Travel Alerts

Know how changes in the immigration environment may affect you if you’re traveling.

Travel Alerts and Warnings

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.

CDC Announces Negative COVID-19 Test Requirement from Air Passengers Entering the U.S. from the People’s Republic of China

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.

  • The requirement applies to these air passengers regardless of nationality and vaccination status
    • This will also apply to persons traveling from the PRC via third country transit and to passengers connecting through the United States onward to further destinations
    • Along with applying this requirement to direct flights from the PRC, passengers transiting Incheon International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport on their way to the United States will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test if they have been in the PRC in the last 10 days no more than 2 days before their departure to the United States.
    • Passengers who tested positive more than 10 days before the flight can provide documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in lieu of a negative test result
    • Airlines must confirm the negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery for all passengers before they board or deny boarding to the passenger.

    >Read the full update on CDC.Gov

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.

General Testing and Quarantine Requirements

Before Traveling

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. 

Additional information on testing requirements and determining if you are fully vaccinated according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines is available on the CDC Testing for International Travelers webpage.
 
Find out if you can board a flight to the US

After Arriving in the US

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.