Higher Risk Itinerary Approvals Process
Faculty, staff, or student submits a travel waiver through their registration portal.
Global Travel Health and Safety reviews the waiver.
For itineraries to low risk areas, the review process stops here. All countries will Level 3 or 4 regions are flagged for needing a waiver, regardless of whether or not the traveler is going to said location.
Global Travel Health and Safety compiles a review for the International Travel Risk Assessment and Safety Committee (ITRASC). Any questions that the committee has will be sent to the traveler.
ITRASC sends their recommendation for approval to the University Provost, who formally approves or denies the travel waiver petition.
Global Travel Health and Safety sends the final decision and any conditions of approval to the traveler.
Review Process by Traveler Type
This is a test of tabs
- Per the updated UW International Travel Rules and Restrictions, undergraduate students are permitted to travel to Department of State (DOS) Level 1 or 2 destinations.
- ITRASC reserves the right to make recommendations to the Provost about restricting official UW student travel to Level 1 or 2 destinations based on emergent events or legal developments that create a tangible risk for student travel.
- Travel to destinations with a national or regional Department of State (DOS) Level 3 or 4 advisory requires a travel waiver. Provost approval for this travel is required.
Approval for undergraduates to Level 3 or 4 areas requires the traveler to demonstrate that the travel is:
- Directly related to their academic output (why this)
- The travel cannot be out of pure interest or leisure but tied to a specific degree-related requirement
- Necessary to be conducted in that specific, high risk location (why there)
- The activity should not be something that could be replicated in the US or other lower risk destination
- Must be conducted at this point in time and cannot be deferred to a later date (why now)
- Includes things like time limited funding or requirement for near-completion of a degree
Note that undergraduates are almost never approved to travel to a Level 4 country or region, except in serious extenuating or exceptional circumstances.
- Per the updated UW International Travel Rules and Restrictions, undergraduate students are permitted to travel to Department of State (DOS) Level 1 or 2 destinations.
- ITRASC reserves the right to make recommendations to the Provost about restricting official UW student travel to Level 1 or 2 destinations based on emergent events or legal developments that create a tangible risk for student travel.
- Travel to destinations with a national or regional Department of State (DOS) Level 3 or 4 advisory requires a travel waiver. Provost approval for this travel is required.
Approval for graduates to Level 3 or 4 areas requires the traveler to demonstrate that the travel is:
- Directly related to their academic output (why this)
- The travel cannot be out of pure interest or leisure but tied to a specific degree-related requirement
- Necessary to be conducted in that specific, high risk location (why there)
- The activity should not be something that could be replicated in the US or other lower risk destination
- Must be conducted at this point in time and cannot be deferred to a later date (why now)
- Includes things like time limited funding or requirement for near-completion of a degree
Additional requirements for Level 4 travel
- In rare cases, when the travel is directly related and required for academic or research requirements, a graduate student may be approved to travel to a Department of State Level 4 country or region.
- Travelers must submit a written endorsement from your committee chair (or equivalent) and Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) with their travel waiver. Please secure these endorsements prior to the application process. You will upload them as part of the application.
- A department or school may require a higher level of endorsement or additional approval steps for their graduate students. Graduate students must confirm these requirements with their department or school prior to submitting an application.
- If your travel is approved by ITRASC and the Provost, you will be made fully aware of UW policies governing returning travelers (including pre-departure requirements, quarantines, testing, or notification requirements).
- Exceptions and exclusions apply for security insurance coverage to countries under a current U.S. Department of State Level 4 Travel Advisory or with known security or medical events in effect.
For faculty and staff, only travel to Department of State Level 4 areas will require review by ITRASC and the Provost.
UW employees must demonstrate that the travel is
- Directly related to their employment at the University and a required part of their ongoing teaching, research, or other associated work at UW (why this)
- Necessary to be conducted in that specific, high risk location, ideally with proof of an ongoing relationship or study in that area (why there)
- Must be conducted at this point in time and cannot be deferred to a later date (why now)
- Includes things like time limited funding, research requirements, or writing project completions.
Exceptions and exclusions apply for security insurance coverage to countries under a current U.S. Department of State Level 4 Travel Advisory or with known security or medical events in effect.
Interactive Department of State Advisory Map
Travel Waiver submissions are completed under the acknowledgement of having been provided the following information:
- Review the UW Environmental Health and Safety policies governing outbound or returning travelers.
- Understand that travel to sanctioned countries may result in delays, difficulties, or an inability to pay public medical providers.
- Countries where health infrastructures are fragile may have difficulty handling serious cases and may not support the needs of seriously ill foreigners.
- Some entry or exist restrictions may be based on previous travel, as well as passport or citizenship country.
- Medical or security evacuations must be authorized and approved by UW’s emergency assistance provider prior to departure from the country.
- Where security or medical evacuation can be arranged, the time required for immigration and aviation permissions may be prolonged, even in critical situations.
- Coverage for quarantine expenses requires proof of illness by a doctor, medical certification that you are not fit to fly, and proof of restriction by the country or the airline that you are required to isolate.
- In the case of an infectious disease evacuation, including COVID, Zika, or Ebola, only specific air ambulances are equipped to safely handle patients. Demand for these aircrafts may vary depending on the situation in that country.
- Airlines, countries or regions may have quarantine or testing requirements, if new or existing outbreaks of infectious diseases arise. You may be subject to fines or legal consequences if the requirements are not followed.
- In the unfortunate case of a death abroad, return of remains is generally delayed. The deceased may be subject to local regulations governing preservation and shipping of remains (some countries do not allow cremation or embalming).
- Political evacuation and natural disaster evacuation benefits are not covered while in a country with a Department of State Level 4: “Do Not Travel” travel advisory is in place. Travel destinations should be carefully considered given these exclusions.
- High-risk activities, such as bungee jumping or deep water scuba diving, are prohibited and injury resulting from an adventure sport will not be a covered expense.
- Border restrictions or closures (abroad and for the United States) may change with little to no notice.
- This page is regularly updated with border procedure information, given the current global political climate and concerns about returning to the US.