Below please find a number of important updates pertaining to UT Austin international travel policies and protocol:
Restricted Regions Approval Process Updates:
GRS and the UT Austin International Oversight Committee (IOC) maintain a Restricted Regions List of locations worldwide that pose a heightened travel risk. Students, faculty and staff are not permitted to travel to locations on the Restricted Regions List unless approval is granted by the IOC. We have recently updated the Restricted Regions travel approval request forms:
Please remove any outdated versions of these forms from your files.
International Travel Registration Reminders:
- ALL students AND employees are required by the UT System International Travel Policy (UTS 190) to register their university-related international travel (for study, research, teaching, conferences, meetings, lectures, competitions, etc.), regardless of destination, in order for the trip to be registered with On Call International. This requirement applies regardless of whether the traveler completes the RTA process.
- Employees and students not participating in approved education abroad programs register through the UT Austin International Travel Registry (ITR).
- Students participating in approved education abroad programs are registered in the MyAbroad portal.
- Travelers need to include ALL international destinations when registering their trip in the ITR. (We have noticed a number of individuals adding only one location, when our audits show travel occurred to multiple destinations.) This is critical so that GRS and On Call International can provide timely support during emergencies abroad.
- Personal travel does NOT need to be registered in the ITR. (If you are incorporating personal travel/vacation during your time abroad, only register those dates associated with official university business. For example: you are traveling to Chile to attend a conference but will briefly travel to Argentina to visit friends for a few days; you would only register the Chile portion of the trip.)
UT Austin Export Control Reminder:
If you are traveling abroad with any equipment owned by UT Austin, you must complete the TMP License Exemption form and carry a copy with you while traveling. Please note: this form does not require approval by UT Austin; it is self-effectuating upon your completion and signature of the document. Contact the UT Austin University Export Controls Officer with any questions.
Health and Safety Resources:
The GRS team maintains a curated list of health and safety resources available for any UT Austin students or employees who plan to travel abroad. Our website offers a wide array of external and internal resources for your review, such as:
- Travel Safety 101
- U.S. Department of State Resources
- Other Useful Resources (includes topics such as official emergency numbers by country, information on currency conversion, CDC reports, needs of specific travelers and more)
- UT-Specific Resources (includes emergency contact information, international travel checklist, international crisis hotlines, information about data security, a downloadable emergency card, and more)
GRS Information Sessions and Presentations:
The GRS team regularly hosts drop-in Q&A zoom sessions for anyone seeking assistance or guidance navigating the UT Austin International Travel Process. Please encourage students and your colleagues to attend one of these information sessions if they have any questions! Alternatively, if you are interested in scheduling a meeting with or a presentation by the GRS team, please complete this brief survey so we can plan the type of session that best meets your needs.
Please share this information with your networks, and encourage others to subscribe to future Global Risk and Safety updates by sending a request to grs@austin.utexas.edu. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
