Know how changes in the immigration environment may affect you if you’re traveling.
Travel during the ongoing COVID pandemic can be risky. Travel restrictions/bans, quarantines, and COVID vaccine requirements are possible. The U.S. Embassies and Consulates in some countries have also not yet resumed routine visa processing. If you choose to travel internationally, be prepared and plan ahead for possible delays and disruptions. Regularly review our travel alerts information, as well as the other travel resources mentioned below.
If you decide to travel, be sure that you have the required documents for travel outside the U.S. and check page 2 of your I-20 for a valid travel endorsement signature (the signature is valid for one year for enrolled students).
Non-immigrant air travelers to the United States must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the U.S., with only limited exceptions. Review the CDC Air Travel to the US Requirements for additional details.
Please consider carefully your desire to travel internationally.
Beginning January 5, there are new requirements for air passengers traveling to the United States from China, Hong Kong, or Macau, and those traveling from Seoul, Toronto, and Vancouver who have been in China, Hong Kong, or Macau in the past 10 days.
All air passengers two years and older originating from the PRC will be required to get a COVID-19 test (such as a PCR test or an antigen self-test administered and monitored by a telehealth service or a licensed provider and authorized by the Food and Drug Administration or the relevant national authority) no more than 2 days before their departure from the PRC, Hong Kong, or Macau, and show a negative test result to the airline upon departure.
For those in or transiting through affected areas, ISS recommends taking extra precautions prior to travel, such as self-quarantining, to avoid a positive COVID test result.
For students currently studying at UB please contact your academic department if you are unable to arrive for the first day of classes as late arrival may impact studies.
Effective November 8, 2021 all travelers to the U.S. will be required to be fully vaccinated with an approved U.S. FDA or WHO vaccine unless eligible for one of the few exceptions. The previous regional COVID-19 travel restrictions were revoked after President Biden issued a new Presidential Proclamation; this proclamation also discontinued use of the National Interest Exception (NIE) waiver.
The CDC order requiring vaccination also requires all travelers aged 2 years or older to travel with proof of a negative COVID-19 viral test result regardless of vaccination status.
Quarantine requirements can change as the COVID-19 situation evolves. You can read about current testing recommendations on the After International Travel CDC webpage.
Latest updates on UB specific information is available on the UB Coronavirus page.
The University at Buffalo and International Student Services welcome and support all members of our international community. We will continue to advocate for policies that do not diminish the quality of our academic community, and will work to ensure that educational opportunities are available for all students regardless of nationality.