GlobalConnect

International Travel

Ready to embark on an international adventure? Discover essential travel preparation requirements, learn valuable tips to help you along the way, and stay updated with important announcements.

Announcements

UCOP Ukraine Travel Advisory

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military invasion of Ukraine. As a result,
the United States and other nations have announced sanctions against Russia. These developments have
heightened security measures in countries sharing borders with Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia… Read More.

Travel Preparation

If you are traveling internationally and representing UC Santa Cruz, you are required to register your trip. This will activate UC travel insurance coverage for you during your trip and connect you with any support services needed. More information about trip registration and insurance can be found on the UCSC Risk Services Travel Insurance & Resources page.

Get to Know Your Destination

Research your destination country before going abroad for country-specific information, recent or current travel warnings and alerts, and passport and visa requirements. Travel.State.Gov.

  • Review the US Department of State Travel Advisory for your destination country. It’s also helpful to review traveler safety advice from more than one resource, and the governments of the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia provide a great deal of detail on international destinations that complement information from other resources.
  • Visit the web page for the U.S. Embassy in your host country and review recent travel alerts for your destination. 
  • The embassy of your destination country can provide information about visas, vaccinations, or other documentation required for entry.
  • The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has general travel health advice as well as health information pages for most countries in the world, including recommended and required vaccinations for each destination and advice for travelers with specific health needs.

Student Travelers

Faculty traveling internationally with students and students traveling independently outside of Global Learning programs for university purposes need to provide additional itinerary information. Please complete this Traveler Information form before booking your travel and other arrangements.

Get Ready for Departure

  • Make photocopies or digital images of your important documents including the photo page of your passport, related visa information, and any vaccinations required for your destination. Keep these copies in a safe and separate location from the originals.
  • Inform your financial institution (bank and credit card) that you will be traveling overseas, and also make copies of important account information in case of problems. Keep these copies in a safe and separate location from the originals.
  • Consider any prescription medications, extra contact lenses and/or eyeglasses, a high-quality guide book, language dictionary or phrase book, and high-quality sun protection and/or bug repellents that may be of use while traveling. These items can be difficult to find overseas.
  • Follow individual UCSC departmental protocol for travel reimbursement and absence from campus: UCSC Financial Affairs Travel Page

Traveling to Higher Risk Destinations

Higher Risk Destinations are countries with a U.S. Department of State advisory level of 3 (Reconsider Travel) or 4 (Do Not Travel). Extra precautions or pre-travel research may be necessary before traveling to these destinations. You are strongly advised to heed the advice found in the Department of State advisories, and to further research conditions in your destination countries by consulting information provided by other resources as well, such as from the governments of the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Information for individuals (and families) identifying as LGBTQI+ is available at the U.S. Department of State: LGBTQI+ Travel Information. In some cases, higher risks may exist for people identifying as LGBTQI+ than may be immediately apparent in a country’s overall risk advisory level or rating. People identifying as LGBTQI+ are advised to review cultural attitudes or laws relating to their identity if they are not familiar with the social or legal environment of their destination. Resources such as Equaldex and Destination Pride track LGBTQI+ rights and social sentiments globally.

Restricted Countries, Organizations, Technology and Materials

Certain organizations and individuals are subject to trade sanctions, embargoes, and other restrictions under US law. These restrictions apply to both domestic and foreign transactions. For the most recent list of sanctions see the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Sanctions Programs and Country Information. If your travel involves any type of collaboration or transactions with countries with restrictions or sanctions, contact export@ucsc.edu before proceeding.

Export regulations govern any transfer of physical objects (including equipment, compounds, materials, prototypes, specimens, or components) outside the U.S. Many exports do not require a license (depending on what the item is and where it is being sent), and there are also many exceptions. When licenses are required, UC Santa Cruz has typically had success in obtaining them as needed. Prior to shipping research equipment or materials out of the U.S., always contact UC Santa Cruz’s export control officer at  export@ucsc.edu to determine whether an export license is required.
More information about restricted technologies, materials, and destinations can be found on the UCSC Export Control website.

STEP and WorldCue Apps and Registration

All travelers are advised to enroll in the U.S. Department of State Smart Traveler Enrolment Program (STEP) and to install the STEP app on their phones. STEP will provide updated security information for your location via email or through the app. Additional country information is available via the phone app as well. You can enroll in STEP at Travel.State.Gov.

Travelers who have registered their travel with UCSC will receive a welcome email from ​no-reply@welcome.worldaware.com with a link to activate their account. WorldCue provides country health and safety information targeted to a traveler’s location. The WorldCue app can be installed for updates on your phone and allows travelers to check in with UCSC Risk Services in the event of a disruptive event in your area.

More Info

UC Santa Cruz travelers with general travel safety and security questions or who would like to consult about travel to higher-risk destinations are encouraged to contact the UCSC Global Travel Security Manager:

Michael Price
UCSC Global Travel Security Manager
Email: migprice@ucsc.edu
Tel: 831-502-1395

See Also

In this section

Last modified: Aug 27, 2024