International Travel Guidance and Resources
Now that many individuals in our community are vaccinated, an increasingly popular question being asked is "Can I travel internationally now?" Ultimately, the answer is: it depends. It depends on the destination, your flexibility, personal risk tolerance, and vaccination status. While a health passport, if deployed globally and recognized widely, will make travel more convenient, it will not prevent a foreign government from stopping all flights in and out, imposing stay-at-home orders to limit the spread of COVID-19, or change the course of a COVID-19 variant in another country, for example.
If desired, OGE can provide an analysis of a country, make a recommendation to you and to UM, and you can then make an informed decision on whether to travel. We are here to help!
We encourage travelers to check various sources for information on the spread of COVID-19 at the destination, entry/exit requirements, availability of COVID-19 PCR tests to return to the US, and the in-country limitations on mobility that will affect activities and the experience, such as curfews, limits on inter-city travel, museum and public building closures, etc. Please note and be prepared for any changes: authorities could tighten, reimpose, extend, ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity.
Resources:
- Embassy websites in the destination country are helpful also, even if you are a non-US citizen. US Embassy websites have COVID-19 information, including locations of clinics for the required PCR tests for a return to the US. Here is an example of the COVID-19 resources from the US Embassy in Amman, Jordan.
Destination Country Ministries of Health
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) - This program notifies the local embassy or consulate of US citizen presence abroad and provides automatic updates on news in the country/region and assistance if needed. Non-US-citizens should check their home country’s Department of State equivalent for similar safety and registration programs.
International Health and Safety Insurance - The University of Mississippi highly recommends that any UM faculty, staff, or student enroll in UM’s international health and safety insurance when traveling outside of the United States unless automatically enrolled due to participation in study abroad programs. To enroll, please email abroad@olemiss.edu. The cost is $46 per month (minimum coverage period is 30 days). Dependent coverage for spouses and children is also available at $98 per month. The AY 2020/2021 insurance policy is available for review in Box.