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Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Copenhagen, Denmark (April 21, 2020)
Routine passport processing remains suspended worldwide; Greenland provides departure option case-by-case
10 MINUTE READ
April 21, 2020

Location:  Denmark

(NEW) Event*: Routine passport processing remains suspended worldwide: The embassy does not have a definitive date for the resumption of passport processing. We are aware that the temporary suspension of passport services is impacting the ability of U.S citizens to renew their residence permits in Denmark.  The Danish Immigration (SIRI) authorities are also aware that U.S. passport processing has been temporarily suspended across the globe.  The situation is evolving so please monitor our website and the SIRI website often for updates.

Due to public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the U.S Department of State has significantly limited passport operations at all domestic passport facilities, including the facilities where all U.S. passport books are physically made, printed, and shipped to U.S. citizens around the world.  This has had an impact on passport operations worldwide, including all applications received in Denmark.  U.S. Embassy Copenhagen’s routine passport services, including the mail-in renewal option, remain suspended until further notice.

In an emergency, our embassy can assist with a limited-validity, emergency passport for an adult or a minor.  If you have not received your Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), an emergency passport may still be issued by your nearest embassy/consulate.

If you applied for a passport or citizenship service after April 1 you should expect significant delays receiving your passport and your citizenship evidence documents.

(NEW)Greenland provides departure option on a case-by-case basis: Until regular commercial flights resume in Greenland, U.S. citizens who want to depart Greenland can apply for permission to depart the country on designated non-commercial flights that continue to depart from Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq.  Determinations are made by the Greenlandic COVID-19 Travel and Visitation Group on a case-by-case basis.  You must complete an online application form for the authorities to evaluate your request.  U.S. citizens may also call +299 80 11 00 for questions about the application form, which is only available in Greenlandic and Danish.

Commercial Flights to U.S. Remain Available:  International commercial flight options currently exist in Denmark.  U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States should make commercial arrangements as soon as possible unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.  The U.S. government does not anticipate arranging repatriation flights from Denmark at this time.

As of April 21, there is one daily KLM flight to Amsterdam and two daily Lufthansa flights to Frankfurt; both Amsterdam and Frankfurt have multiple options for onward flight connections to the United States.  There are seats available on daily flights departing from Denmark.

U.S. citizens transiting through Frankfurt or Amsterdam will not be allowed to leave the airport while transiting.  They must stay at the airport between flights.

Global Level 4 Health Advisory:  The Department of State released a Global Level 4 Health Advisory on March 19 advising all U.S. citizens who live in the United States to arrange for immediate return, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.  If the Kingdom of Denmark is your normal place of residence and you plan to remain here, avoid travel to other, third locations until the crisis is over.  Countries continue to close borders with little to no advance notice to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and you risk becoming stuck in a third country if you travel.  If you wish to depart Denmark for the United States, you should contact your airline immediately to arrange commercial air travel home.  If your travel has been disrupted due to flight cancellations, please contact your airline immediately to rearrange your booking.

U.S. Embassy Operations:  Effective March 17, U.S. Embassy Copenhagen has suspended routine consular services.  For emergency American Citizen Services, including emergency passports, please visit our website for additional information.  Due to reduced staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, you should call or e-mail us for emergency assistance.

Unsubscribe from STEP:  A temporary change to email messaging was made for the health and safety of all Americans unexpectedly kept abroad during the COVID-19 crisis.  As a result, it is not possible for STEP registrants to opt out of receiving messages at this time.  Once the COVID-19 crisis is over you may unsubscribe from these emails following our regular procedures by doing to this website and following the simple instructions to unsubscribe:   https://step.state.gov/STEP/Pages/Common/Subscribe.aspx

Actions to Take:

  • Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
  • Call the Danish COVID-19 hotline if you are in Denmark and experiencing flu-like symptoms:  +45 70 20 02 33.
  • 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.
  • Expect additional travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice.
  • Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
  • Check with your airlines or cruise lines regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
  • Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Denmark.
  • Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.

Assistance:

During this COVID-19 crisis U.S. Embassy Copenhagen will send a weekly alert to keep U.S. citizens informed.