I. General Procedure
II. Forms
III. Insurance
IV. Group Trips
V. Who should I contact?
General Procedure
1. Who must enter travel in the Travel Registry?
- All Faculty, Staff, and non-education abroad Students who are receiving University funds;
- All Faculty, Staff, and non-education abroad Students traveling internationally on University business without University funds (for example: attending a conference and all costs covered by the conference organizers, teaching on a study abroad program, research funded by a third party, international sabbaticals);
- Students traveling abroad for non-education abroad purposes sponsored by academic programs or departments. See # 2 below for clarification.
2. Do students need to enter travel in the Travel Registry?
Students receiving credit on the following types of programs do not use the Travel Registry:
- An exchange program
- Direct enrollment at a foreign institution
- An approved third-party program
- A faculty-led program
These students will use the Education Abroad module in Terra Dotta. Contact edabroad@louisville.edu with questions about education abroad.
Students traveling for the following purposes do submit trips in the Travel Registry:
- Research
- Conference attendance/presentation
- Limited for-credit experiences where the student enrolls in a course through their UofL department (medical rotations, Speed School co-ops, SPHIS practicums, etc.)
- non-credit Brown Fellow enrichment projects
3. What will happen if I do not complete the Travel Registry process before departure?
Most importantly, it is University policy for all travelers to file international travel forms. Additionally, if an emergency situation were to arise, the traveler may not be covered by worker’s compensation or the University’s liability insurance, and they will not have international travel insurance. Lastly, the traveler will not receive Provost approval and may not be reimbursed for expenses.
4. Why do I need to enter travel in the Travel Registry?
The information submitted in the Travel Registry is critical to the University’s risk management program and will allow the University to communicate with faculty, staff, and students in the event of an emergency.
5. Do I need to enter travel in the Travel Registry if I'm on sabbatical?
Yes. Employees on sabbatical are still employees of UofL, and work done during a sabbatical is university-affiliated. The Office of International Travel is still responsible for their health and safety while traveling.
6. I am a faculty/staff member. Once I have entered my travel in the Travel Registry, what are the next steps?
Once the forms have been signed by the traveler’s Department Chair and Dean (or comparable supervisors), the traveler and/or their department contact will attach the paperwork to a Travel Authorization in the T&E module on PeopleSoft. This step is obligatory, so that the Controller’s Office can keep track of who is approved to travel and is eligible for reimbursement. Contact the Controller’s Office with questions.
7. How do I know if my paperwork has been received and approved?
You can track the process in the Travel Registry. You will also receive an email upon approval.
8. Why does travel to certain countries require additional steps?
Travel to countries with a Level 2 ranking on US Department of State’s (DOS) Travel Advisory list or the CDC's Travel Alert lists require additional steps for health, safety, and legal reasons. Travel to countries with a Level 3 or 4 ranking on the DOS' or CDC's lists and countries on the Department of Treasury’s Sanctions list require additional permissions for the same reason. The additional steps are outlined in this flowchart.
9. What about countries that are under a travel alert from the DOS or are on the CDC Level 1 list?
There are no additional steps for countries under a travel alert only or are on the CDC Level 1 list.
10. Where can I find the Provost forms?
http://louisville.edu/provost/travel.
11. Where can I find instructions on how to use the Travel Registry?
Please visit the main International Travel Page.
12. Where can I find instructions and forms for faculty-led group trips?
Please visit the Faculty-led Group Trips section of this site.
13. Where can I find instructions for students traveling for non-study abroad purposes?
14. Who needs to file a passport copy with their paperwork and do you keep copies on file?
Every traveler should carry a copy of their passport with them (in a separate location from their passport!) and leave a copy with a US emergency contact in case their passport gets lost or stolen.
As of May 15, 2015, the Office of Education Abroad only requires passport copies for all student travelers. Faculty and staff are NOT required to submit a copy of their passport. Since passports are sensitive, confidential documents, the copies are shredded once the travelers return.
