Message for U.S. Citizens: Possible Somon Air Flight to Frankfurt on or about July 8

Event:  Somon Air may be operating a flight from Dushanbe to Frankfurt, Germany, tentatively scheduled for sometime between July 6-9. Clearances for this flight and permissions to board passengers are still underway. U.S. citizens wishing to depart Tajikistan to return to the United States should read this message and take necessary steps to register for the flight.

Travel Advisory:  On March 19, the Department of State issued a global Level 4 – Do Not Travel advisory, advising U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel. In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. U.S. citizens who live abroad should avoid international travel.

Wait List for Somon Air Flight:  Pending necessary permissions, Somon Air may begin selling tickets for this flight in the next few days. The cost of the flight has not yet been determined, and travelers will be required to show evidence of a connecting flight from Frankfurt to the United States before boarding the plane in Dushanbe. Somon Air does not have a baggage transfer agreement to transfer bags for onward flights. Passengers who chose to travel with Somon Air will need to consider traveling with only hand luggage instead of checked bags, or request Somon Air manually check baggage to the final destination. Passengers may need to collect their bags in Frankfurt and re-check them to their final destination. Please confirm details with the airline. Travel with pets is contingent on airline policies; confirm arrangements for pets with Somon Air and the airline company of the connecting flight.

If you would like to be added to a wait list for the Somon Air outbound flight to Frankfurt, please contact the following Somon Air representative to provide the names of the travelers, contact email address, and phone number.

Somon Air Contact: Firuz Davlatov
Personal Mobile Phone:   908 085 666
Office Duty Phone:   937 777 459

Current Travel Restrictions: The Dushanbe International Airport remains closed. Various travel restrictions world-wide make traveling at this time challenging. Connecting flights may be unreliable and cancelled at the last minute. For the upcoming flight to Frankfurt, it is important to note that the German government is not allowing foreign citizens to enter Germany. All travelers are required to remain in transit, which means that cancelled international connections may leave passengers stranded at the airport. Travel restrictions and regulations at the Frankfurt Airport are subject to change.

The United States is restricting non-U.S. citizens and non-U.S. legal permanent residents (LPRs) who have been physically present in or transited though Germany within the last 14 days from entering the United States. Spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens or U.S. LPRs are exempted from these two travel restrictions. Therefore, only U.S. citizens and LPRs should consider the Somon Air flight for travel to the United States. Immigrant visa and non-immigrant visa holders should consider their visa category and current restrictions on travel to the U.S. before booking tickets.

The government of Tajikistan recently announced a travel restriction for Tajik nationals and foreigners, including U.S. citizens, from entering or exiting Tajikistan. Travelers who wish to leave Tajikistan will require permission from the government of Tajikistan to exit the country. The U.S. Embassy is prepared to assist U.S. citizens and U.S. LPRs file an official request to depart on the Somon Air flight. Please notify the U.S. Embassy at DushanbeConsular@state.gov if you have added your name to the Somon Air wait list.

U.S. Passport and Tajik Visa:  Travelers will not be permitted to leave the country if their visas have expired. Please take this time to check your travel documents to ensure that your U.S. passport and Tajik visa are valid. If you need assistance with obtaining a new U.S. passport or a Tajik visa to facilitate travel for the Somon Air flight, please contact DushanbeConsular@state.gov immediately.

Visa issues not related to the Somon Air flight may be referred directly to the Main Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 227-6363 or 227-3838 located on 34 Pushkin Street, Dushanbe.

Please note:  Tajikistan does not recognize dual nationality. All U.S. citizens, even if they entered Tajikistan on their Tajik passport, are required to have a valid Tajik visa to exit the country.

Actions to Take:

  • Contact Somon Air and the U.S. Embassy to request to be added to wait list for the outbound flight.
  • Confirm Tajik visa is valid prior to traveling. Contact the Tajik Main Consular Department at 227-6363 or 227-3838 to resolve visa issues.
  • Prepare to shelter-in-place for an extended period of time if remaining in Tajikistan.
  • Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date 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.
  • Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.

Assistance: