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Pre-Departure Requirements for International Travel

Academics
International Programs
Pre-Departure Requirements for International Travel

International travel is a critical element of many Columbia Law School activities. Pre-departure requirements, which vary according to the nature and purpose of a specific traveler's itinerary, help keep travelers safe and healthy.

Travelers should first review the detailed checklists below, and then complete the relevant tasks outlined there with as much lead time as possible. Different pre-departure requirements apply to students; to faculty, researchers, librarians, and fellows; and to administrators and support staff.

As a general matter:

All travelers, including faculty, must complete a brief Attestation form as early as possible and, after their travel details are known, register their trip with ISOS. The Student Attestation form is here, and the Faculty/Administrator Attestation form is here.

The Business Office cannot process funding or reimbursement requests until an Attestation form has been received.
Students and administrators (and any faculty, researchers, librarians, or fellows who accompany them) who propose travel to "High" or greater risk locations must seek prior approval from the Dean and/or Provost by submitting the University's "Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form" at least 30 days prior to departure. Note that the form must be submitted after first receiving a response to the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review submission discussed in the checklists below.
All travelers, including faculty, proposing travel to locations with an ISOS Elevated Evacutation Status of 1) "Stand-by", 2) "Evacuate: Non-Essential Personnel", of 3) "Evacuate: Full Evacuation" must submit an Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form at least 30 days prior to departure. Note that the form must be submitted after first receiving a response to the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review submission discussed in the checklists below.

Office of International Programs

Please contact us to arrange an appointment to discuss any of the programs we offer. We look forward to working with you.

William and June Warren Hall, Floor 6

+1 212-854-8170

Send an email

Checklist - Students
Checklist - Faculty/Researchers
Checklist -Administrators
FAQ

Checklist for students planning international travel

The International Travel Planning Policy covers all "Columbia-related" international travel. Generally speaking, this means international travel that is sponsored, funded, and/or facilitated by Columbia University.

Pre-departure requirements are drawn from the University's International Travel Planning Policy, as well as the Law School's own policies. Columbia-related international travel does not include travel that is strictly personal.

Students and administrators (and any faculty, researchers, librarians, or fellows who accompany them) who propose travel to "High" or greater risk locations must seek prior approval from the Dean and/or Provost by submitting the University's "Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form" at least 30 days prior to departure.

Note: This form must be submitted after first receiving a response to the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review submission discussed in the checklists below.

Further information is available via these links:

Review your itinerary's characterization with regard to each of the following three references. Each of the three assessments, separately, determines the applicability of the various pre-departure requirements and recommendations listed below in Step 3.

1. ISOS Travel Security website. The University's pre-departure travel requirements are largely based on risk ratings published by private consulting firm ISOS. These label the travel risk of various global destinations as "Insignificant", "Low", "Medium", "High", or "Extreme".

2. ISOS Evacuation Status. Special pre-departure travel requirements apply to destinations that are subject to one of the following ISOS Evacuation Status designations: "Stand-by", "Evacuate: Non-Essential Personnel", and "Evacuate: Full Evacuation".

3. CU Travel Restrictions. From time to time, the University may issue guidance, requirements, and restrictions regarding travel to specific designations, including countries subject to Comprehensive U.S. Sanctions.

The travel risk of an itinerary is the risk aligned with the highest-risk location associated with that itinerary. "Location" could refer to one country within a multi-country itinerary, or a city or region within any one country.

Students proposing High- or Extreme-Risk itineraries must seek review by the Dean and/or Provost by submitting an Elevated Travel Risk Approval Request form 30 days before departure. The form must be submitted after first receiving a response to the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review submission discussed in the checklists below.

Based on your itinerary's risk level as described above in Section 2, complete all applicable pre-departure requirements in each of the following three sections.

1. Required by the Law School

For all travel (prior to departure, but ideally as early as possible): Submit an online Pre-Departure Attestation / Assumption of Risk, Waiver, and Release. This can be done before your exact travel dates and other arrangements have been finalized.

Travel-related funding requests cannot be considered by the Business Office until receipt of your form has been acknowledged by email as "OK to Fly", which may take up to one week.
- Strongly suggested:
  - Download the ISOS Assistance App.
  - Review the Pre-Departure Orientation.

