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Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Copenhagen, Denmark
Important Information for Overseas Voters during the COVID-19 Pandemic
By
10 MINUTE READ
March 31, 2020

Location:  Denmark

*Event:  Important Information for Overseas Voters during the COVID-19 Pandemic

(NEW)The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) is tracking the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on active duty military, their eligible family members, and U.S. citizens abroad and recommending ways to avoid any postal issues that may result from changes made by international postal operators.

In its role under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), FVAP is working closely with partners at the United States Postal Service (USPS), the U.S. Department of State (DoS), and within the Department of Defense (DoD) as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves to provide assistance for voters experiencing international mail disruptions, shifting election dates, and other potential effects on the 2020 election cycle related to COVID-19.

FVAP encourages our overseas military, families and overseas citizens to take these individual actions to help overcome any potential disruptions to host country mail operations:

  1. Register and request your ballot through FVAP.gov: Use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at gov/FPCA to simultaneously register and request an absentee ballot.
  2. Consider asking that your ballot be sent to you electronically: Voters in countries currently experiencing, or likely to experience, mail disruptions should select an electronic option for receiving their blank ballot from their election official.
  3. Consider state ballot submission alternatives: Refer to your state’s instructions on FVAP.gov for available options for returning your voted ballot. Most states allow voters to submit ballots online.

For the latest alerts on international mail service, voters and election officials should refer to the USPS alerts found here: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/international/welcome.htm

For the latest alerts on domestic mail service, voters and election officials should refer to the USPS alerts found here: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/

FVAP will post the latest information on the COVID-19 response for voters and election officials here: FVAP.gov/COVID-19. FVAP will also continue to work with its federal partners, and with state election officials to confirm and report changes to election dates and deadlines, and any other information impacting the UOCAVA voting process.

FVAP remains committed to assisting voters and election officials. The FVAP call center remains open Monday – Friday, 7:30AM – 4:00PM EDT and can be reached by calling 1-800-438-8683 or by email at vote@fvap.gov.

For more information about the Federal Voting Assistance Program or assistance with absentee voting, go to FVAP.gov, call 703-588-1584 (toll free 1-800-438-VOTE or DSN 425-1584) or email (vote@fvap.gov).

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.

Commercial Flights to U.S. Still Available:  The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen is tracking flight availability closely in an effort to provide U.S. citizens in the Kingdom of Denmark accurate, timely information.  As of March 31, there are at least seven daily, commercial flight options from Copenhagen to European hubs with onward connections to the United States.  There are seats available on daily flights departing from Denmark.

(NEW) 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.

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.

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 daily alert each weekday to keep U.S. citizens informed.

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