Travel Policies
Traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic is complicated and travel policies designed to protect our community change as conditions change. It’s important to stay abreast of the latest policy, process, and requirements for engaging in Cornell travel.
Updated 5/4/2022
For the foreseeable future, the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to impact the safety and feasibility of international Cornell travel. A modified travel policy will remain in effect alongside Cornell’s existing Risk Management for International Travel, University Policy 8.5. These policies will continue to evolve as conditions change.
Please check this page when you anticipate engaging in Cornell-related international travel, and contact Cornell's International Health, Safety, and Security team (IHSS) at intlsafety@cornell.edu with any questions.
Please note: International travel policies apply to outbound Cornell travel only. Inbound travel is NOT considered Cornell travel and does not fall under the purview of these guidelines. To learn more about traveling to the U.S. and Cornell's campus, please visit the International Services travel page.
University Travel Restrictions Update
Effective as of December 8, 2021: Due to the high rate of vaccination among the Cornell community, we are relaxing some of the COVID-19 travel restrictions for students, faculty, and staff traveling on Cornell business. Part of this shift requires travelers to be responsible for understanding potentially complex border restrictions and entry and re-entry requirements. Loosening or tightening restrictions is an evolving process, with the Cornell community’s health and safety of utmost importance.
- All Cornell students, faculty, and staff engaging in approved international travel on Cornell business are required to register in the travel registry. This should be done four to six weeks before departure to ensure the most accurate information about your travel can be provided.
- Faculty and staff on individual travel no longer need to submit a petition to the International Travel Advisory and Response Team (ITART).
- Graduate students no longer need to submit an ITART petition to travel to destinations with a CDC 1, 2, or 3 COVID Travel Health Notice and Department of State 1, 2, or 3 Travel Advisory.
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Undergraduate students no longer need to submit an ITART petition to travel to destinations with a CDC 1 or 2 COVID Travel Health Notice and Department of State 1 or 2 Travel Advisory.
- Destinations with the original CDC Travel Health Notice 3 continue to require a petition for all students.
- Participants in official and approved fall study abroad programs are exempt from the petition process while engaging in that experience. Registration in the travel registry is required.
A note about petitions: ITART petitions are triggered by rules built into the Travel Registry. If your travel requires a petition, the Travel Registry will prompt you for additional information about, and a rationale for, your elevated risk travel plans.
Travel Restrictions at a Glance
Decision tree for student travel approval requirements:
Cornell-supported International Travel
Suggested Pre-departure Steps
We recommend following these steps as near departure as possible while allowing time to complete them all. Travel restrictions and advice change often.
Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Verify the CDC’s COVID-19 notice level for your destination and carefully read key information and travel recommendations on the country profile page.
Check the United States Department of State:
- Verify the U.S. Department of State’s travel advisory level for your destination and carefully read the country information page.
Check entrance restrictions:
- Verify that you are, at the time of travel, able to enter the destination given your purpose of travel and traveler type (for instance, student, "tourist," critical researcher) and are able to obtain any documentation required to do so.
- Verify that you are aware of, able, and willing to comply with all quarantine, testing, vaccination, and other requirements of your destination, transportation providers, and partner organizations and can still accomplish the purpose of travel.
- This information changes often and can impact your ability to enter the destination, depart, and reenter the United States. It is your responsibility to stay informed of the most current information up to and throughout your travel. Cornell cannot assist travelers stranded or unable to travel due to government regulations.
- There are several sources of information to satisfy this step. Here are a few we recommend.
- Fragomen: Click “Download a summary of the latest key COVID-19 global immigration impacts and resources,” then choose your destination country.
- International SOS (member I.D. 11BSCA827281): Click "COVID-19," then select your destination under Travel Restrictions, Flight Operations and Screening.
- United States Department of State: Most country information pages link to the embassy’s COVID-19 page.
If required, file your Travel Health and Safety Petition:
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International Travel Advisory and Response Team (ITART) petitions are triggered by rules built into the Travel Registry. If your travel requires a petition, the Travel Registry will prompt you for additional information about, and a rationale for, your elevated risk travel plans. Travel restrictions are designed by traveler type and destination.
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For details on how petitions are filed, evaluated, and approved, please review the Travel Petitions page.