2. Required by the University

For all travel (prior to departure): Register trip details via the ISOS MyTrips website. See special instructions, below, for those organizing, leading, or participating in group travel.
For ISOS Insignificant- and Low-risk travel: Students have no further pre-departure requirements.
For ISOS Medium-risk travel (at least two weeks before travel): Send itinerary for pre-trip review via the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review form. Copies are automatically sent to the University's Global Travel office and ISOS. The latter will then reply with a comprehensive set of safety and security recommendations specifically tailored to that trip.
For ISOS High- and Extreme-Risk travel: (at least 30 days before travel): Send itinerary for pre-trip review via the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review form (see the discussion above of Medium-risk travel), and submit the the Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form to the University's Global Travel office. High- and Extreme-risk travel requires written approval from the Dean and/or Provost, and Global Travel will forward the Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form to them with a request for the required review. (Note that travelers must submit this form after first receiving a response to the Itinerary Review form.)
For destinations subject to CU Travel Restrictions, or Elevated ISOS Evacuation Status (i.e., "Stand-by", "Evacuation: Non-Essential Personnel", or "Evacuation: Full Evacuation"). Apply the same pre-departure requirements as for ISOS Extreme-risk travel.

For Group Organizers/Leaders

(E.g., individual students responsible for Spring Break Pro Bono Caravans, administrators organizing moot court travel, researchers leading human rights clinic site visits, or faculty leading overseas study trips.)

Identify your group, its individual members, and your role as the organizer or leader where indicated on the online Attestation form. (The student form can be found here, and the form for Faculty, Researchers, and Administrators can be found here.) This can be done before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been finalized.
Send the group's itinerary for pre-trip review (if one is required per the checklist above) via the ISOS online form. Individual group members do not need to send this same form for the same itinerary.
Submit the Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form for Groups (if one is required per the checklist above) to the University's Global Travel office, which will request the required review by the Dean and/or Provost. Each individual group member must, separately, submit the High and Extreme Travel Risk - Group or Program Participant Form.
Ensure that each member of the group complies with all applicable pre-departure requirements per the checklist above.

For Group Participants

(E.g., individual students traveling with a Spring Break Pro Bono Caravan, an international moot court team, an international human rights clinic, or with a class on an overseas study trip.)

Identify your group, and its organizer, where indicated on the pre-departure attestation form. (The student form can be found here, and the form for faculty, researchers, and administrators can be found here.)
Do not send an additional copy of the group's itinerary for pre-trip review (if one is required per the checklist above) via the ISOS online form. The group organizer/leader is responsible for requesting a pre-trip review on behalf of the group.
Do submit, separately, the High and Extreme Travel Risk - Group or Program Participant Form (if one is required per the checklist above.) The group organizer will submit a group form, and Global Travel will request the required review by the Dean and/or Provost.
Ensure that you comply with all applicable pre-departure requirements per the checklist above.

Checklist for Faculty (or Assistants on their behalf) and Researchers planning international travel

Faculty, researchers, librarians, or fellows who propose itineraries that are subject to an ISOS Evacuation Status of “Stand-by”, “Evacuation: Non-Essential Personnel”, or “Evacuation: Full Evacuation”, or flagged as subject to CU Travel Restrictions, must seek prior approval from the Dean and Provost by submitting the University's "Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form" at least 30 days prior to departure. Note: This form must be submitted after first receiving a response to the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review submission discussed in the checklists below.

Faculty, researchers, librarians, or fellows who propose to accompany students to "High" or greater risk locations must seek prior approval from the Dean and/or Provost by submitting the University's "Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form" at least 30 days prior to departure. Note: This form must be submitted after first receiving a response to the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review submission discussed in the checklists below.

Further information is available via these links:

Faculty (or Assistants on their behalf) and Researchers planning travel to ISOS-assigned Evacuation Status countries, and Researchers planning travel to Extreme-risk destinations, must submit itineraries six weeks in advance for review by the Dean and/or Provost.

Based on your itinerary's risk level as described above in Section 2, complete all applicable pre-departure requirements in each of the following three sections.

1. Required by the Law School

For all travel (prior to departure, but ideally as early as possible): Submit a brief online Pre-Departure Attestation. This can be done before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been finalized.

No travel-related funding requests can be considered by the Business Office until receipt of your form has been acknowledged by email as "OK to Fly". This may take up to one week.
- Strongly suggested:
  - Download the ISOS Assistance App.
  - Review the Pre-Departure Orientation.

2. Required by the University

For all travel (prior to departure): Register trip details via the ISOS MyTrips website. See special instructions, below, for those organizing, leading, or participating in group travel.
For ISOS Insignificant-, Low-, Medium, High-, and Extreme-risk travel:
- Faculty, Researchers, Librarians, and Fellows who are not accompanying students have no further pre-departure requirements. (Please see the section, below, that addresses group travel.)
  
