Request Restricted Region Travel Approval

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The IOC retains the right to withdraw one's travel authorization if necessary, as well as withhold reimbursement and/or take other disciplinary actions for noncompliance with UT Restricted Regions travel policies.

Restricted Regions Request FAQs

• What is the deadline to submit my request?

  You must complete your request form and submit it to grs@austin.utexas.edu a minimum of five weeks prior to your intended departure date, OR five weeks before you or your department require approval, whichever comes first. UT Austin will not support travel without authorization, and if you turn in your request late, the IOC cannot guarantee you a response in time.

  Please note: travel to certain locations (as identified on the Restricted Regions List) must also be approved by the president of the University of Texas at Austin; to allow for sufficient time for review, requests for approval to these destinations must be submitted a minimum of six weeks in advance of your intended departure date.

• Why do I need to submit a Restricted Regions request?

  UT Austin’s IOC encourages international travel and has developed its travel policy in the best interest of maintaining the safety and well-being of its students, faculty, and staff traveling abroad. While all travel abroad has inherent risks, some parts of the world pose heightened risks to the health and safety of travelers. Submitting a Restricted Regions request pushes you to do the research and due diligence needed to learn about the region you’re traveling to and how to best mitigate risks.

• What happens if I don’t adhere to the Restricted Regions travel policy?

  UT Austin does not support travel that does not adhere to its policies. You will not receive credit for coursework taken or research conducted in a Restricted Region, you will not receive any reimbursement, graduation can be delayed, credit may be withheld, you may face non-academic sanctions, Dean and Student Conduct and Academic Integrity will be notified, and program coordinators cannot fully accept students into an Education Abroad program until IOC approval has been received.

• What determines which locations are on the Restricted Regions list?

  Read the full criteria for Restricted Regions, as determined by the UT System and the UT Austin IOC.

• How often is the Restricted Regions list updated?

  The Restricted Regions list is reviewed and updated regularly, depending on changes from the U.S. Department of State, On Call International, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UT Austin IOC.

• What if I am traveling to my home country, which is listed as a Restricted Region?

  If you are traveling to your home country on UT-affiliated business (e.g., to conduct research, study, attend a conference), you are required to fill out a Restricted Regions Travel Request. If you are traveling strictly for personal reasons, and will not be conducting any UT-affiliated business, no paperwork or travel registration is required.

• Do I need to submit a Restricted Regions request for vacation/personal travel?

  No, as long as you are traveling ONLY for vacation/personal reasons and will not be affiliated with UT Austin in any way while abroad or conducting any university-affiliated business.

• Do I need to request travel authorization to a Restricted Region if I am traveling there for just a day or two, such as for a conference?

  Yes! No matter the amount of time spent in a Restricted Region, if it is for any university affiliated purposes, approval MUST be obtained from the IOC. The only exception is if you will be landing in an airport in a Restricted Region for transit purposes only (i.e., you will not physically leave the airport).

• What if I am traveling as part of a student organization?

  If you are traveling on behalf of a student organization but not part of a group, you still need to fill out a Restricted Regions request. If you are traveling with others as part of a group, your group leader is required to submit a Safety Assessment for Student International Group Experiences (SAIGE) form. Email grs@austin.utexas.edu if you are unsure which form to fill out.

• How long does it take to hear a decision from the IOC?

  The process can take several weeks, depending on the number of requests currently under review, so it is best to submit your request as soon as possible. 

• Can my Chair sign the request via DocuSign?

  Yes, your Chair can sign the form in several different ways, including through DocuSign. They can also sign it by hand, so long as the form is scanned and sent as a PDF. This applies to the student signature sections as well.

• How do I find out who my Chair is?

  View the list of current Chairs and Deans for each department / school.

• What if I submitted my request, but something in my itinerary changes?

  Please notify us at grs@austin.utexas.edu as soon as possible. More action may need to be taken depending on the circumstances. If your updated itinerary includes travel to a location that is designated as higher risk than your original request, you may be required to fill out another form or provide supplementary content.

• How long do my answers need to be to the questions on the form?

  There is no minimum or maximum word count. Be thorough in your responses so we have as much information as possible to assess the request, and to show you have done your due diligence and researched sufficiently.

• Who should I list as the UT Austin emergency contact?

  The UT Austin emergency contact is someone in your department or school who knows about your travel abroad – a faculty member, a staff member, an administrator, etc. It cannot be your program coordinator, someone from Texas Global, or someone from Global Risk and Safety.
   

• Who should I designate as the local emergency contact?

  The local emergency contact must be someone who will be in the city where you'll be visiting, who is aware of your travel. It can be the on-site provider, or university or hotel/accommodation staff, the primary contact for the conference you’re attending, a local research/thesis advisor assisting you, or a friend/family member. We must be able to contact them in the event of an emergency when we cannot reach you first.

• Does my itinerary have to be finalized when I submit my request?

  No, but please submit as many details as possible. If anything changes or you receive more details about your trip, please update us by email at grs@austin.utexas.edu.

• What are the chances of the IOC denying my request?

  It depends on the thoroughness of your request, the current safety and security concerns of your location, and other factors.

• I am trying to fill out the Restricted Regions form on my computer and it’s not working. Should I just handwrite it?

  NO. The form must be typed.

• I want to return to a Restricted Region that I visited less than a year ago with IOC approval. How do I do that?

  You can apply for an extension request. Email grs@austin.utexas.edu for requirements.