Updated April 9, 2021
The Coronavirus University Restart Team (CURT) has updated the guidance for travel, effective April 1, 2021. These guidelines are changing as circumstances of the pandemic improve and additional New York State guidance is distributed, but will be reviewed at the end of the spring semester.
Broadly, all University travelers—students, faculty and staff—regardless of destination or origin, are required to follow the current New York State travel requirements. Currently, New York state strongly encourages domestic travelers to quarantine upon their return, but quarantining is no longer a state requirement after April 1, and there is no longer a list of restricted states—contiguous or non-contiguous. However, domestic travelers do still need to complete New York State’s Traveler Health Form and should also follow all the requirements of the state they are traveling to.
All international travel—with the exception of ground travel to and from Canada—does still require a quarantine and completion of the Traveler Health Form under current New York State guidelines. We anticipate these guidelines may be updated in response to recent CDC guidance related to vaccinated travelers, so we suggest monitoring the state rules for updates. Everyone traveling internationally—either during or after the spring semester—should review the entry requirements of the destination and considerations for an intended return to the US. For instance, some countries now require evidence of a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival. If your visa has expired, your return trip could be delayed as many US Consular offices remain closed or with limited services available (look up visa wait times by location). Additionally, travelers from certain areas are subject to US entry restrictions, which can change with little notice (see State Department’s summary of coronavirus travel proclamations and national interest exceptions). The decision to travel internationally always carries some risk and is more complex during the COVID-19 pandemic. Undergraduate students on visas sponsored by the University should contact the International Services Office (ISO) prior to travel to secure any needed travel authorizations for visa purposes.
Find additional guidance relevant to you below.