Travel Guidance
Academic and Business Travel
All travel may proceed using standard procedures in the CUNY Domestic Travel Guidelines (pdf) or CUNY International Travel Guidelines (pdf), as applicable. Trips to international destinations that meet specific thresholds under the Department of State travel advisories and/or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Health Notices (THNs) is not permitted, and a waiver must be approved before financial or other commitments to travel are made. These thresholds (see below) now also reference the CDC’s COVID-19 THNs. For the current petition form and frequently asked questions, please consult CUNY’s Travel During the Pandemic page.
Information | Thresholds 1/2 | Threshold 3 | Threshold 4/unknown |
---|---|---|---|
Department of State (DoS) Travel Advisory | No petition required | Petition required | Petition required (undergraduates not eligible to petition) |
CDC general Travel Health Notice | No petition required | Petition required (undergraduates not eligible to petition) | n/a |
CDC COVID-19 Travel Health Notice | No petition required | No petition required | Petition required |
This applies to any CUNY-sponsored travel including one or more students (undergraduate or graduate). Faculty and staff traveling without students are not required to obtain a waiver, but must inform their department chair/supervisor and submit the Release Agreement for Activities in a Destination Under a Travel Warning (pdf). They are also encouraged to obtain appropriate travel insurance and to register with CUNY-GO and the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). They can obtain more information from their campus international education liaison. Additional guidelines for Principal Investigators are available through the CUNY Research Foundation site and portal.
This represents a return to pre-pandemic travel procedures, with enhancements to ensure that COVID-19 conditions are considered. Other requirements for internships, clinical placements, athletics, and study abroad or student organization travel continue to apply, and if these involve travel to a destination that meets at least one of the conditions above and involve one or more students, an approved waiver is also required. Petitions for group travel (e.g. a CUNY study abroad program, student organization trip) to a destination under a travel warning should be prepared by the campus official coordinating the trip.
Since COVID-19 remains a serious threat, all travelers, regardless of destination or purpose of travel, should review their plans to ensure that appropriate precautions are taken to protect themselves, their host community, and their home campus and households upon return. Travel under non-CUNY auspices is not subject to CUNY policy, but remains subject to CDC guidance. Consult CDC guidance on domestic and international travel before each trip to ensure you are working with complete and current information.
Incoming Travelers
When hosting visitors, staff should consult their Campus COVID-19 Liaison in advance to ensure that current standards and requirements are followed, including CDC guidance if visitors are arriving from abroad.