Travel
Pre-departure Preparations
Air Travel
Fly America Act
Passports & Visas
Traveling Out of the Country with UW or Personal Equipment
International Emergency Assistance
Safety
Covered Benefits for UW Employees
Working at a Foreign Location for an Extended Period of Time
UW Student International Travel Requirements
Travel
Pre-departure Preparations
Determine if project personnel need a pre-departure health consultation. UW Hall Health schedules consultations in its Travel Clinic.
Identify any required immunizations for entry to this foreign location. Preventative medications and/or malaria prevention supplies may also be needed.
Travel can be a significant part of a budget for an international activity. Determine how many flights project personnel will take per year for the following travel:
- Project personnel in the U.S. travel to the project site
- Foreign-based project personnel at the foreign site travel to the U.S.
- Project personnel from either the U.S. or the foreign site travel to international sites for meetings/conferences/additional research
For air travel in excess of 14 hours, business class fare or a foreign layover directly en route to the final international destination for a brief rest period (not to exceed 24 hours) may be authorized, provided certain conditions apply. For more information, see the UW Travel Office website.
The UW has a contract with CWT travel agency for international travel.
Passports & Visas
A new passport is generally not an allowable direct charge to a federal grant. However, if additional passport pages are required to accommodate travel for an international activity, this may be an allowable expense. Confirm in advance with UW travelers whether additional pages will be needed.
Find out if a visa is required for entry to the foreign location. If so, determine if it is necessary to have the visa before leaving the U.S. or if it can be purchased upon landing at the foreign airport. Also, verify whether foreign-based project staff need a visa to enter the U.S. or any other countries in which project-related work will take place.
The University has a contract with A Briggs for expedited passport and visa services (i.e., when a document is needed in less than 30 days). For service, go to the UW A Briggs website.
Traveling Out of the Country with UW or Personal Equipment
When University faculty, students, or staff are traveling out of the country with owned and/or personal equipment (as carry-on or checked baggage), it is important to be prepared to document the original purchase upon returning to the U.S. to avoid having to pay duty tax. If the traveler chooses not to bring documentation, the UW will not reimburse them if they are charged duty tax. For more information, see the Travel Office website.
- Pre-Departure Admin Checklist
- Student Pre-Departure Checklist
- Emergency Contact Information/Medical Information Form
International Emergency Assistance
Safety
Covered Benefits for UW Employees
UW faculty, staff and student employees are covered by university insurance while traveling abroad on university business. "Abroad" is defined as any location outside the U.S., its territories or possessions, or Puerto Rico. In addition, coverage extends to personal travel for up to two weeks when it is connected with university business. Assistance for medical, security, personal, travel and legal emergencies is available through the travel assistance company, On Call International. See the chart, UW Insurance While Traveling Abroad, for more information.
Post-doctoral students who are paid on a stipend aren't eligible for university travel assistance benefits unless they are GAIP-eligible. For more information on GAIP (Graduate Appointee Insurance Program), see the site in Benefits & Work/Life, Graduate Appointee Insurance Program home page.
UW employees who expect to work abroad for an extended period are advised to research potential health and security risks posed at the foreign site prior to departure. These risks can include:
- Unsafe food and/or water conditions
- Local means of transportation (e.g., taxis) to not use
- Roads or regional routes that may have a high security risk
- Particular areas of major cities to avoid
Employees who expect to work and stay in a foreign-based hotel for an extended period of time are advised to carefully evaluate accommodations.
If an undergraduate student will receive academic credit for work at a foreign site, she or he is required to:
- Purchase international student health insurance before leaving the U.S. (Note: this requirement also applies to graduate students who will travel outside the U.S. for academic activities).
- Register travel plans in the UW’s travel registry. Contact the UW Travel Security Manager on the UW Global Single Points of Contact list to register.
- Request a travel waiver if this project will take place in a country on the Department of State’s Travel Warnings list.
- Safety Briefing Sheet—a template for listing safety information for a specific country. See Safety Briefing Sheet for Philippines for a completed example.
- Hotel Safety and Security Checklist