  They are, however, strongly encouraged to submit Medium-risk itineraries for ISOS review via the University's Global Travel website. After submitting the form, copies will be sent to the University's Global Travel office and ISOS. The latter will then reply with a comprehensive set of safety and security recommendations specifically tailored to that trip.
For destinations subject to CU Travel Restrictions or ISOS Evacuation Status of "Stand-by", "Evacuation: Non-Essential Personnel", or "Evacuation: Full Evacuation": These itineraries reuqire written approval from Dean and Provost. Send itinerary for pre-trip review via the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review form and, at least 30 days before departure, submit the the Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form. The University's Global Travel office will forward it with a request for the required review. (Note that travelers must submit the latter form after first receiving a response to the Itinerary Review form.)

Identify your group, its individual members, and your role as the organizer or leader where indicated on the online Attestation form. (The student form can be found here, and the form for Faculty, Researchers, and Administrators can be found here.) This can be done before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been finalized.
Send the group's itinerary for pre-trip review (if one is required per the checklist above) via the ISOS online form. Individual group members do not need to request pre-trip reviews for the same itinerary.
Submit the Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form for Groups (if one is required per the checklist above) to the University's Global Travel office, which will request the required review by the Dean and Provost. Each individual group member must, separately, submit the High and Extreme Travel Risk - Group or Program Participant Form.
Ensure that each member of the group complies with all applicable pre-departure requirements per the checklist above.

For Group Participants

(E.g., individual students traveling with a Spring Break Pro Bono Caravan, an international moot court team, an international human rights clinic, or with a class on an overseas study trip.)

Identify your group, its individual members, and your role as the organizer or leader where indicated on the online Attestation form. (The student form can be found here, and the form for Faculty, Researchers, and Administrators can be found here.) This can be done before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been finalized.
Do not send an additional copy of the group's itinerary for pre-trip review (if one is required per the checklist above) via the ISOS online form. The group organizer/leader is responsible for requesting a pre-trip review on behalf of the group.
Do not submit the group's High/Extreme Risk Travel Approval Form (if one is required per the checklist above) via the University's Global Travel office, which will request the required review by the Dean. The group organizer/leader is responsible for submitting this form on behalf of the group.
Ensure that you comply with all applicable pre-departure requirements per the checklist above.

Checklist for Administrators and Support Staff planning international travel

Pre-departure requirements are drawn from the University's International Travel Planning Policy and International Travel Restrictions, as well as the Law School's own policies.

Columbia-related international travel does not include travel that is strictly personal.

Administrators and Support Staff must submit Extreme-risk itineraries six weeks in advance, and High-risk travel four weeks in advance, for review by the Dean and/or Provost.

Further information is available via these links:

Review your itinerary's risk ranking on each one of the following three websites. Each one, separately, determines the applicability of the various pre-departure requirements listed below in Step 3.

1. ISOS Travel Security website. The International Travel Planning Policy uses risk rankings published by private consultant ISOS. These label the travel risk of various global destinations as "Insignificant", "Low", "Medium", "High", or "Extreme".

2. Center for Disease Control Travel Recommendation website. The International Travel Restrictions refer to Travel Advisories published by the Center for Disease Control. These are ranked as "Level 1", "Level 2", "Level 3", or "Level 4".

3. Countries Subject to CU Travel Advisories website. This site lists certain destinations, including countries with ISOS-assigned Evacuation Status, that the University subjects to the same pre-departure requirements as those labeled by ISOS as "Extreme-risk." Faculty travel to these destinations requires prior approval from the Dean and Provost.

Administrators and Support Staff must submit Extreme-risk itineraries six weeks in advance, and High-risk travel four weeks in advance, for review by the Dean and/or Provost.

Based on your itinerary's risk level as described above in Section 2, complete all applicable pre-departure requirements in each of the following three sections.

1. Required by the Law School

For all travel (prior to departure, but ideally as early as possible): Submit a brief online Pre-Departure Attestation. This can be done before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been finalized.

The Business Office cannot consider travel-related funding requests until receipt of your form has been acknowledged by email as "OK to Fly", which may take up to one week.

- Strongly suggested:
  - Download the ISOS Assistance App.
  - Review the Pre-Departure Orientation.

