Important Notice on Spring Break International Travel

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Dear International Students and Scholars,

 

It will soon be Spring Break, and ISSS would like to remind international students and scholars again that we require at least one week to process your travel signature request for international travel. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT UCONN HAS SUSPENDED ALL UNIVERSITY-SPONSORED STUDENT INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.  Due to the fast-changing circumstances related to coronavirus, we would like to urge students who are traveling internationally for personal reasons to carefully consider travel risks. We do not know when countries will be deemed high risk for travel, and therefore disruptions like flight cancellations, U.S. entry restrictions, or quarantine requirements could delay your return to UConn.

 

Any delayed return to campus can lead to unintended consequences related to academic program completion or keeping your I-20/DS-2019 active. While we will provide you with a travel signature on your DS-2019 or I-20 if eligible, please consider these risks and keep in close communication with ISSS if your travel plans change.

 

If you will travel internationally:

 

  • Submit your travel information record as soon as possible so that we can review your plans and issue a travel signature, if necessary.
  • Consider purchasing a travel insurance that will cover you in your destination country. Make sure that the plan covers epidemic situations, and coverage for medical evacuation.
  • We do not recommend that any students conduct personal travel to countries deemed by the Center for Disease Control as a Level 3 risk for coronavirus (currently China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea). If you need to travel to a country designated Level 3 for coronavirus, please communicate these plans to your ISSS advisor as soon as possible for further guidance. If you choose to travel to Level 3 countries for personal reasons, you will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon return to the United States. There is also a risk that you will not be allowed reentry to the United States (current entry restrictions are in place for travelers from China and Iran – this could expand to other countries).   
  • Be sure to evaluate local conditions in your travel destination before you go, and continually while you are there.
  • Practice basic hygiene for protecting yourself from illness, such as washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, and avoiding contact with people who are sick.

 

Travel Signature Instructions

Students and exchange visitors who are traveling outside the U.S. during Spring Break must submit their request to ISSS for a travel signature no later than Friday, March 6 in order to receive it by Friday March 13. ISSS is not doing an in-person travel signature week prior to spring break.

All students who are traveling outside the U.S. must:

-Complete a Travel Information Record online through the ISSS Portal to report your international travel

 

If you need a travel signature on your most current I-20 or DS-2019, you must also bring to the ISSS front desk:

  1. Your Form I-20/DS-2019
  2. An enrollment verification form listing the current semester, and all past semesters studied at UConn. Students at Storrs campus can request this from the Information Desk of Wilbur Cross Building. Visiting scholars and research students do notneed to submit an enrollment verification form to get a travel signature.

 

How do I know if I have a valid travel signature already?

If you have an I-20 form, page 2 of the Form has a section called “Travel Endorsements”. If you already have a travel signature on this page that was signed within 12 months of your planned return date to the U.S., you do not need a travel signature. If you are on post-completion OPT, the travel signature must be less than 6 months old.

If you have a DS-2019 form, the bottom right corner of the form has a section called “Travel Validation by Responsible Officer”. If you already have a travel signature on this page that was signed within 12 months of your planned return date to the U.S., you do not need a travel signature.

Remember, even if you already have a valid travel signature, you still must report your travel to ISSS through the Travel Information Record.

 

Both the submitted Travel Information Record AND your I-20/DS-2019 and enrollment verification must be submitted by Friday, March 6 for pick up by Friday, March 13. 

 

Visiting Scholars and Research Students: If your travel is for academic purposes related to your current research at UConn, you must also submit a completed J-1 Scholar Out of Country Research Request and upload this into your Travel Information Record.

Please contact ISSS if you have any questions, and read more information and Travel FAQs on the ISSS travel webpage.