15. Do I need to enter travel in the Travel Registry for Puerto Rico?
No. Travelers going to a U.S. Territory (Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands) should follow domestic travel procedures. However, CISI insurance is available for purchase for these locations.
16. Do I need to enter travel in the Travel Registry for Canada?
Yes. Since Canada now requires a passport for all U.S. citizens to enter the country, the forms are also required.
17. Are there additional steps needed for travel to Mexico?
The Mexico Travel Warning is divided by state. When a Mexican state is listed as “no advisory is in effect,” no additional documentation is required.
18. I just found out that I will be traveling and my departure is sooner than 20 days. What should I do?
While we want to limit these situations as much as possible, sometimes it happens! Start entering your travel in the Travel Registry and contact Melissa Lee to explain your situation.
Forms
1. Who should I list as my department contact on the Request for Authorization for Out of Country Travel form?
You should list the person in your department who will help you navigate through the reimbursement process. This person will be copied on all pre-approval and approval messages. Do NOT list yourself.
2. Can I cross out, add comments, or edit the forms?
These forms are written in conjunction with and vetted through other offices on campus, such as the Controller’s Office, Legal, and Export Control. Please contact us if you have questions or think something in a form may not apply to you. If you make any changes to a form, it will delay the processing of your request.
3. What do I put on the “School/Department” line on the Release and Assumption of Risk form?
Travelers should indicate their department name or unit they belong to (School of Medicine, Office of the Provost, etc.).
4. What should I put on the “Program Name” line on the Release and Assumption of Risk form?
Travelers should either put the name of the activity they are participating in abroad or their general purpose (research, teaching, conference name, etc.).
5. Do you keep any forms on file?
We keep the Emergency Information sheet on file. You only have to file it once unless your emergency contact information changes.
6. On the Emergency Information sheet, who should I list as my department emergency contacts?
The first person you should list is your department chair or your supervisor if you do not have a department chair. The second can be a colleague. In many cases, travelers will list the same person their department contact from their Request for Authorization of Out of Country Travel Form.
7. Who should I list as my personal emergency contacts?
Please list someone you would be comfortable with us contacting in case of emergency who will be in the US during your trip. Please do not list someone who is traveling with you.
8. What should I do if my trip includes personal time?
In the Travel Registry, list the dates of your personal time in the section that asks for this information. We will not need to keep any flight or lodging information on file for personal travel. Please see the insurance section below for information on coverage during personal time.
If your trip is a multi-destination trip, you do not need to include the locations of personal travel. However, if your return flight departs from a different country than you have marked on your form, we may ask you to verify that you are there on personal time.
9. What kind of information are you looking for when you ask for flight and lodging information?
The Itinerary section of the Travel Registry lists all information that we need. Please note that you can add multiple flights and lodgings.
10. Why do you need my lodging information?
In case of emergency, it is important for us to have a physical address on file. In addition, we need a secondary method of contacting you. We will always email first.
Insurance
1. I have medical insurance through the University. Why am I required to have CISI?
The travel insurance offered through MetLife is minimal and must be arranged through AXA. It includes limited emergency medical insurance but not political or natural disaster evacuation or repatriation of remains. It is only valid for 120 days; for longer trips such as sabbaticals, coverage would cease after this period.
2. What does CISI cover?
Coverage information and CISI FAQs.
3. Where/How can I enroll in CISI?
Travelers can enroll in CISI here.
4. What are CISI rates?
Currently, there is no cost to travelers or their departments for CISI. However, travelers still need to enroll to be covered.
5. Will CISI cover my personal time?
No. The traveler is required to be covered for their flights to and from their destination and the time they will be “working,” but not for personal time. Additional personal coverage is available once a traveler is enrolled in CISI.
6. If something happens and I need to use my insurance, what should I do?
You will receive a confirmation email once your CISI enrollment has been processed. As part of that email, you will have a printable card and access to the CISI application available through your phone’s app store.
