network (family, partners, business network)? Where would you have spent the next 2-3 months in any case? Where is your physical presence absolutely necessary?
Deliveries of goods are excluded from this regulation. This was clarified on March 12, 2020 after there had initially been contradictory public statements.
However, Austrian tourists abroad are strongly advised by the Foreign Ministry to make use of the currently still existing return travel options to Austria. Starting from Thursday, March 19, 2020 there will be no direct flights between the US and Austria. Flight options via other Europe
an cities or via Canada should be considered. An overview of hotlines for most common airlines can be found
here
.
Austrian Foreign Ministry prepares for potential recall actions
The Foreign Ministry is currently working at full speed on targeted repatriation campaigns for Austrian tourists abroad in the event that a privately organized return trip to Austria is no longer possible. We therefore urgently request that you register via the
online travel registration of the Foreign Ministry
,
so that you can be contacted quickly in case of an emergency! If you have a need for a return flight from the USA, please register on the following homepage:
Form for repatriation
.
Advantage Austria in the US | Get in touch
Our teams in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, Atlanta and San Francisco are working at full capacity to support you and your business during this time of uncertainty. We know you are busy with the necessary adjustments but if you need us we are there to support you by
- keeping you informed about relevant developments in your industry and about the current COVID-19 situation
- using our networks to facilitate new contacts
- intervening in case of disruptions of your shipments or other business activities
Best regards,
Michael, Peter, Walter
The Austrian Trade Commissioners in the US
P.S.: Our offices in the United States closely monitor any developments regarding the spread of the corona virus (COVID-19). All information provided is to the best of our knowledge with no obligation on our part. As things evolve, we will keep you informed as the details become available. Any updates will be posted on our websites at
www.wko.at/aussenwirtschaft/us
and
www.advantageaustria.org/us
and on our social media channels.