2. Required by the International Travel Planning Policy

For all travel (prior to departure): Register trip details via the ISOS MyTrips website. See special instructions, below, for those organizing, leading, or participating in group travel.
For ISOS Insignificant- and Low-risk travel: Administrators and Support Staff have no further pre-departure requirements.
For ISOS Medium-risk travel (at least two weeks before travel): Submit itinerary for pre-trip review via the ISOS online form. After submitting the pre-trip review form, copies will be sent to the University's Global Travel office and ISOS. The latter will then reply with a comprehensive set of safety and security recommendations specifically tailored to that trip.
For ISOS High-risk travel (at least four weeks before travel): Send itinerary for pre-trip review via the ISOS online form (see the discussion above of Medium-risk travel), and submit the High/Extreme Risk Travel Approval Form via the University's Global Travel office. High-risk travel requires written approval from the Dean, and after Global Travel receives the form it will forward it with a request for the required review.
For ISOS Extreme-risk travel (at least six weeks before travel): Send itinerary for pre-trip review via the ISOS online form (see the discussion above of Medium-risk travel), and submit the High/Extreme Risk Travel Approval Form via the University's Global Travel office. Extreme-risk travel requires written approval from the Dean and the Provost, and after Global Travel receives the form it will forward it with a request for the required review.
For destinations listed on the CU Travel Advisories website (at least six weeks before travel): Apply the same pre-departure requirements as for ISOS Extreme-risk travel.

3. International Travel Restrictions

For Center for Disease Control Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 travel: Administrators and Support Staff have no further pre-departure requirements.

Identify your group, its individual members, and your role as the organizer or leader where indicated on the online Attestation form. (The student form can be found here, and the form for Faculty, Researchers, and Administrators can be found here.) This can be done before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been finalized.
Send the group's itinerary for pre-trip review (if one is required per the checklist above) via the ISOS online form. Individual group members do not need to request pre-trip reviews for the same itinerary.
Submit the group's High/Extreme Risk Travel Approval Form (if one is required per the checklist above) via the University's Global Travel office, which will request the required review by the Dean and/or Provost. Individual group members do not need to submit a form for the same itinerary.
Ensure that each member of the group complies with all applicable pre-departure requirements per the checklist above.

For Group Participants

(E.g., individual students traveling with a Spring Break Pro Bono Caravan, an international moot court team, an international human rights clinic, or with a class on an overseas study trip.)

Identify your group, and its organizer, where indicated on the pre-departure attestation form.
Do not send an additional copy of the group's itinerary for pre-trip review (if one is required per the checklist above) via the ISOS online form. The group organizer/leader is responsible for requesting a pre-trip review on behalf of the group.
Do not submit the group's High/Extreme Risk Travel Approval Form (if one is required per the checklist above) via the University's Global Travel office, which will request the required review by the Dean. The group organizer/leader is responsible for submitting this form on behalf of the group.
Ensure that you comply with all applicable pre-departure requirements per the checklist above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Individuals planning Columbia-related international travel should review and complete the relevant checklist on the Law School's Pre-Departure Requirements for International Travel website.

These checklists summarize requirements and suggestions derived from the International Travel Planning Policy, Columbia University's Travel Advisories website, and the Law School’s own policies.

Faculty Assistants may submit the Pre-Departure Attestation, and the ISOS Itinerary Registration, on behalf of faculty who plan to undertake international Columbia-related travel.

Columbia-related international travel is travel that is, generally speaking, sponsored, funded, and/or facilitated by the University with respect to Law School students, researchers, faculty, administrators, and support staff.

Travel that is strictly personal is not considered Columbia-related travel. If a personal trip includes any Columbia-related travel or activities (i.e., research, conference attendance, collaborations, etc.), however, you must complete the relevant checklist on the Law School's Pre-Departure Requirements for International Travel website.

For a detailed description, see the "What is Columbia Travel" webpage.

International travel is travel to any location outside of the 50 United States (including Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories).

All travelers must, prior to departure but ideally as early as possible, submit a brief online Pre-departure Attestation form. The student form can be found here, and the form for faculty, researchers, and administrators can be found here. Attestation forms may be submitted before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been completed.

The Business Office cannot consider travel-related funding requests until receipt of the attestation form has been acknowledged by email as "OK to Fly", which may take up to one week.

Students, administrators, and support staff traveling to Medium-risk destinations should request the required pre-trip review of their itineraries via the ISOS online form at least two weeks prior to departure.
Students, administrators, and support staff traveling to High- or Extreme-risk destinations require written approval from the Dean. They should send their itinerary for pre-trip review via the ISOS Pre-Trip Itinerary Review form as early as possible and, at least 30 days prior to departure, submit the the Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form. The University's Global Travel office will then forward the Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form for the required review. (Note that travelers must submit the Elevated Travel latter form after first receiving a response to the Itinerary Review form, which may take up to one week.)
Faculty, researchers, librarians, students, administrators, and support staff traveling to countries subject to ISOS Elevated Evacuation Status or University Travel Restrictions require prior approval by the Dean and Provost, and should follow the procedures as apply to Extreme-risk itineraries.