CISI should be your first line of contact when you need help abroad. When it is a non-emergency situation such as a cold, you could seek care first, then call the number on your card to open a case, or you can call them up front. There are claim forms found on the website for when you pay out of pocket: https://www.culturalinsurance.com/louisville/
Please note that if you do not notify CISI of your situation or disregard their counsel, there is no guarantee of coverage. For example, if you have to fly home due to a family emergency, this travel must be arranged through CISI.
When possible and appropriate, please email Elizabeth Liebschutz-Roettger, Manager of Global Initiatives and Partnerships, and fasit@louisville.edu to make us aware of your situation. In some cases we can help coordinate state-side as time differences may prove problematic.
7. When the CISI registration information asks for “country of origin”, what does that mean?
In this case, “country of origin” refers to which country’s passport you are carrying, not the country from which your plane departs.
Group Trips
If you are interested in setting up a new non-credit Faculty-led Group Trip, please contact us. You can also see instructions on how to create a Group Trip in the Travel Registry here.
1. What are some responsibilities of the faculty lead?
i. Before departure:
- Check to be sure that the country where you are traveling is not on the Travel Warning list, the CDC Level 2 & 3 Travel Alert list, or the Sanctions list. (See # 3 below for further instructions).
- Notify both your department and Melissa Lee as early in the planning process as possible to ensure you follow all departmental and UofL policies.
- Ensure all required documentation is received in the Travel Registry for all travelers on the trip 30 days prior to departure.
- Meet with students 2-3 times, including at least one detailed, mandatory orientation session.
- Other duties as required by your department/college/unit. This list provides an overview only.
ii. During the trip:
- The Faculty lead is an active role. They should oversee all aspects of the students’ academic progress, health, and safety while abroad.
- Be near and available to students 24/7.
- Follow procedure outlined in #2 in case of emergency. Faculty lead(s) may be held liable if the procedure is not followed.
- Other duties as necessary. This list provides an overview only.
2. What should I do in case of emergency abroad?
The International Travel Crisis Management Protocol includes detailed information on how situations should be handled. It also details what is an emergency and what is not. Faculty leads should read and follow the policy, which includes:
- Contact CISI on behalf of a student in cases of medical and mental health emergencies.
- Contact the University.
The fastest way to inform the university is to call DPS +011-1-502-852-6111. Then, email Elizabeth Liebschutz-Roettger, Manager of Global Initiatives and Partnerships, and cc: fasit@louisville.edu and your department chair/contact(s).
- If the emergency situation involves a student, a faculty/staff lead or other designated responsible party must stay with the student, while securing the safety of the other students in the group.
3. What should I do when the country is on the Travel Warning list, CDC Level 2 & 3 Travel Alert list, or Sanctions list?
- CDC Level 3 countries: Per university policy, students are prohibited from traveling to CDC Level 3 countries.
- Travel Warning or CDC Level 2 countries: Additional documentation is needed. Contact Melissa Lee as soon as you know you are traveling to the country.
- Sanctions list countries: Contact Allison Ratterman as soon as possible to see if you need a license.
4. What happens if my group leaves without Provost approval?
Most importantly, it is university policy for all travelers to file international travel forms. Additionally, if an emergency situation were to arise, the International Center would not have the information they need to contact the travelers, the faculty/staff lead(s) may not be covered by worker’s compensation or the university’s liability insurance, and students may not have the necessary international travel insurance. The lead could be held liable for any student emergency or consequences from missing information in the International Center. Lastly, the group leader may not be reimbursed for expenses.
Who should I contact?
Melissa Lee
Forms
General procedures
General status questions
CDC Level 2 questions
Dr. Paul Hofmann
Travel Warning/ CDC Level 3 Countries
Group trip planning resources
Emergencies while abroad
CISI coverage or policy questions
Controller’s Office
Reimbursements
T&E module in PeopleSoft
Allison Ratterman, Director of Export and Secure Research Compliance
Travel to U.S. Department of Treasury Sanctions List Countries
Education Abroad Service Account
Students who are unsure if their experience qualifies as education abroad
Still have questions? Send us an email or call our front desk at 852-0374.