International Travel Restrictions Updated
New travel guidance has been issued for international travel; effective Dec. 6, 2021.
- published: 2021/12/03
- search keywords:
- COVID-19
- Coronavirus
- Travel
Updates:
International Travel
Effective Monday, Dec. 6, all air passengers regardless of vaccination status must show a negative COVID-19 test that was taken no more than one day prior to travel to the United States.
If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed health care provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).
Additional CDC international travel guidance and recommendations can be found here.
Ongoing Guidance:
Domestic Travel
Effective July 1, 2021, pre-approved essential domestic travel can proceed with approval by an immediate supervisor rather than an individual’s associated Vice Chancellor or Senior Vice Chancellor.
Essential University-related domestic travel continues to follow the previous guidance with one key update. Requests for essential university-related domestic travel by university employees must now be approved in advance by the responsible supervisor rather than an individual’s associated Vice Chancellor or Senior Vice Chancellor.
The CDC recommends delaying domestic travel until you are fully vaccinated. Because all university travel is contingent upon the traveler agreeing to comply with all guidance, supervisors are not responsible for knowing the traveler’s vaccination status for the approval process and should not ask travelers about such status.
UNO students, faculty, and staff are expected to follow the CDC recommendations for domestic travel.
Current guidance includes the following:
- Delay travel until you are fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDC’s recommendations for unvaccinated people.
-
Have You Been Fully Vaccinated? People are considered fully vaccinated if, 1) It’s been two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 2) Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
-
If you don’t meet these requirements, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.
-
If you have a condition or are taking medication that weakens your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions.
-
During Travel, remember that wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Travelers are not required to wear a mask in outdoor areas of a conveyance (like a ferry or top deck of a bus). Also be sure to follow all state and local recommendations and requirements, including mask wearing and social distancing.
-
After Travel, self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms. Also, be sure to follow all state and local recommendations or requirements.
You do NOT need to get tested or self-quarantine if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months. You should still follow all other travel recommendations.
International Travel
Beginning July 1, 2021, pre-approved essential international travel for students, faculty and staff will be allowed. Pre-trip approval is required for all international travel and is limited to essential university-related business.
-
Students will need to submit a request for essential international travel on behalf of the university, including study abroad. Forms and instructions on how to submit a request will be updated prior to July 1. The student will be required to complete a travel application that provides a detailed summary of local health and travel guidance for the travel locations. International Programs will appoint an international travel risk committee that will consider the essential nature of the travel, CDC Travel Health Notices, US Department of State Travel Advisories and the ability of the traveler to mitigate risk. All university-related international travel must comply with Executive Memorandum 25.
-
UNO Employees will need to submit a request for essential international travel on behalf of the university. Forms and instructions on how to submit a request will be updated prior to July 1. The employee must obtain pre-trip approval for essential travel through their appropriate chair, dean, or supervisor and begin the travel request through Concur. After a UNO employee receives supervisor and/or college-level approval, an international travel request must be submitted 90 days in advance of travel to International Programs. The traveler will be required to complete a travel application that provides a detailed summary of local health and travel guidance for the travel locations. International Programs will appoint an international travel risk committee that will consider the essential nature of the travel, CDC Travel Health Notices, US Department of State Travel Advisories and the ability of the traveler to mitigate risk. The international travel request must be approved by the committee before final Concur approvals will be granted, or travel may be booked. All university-related international travel must comply with Executive Memorandum 25.
For destinations that are below the US Department of State Travel Advisory levels 3 and 4, or CDC Travel Heath Notices levels 3 or 4, travelers do not need to complete the full travel application with committee review. Travelers will need to complete a travel health plan and submit the plan to International Programs at least two weeks prior to travel. All travelers, regardless of CDC Travel Health Notice level, will need to comply with the CDC recommendations for international travel listed below.
The CDC recommends delaying international travel until you are fully vaccinated. Because all university travel is contingent upon the traveler agreeing to comply with all guidance, supervisors are not responsible for knowing the traveler’s vaccination status for the approval process and should not ask travelers about such status.
UNO students, faculty and staff are expected to follow the CDC recommendations for international travel.
Current guidance includes the following:
-
Delay travel until you are fully vaccinated.
-
Assess the COVID-19 situation at your destination prior to departure to ensure travel to the location can be safely managed. This is particularly important if you are considering international travel as the restrictions are very fluid. This includes reviewing the CDC recommendations for your international travel location (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html) and, remembering that before arriving in the United States, all air passengers coming to the United States, including US citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 3 days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States.
-
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation.
-
Continue to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms before, during, and after travel.
-
If you are fully vaccinated, before you arrive back in the US, you must have a negative COVID-19 viral test no more than 3 days before your flight. Also, upon your return, you must get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel and self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms using the 1-Check app.
-
If you are not fully vaccinated, before you travel you must get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before your trip back to the U.S.; before you arrive in the U.S., you must have a negative COVID-19 viral test no more than 3 days before your flight; and after you travel you must get tested with a viral test within 3-5 days AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel (or 10 days without a test) and self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms using the 1-Check app.
About the University of Nebraska at Omaha
Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.
Follow UNO on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.