Yes. All Law School travelers must must, prior to departure but ideally as early as possible, submit a brief online Pre-departure Attestation form. The student form can be found here, and the form for faculty, researchers, and administrators can be found here. Attestation forms may be submitted before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been completed.

Faculty, researchers, librarians, students, administrators, and support staff are all subject to other specific requirments as well. Please see the relevant checklist on the Law School's Pre-Departure Requirements for International Travel website.

Identify your group, its individual members, and your role as the organizer or leader where indicated on the online Attestation form. (The student form can be found here, and the form for Faculty, Researchers, and Administrators can be found here.) This can be done before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been finalized.
Send the group's itinerary for pre-trip review (if one is required per the checklist above) via the ISOS online form. Individual group members do not need to send this same form for the same itinerary.
Submit the Elevated Travel Risk Approval Form for Groups (if one is required per the checklist above) to the University's Global Travel office, which will request the required review by the Dean and/or Provost. Each individual group members must, separately, submit the High and Extreme Travel Risk - Group or Program Participant Form.
Ensure that each member of the group complies with all applicable pre-departure requirements per the checklist above.

For Group Participants

(E.g., individual students traveling with a Spring Break Pro Bono Caravan, an international moot court team, an international human rights clinic, or with a class on an overseas study trip.)

Identify your group, and its organizer, where indicated on the pre-departure attestation form. (The student form can be found here, and the form for faculty, researchers, and administrators can be found here.)
Do not send an additional copy of the group's itinerary for pre-trip review (if one is required per the checklist above) via the ISOS online form. The group organizer/leader is responsible for requesting a pre-trip review on behalf of the group.
Do submit, separately, the High and Extreme Travel Risk - Group or Program Participant Form (if one is required per the checklist above.) The group organizer will submit a group form, and Global Travel will request the required review by the Dean and/or Provost.
Ensure that you comply with all applicable pre-departure requirements per the checklist above.

If you are traveling to your home country for Columbia-related business (study, research, conferences, meetings, etc.), the International Travel Planning Policy, the Countries Subject to CU Travel Advisories and other Law School pre-departure requirements do apply to your travel.

If you are traveling to your home country, strictly for personal/leisure travel, these policies do not apply.

No, University requirements do not cover strictly personal travel.

If you are traveling to your home country for research, meetings, or anything related to your work or academics at Columbia Law School, however, you must comply with the International Travel Planning Policy, the Countries Subject to CU Travel Advisories webpage, and Law School policies.

The University's pre-departure requirements are presented on this Global Travel website.

The Law School requires travelers to submit a brief Pre-Departure Attestation form that, among other things, is used by the Business Office uses to determine when it can fund or reimburse travel expenses. The student form can be found here, and the form for faculty, researchers, and administrators can be found here.

Attestation forms can be submitted before exact travel dates and other arrangements have been finalized. The Business Office cannot, however, consider travel-related funding requests until receipt of your form has been acknowledged by email as "OK to Fly", which may take up to one week.

You will need to contact the Columbia International Students and Scholars Office. You can also contact their office regarding your inbound visa status.

Columbia University does not have an outbound visa office, but please see the following links for information.

* For International Students and Scholars, please see ISSO’s Visas and Travel webpage

* EmbassyPages.com lists the foreign consulates in New York City

* You can dial ‘311’ to find a Consulate (NYC Contact a Consulate)

* Columbia's Travel Management Company, World Travel (WTI) has a vendor, VisaHQ, for Visa and Passport Services. Travelers will need to enter their nationality, resident status and purpose of the trip in the user interface and there is no cost to check what documents may be required. The only time a cost is incurred is when the traveler utilizes the services of VisaHQ to process a visa, passport or any other services.

For suggestions on how to prepare for living abroad, and what to expect while there, please review the Pre-Departure Orientation.

If you are dealing with an emergency abroad, call the country's 911 equivalent listed here if emergency services are needed.

Refer to the comprehensive guidance on the University's Global Travel website.

The travel risk of an itinerary that includes one destination in a country is considered to be the risk level associated with that specific destination, even if other destinations in that country are associated with higher risk levels.

For example, if you are traveling to Capital City where the risk level is "Medium", but not traveling to Border Province where the risk level is "High", the risk level for your itinerary is "Medium".

Pre-Departure Requirements for International Travel

Office of International Programs

Related Links