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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Know Before You Go

This is a compilation of UA requirements, planning best practices, and resources to assist in travel planning.
 
Considering International Travel?

  • If you are a UA Employee arranging a field trip or any travel with students, instead review the Know Before You Go (with Students) Checklist. 
  • If you are planning travel to Iran, Syria, Cuba, Libya, North Korea, South Sudan, or Sudan, contact UA Export Control Office immediately. Obtaining the required federal licensing may take from one month to a year. 
  • If you are planning travel to an area of extreme risk, contact the International Risk Analyst immediately. 
  • Determine if any visas are necessary and what types. 


As soon as possible OR at least one month prior to departure
Required: 

  1. Notify your department administration.
  2. Gather passport, anticipated travel information, emergency contact information. Identify equipment, data, and materials you might take and if your travel is under a federal contract.
  3. Register
  4. Submit paperwork: Work with your department to ensure that the correct paperwork is submitted to FSO Travel. Each form is available on the registry.
    - Travel Authorization
    - DBA Insurance Application

Recommended:

  • Register in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to obtain Travel Alerts and Warnings for your destination.  
  • Determine if you should have additional insurance coverage (especially if you will need routine care while abroad – UA travel insurance will only cover emergency-related care). U.S. health insurance policies do not generally cover international travel. Please contact Risk Management with any questions regarding coverage.
  • Arrange for required visas. 
  • Driving Abroad.  As you make arrangements, be sure to consider road conditions, verify availability of seat belts, plan to limit road travel to daylight hours. 
  • Address all possible health considerations (allergies and medical conditions, recommended vaccinations, restrictions on personal prescription medication), guided by:
    - CDC Travelers’ Health site
- UA Campus Health Travel and Immunization Clinic, or an outside Travel Health Clinic and/or personal physician.
- Primary care physician
 
Please note that many doctors’ offices do not carry travel vaccines and therefore you will need to make a travel appointment with a travel clinic to obtain travel vaccines.
 
Since vaccinations take 10-14 days to take effect, plan to complete your travel appointment at least two weeks prior to departure. 
 
UA Campus Health Service offers competitive rates compared to travel clinics in the community. However CHS does not bill commercial insurance for the cost of travel visits or travel vaccines (cholera, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid, and yellow fever). If you have a billable insurance, routine vaccination charges will be submitted to your commercial insurance. Payment will be collected at the time of service for the travel visit and travel vaccines. For more information call 621-9202.
 
  • Verify your passport is valid and remains valid for at least 6 months after the planned return date and there are no stamps in passports that may present problems for this trip.
  • Verify that each traveler has a visa, if needed.
  • Reassess the safety and security of the destination(s). 


Week of Departure
Required:  Verify that you have received an email from UA International Travel indicating your travel has been approved or that your registration is complete.

Recommended:

  • Store on your phone and on your person the UA's security provider, Crisis 24, 24/7 emergency number: +44 1202 937 401. Or download their app onto your Android and iPhone and press the emergency button. When calling identify yourself as a University of Arizona faculty, staff, or student in need of assistance.
  • Continue to evaluate the safety and security of your destination(s).  If there are any questions or possible questions, contact the International Risk Analyst. 
  • Verify access to emergency cash without ATM or credit cards.
  • Copy the first page of your passport and insurance card and carry separately from your passport, provide your emergency contact with copies and verify how you may be contacted in an emergency.
  • The itinerary is confirmed to ensure that all road travel will occur during daylight hours, with sufficient time even if meetings or events are delayed, unless otherwise specifically advised. If there are any changes to the itinerary inform UA International Travel as soon as possible of the changes.
  • Verify you have customs letters or export licenses, if required.
  • Pack medications in original containers and in carry-on luggage. Ensure you do your research for any medications considered a controlled-substance by the countries you will visit - start by checking the host country's consulate or embassy.
  • Enter emergency and other important numbers into your cell phone and have a separate list of these and other numbers, in case your phone and/or your wallet is stolen (credit cards, bank).