Dear U-M Community Member,
As travel conditions continue to change globally, this detailed email filled with important
resources is designed to provide guidance and tips for those planning to travel
internationally during the break between academic terms and for those traveling during
the upcoming Winter term.
Before You Travel Abroad
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Get vaccinated or get a COVID-19 booster shot wherever available to you.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend traveling
internationally until you are fully vaccinated. Getting the booster shot can also
help protect you against new variants, including omicron. You can receive the
shot on campus at walk-in appointments Dec. 10 and 13, or you can make an
appointment at University Health Service, Michigan Medicine or at local
pharmacies. If you are not fully vaccinated, there are additional
recommendations to follow before, during and after travel. -
Register your travel with U-M. Our goal is to quickly and accurately locate
U-M travelers in case of an emergency. We can only do so if travelers share their
trip information in the registry. Students who applied for programs through M-
Compass are already registered and need not take any further action. -
Review the Considerations for Planning International Travel During COVID-19 document. This resource covers considerations useful to any traveler going
abroad, including understanding requirements to enter a country, choosing
housing, providing an overview of requirements for U-M Related Travel, and
listing resources. -
Verify you meet the entry requirements for your travel destination(s), and
for all flight transfer locations. Entry requirements can change at any time and
may include showing proof of a specific type of negative COVID-19 test, showing
proof of being fully vaccinated, completing passenger locator forms, downloading
certain public health apps and possibly quarantining upon arrival. Visit the U.S.
Embassy COVID-19 Information page of your destination(s), which provides an
overview requirements and links to the host country’s entry requirement
websites. -
Identify suitable COVID-19 testing. Travelers should schedule COVID-19
testing that meets the timetable and testing type of their destination. Travelers
should consider the time a testing site is open (including holidays and
weekends), as well as the timeframe for receiving test results. To locate
suitable testing sites, visit the University Health Service COVID-19 Testing for
International Travelers page, which recommends appropriate testing through
UHS, or visit the Washtenaw County and the Michigan statewide
websites. Testing through the Community Sampling and Tracking Program also is
an option. -
Ensure you are covered by U-M’s Travel Abroad Health Insurance,
GeoBlue. For international personal/leisure travel, all students, faculty and staff
can individually purchase Worldwide GeoBlue (Leisure Plan) insurance.
Faculty and staff traveling internationally for UM-Related Travel are covered
under the university’s blanket travel abroad health insurance policy with
Worldwide GeoBlue (Business Plan). Faculty and staff may access an
insurance card after registering travel on the U-M Travel Registry and then
registering to use the GeoBlue Member Website.
Students traveling for UM-Related Travel must have GeoBlue for the
duration of travel. Students may purchase travel abroad health insurance
individually, but students on UM-managed study abroad can also check with
their study abroad advisor to see whether their program or department is
purchasing the insurance on their behalf.
Note that while GeoBlue is a first-rate health insurance plan, it is not travel
insurance and does not cover costs related to non-medically necessary
quarantine, travel disruptions or COVID-19 testing. See GeoBlue & COVID-19:
What To Know Before You Travel for details.
Returning to the U.S.
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Follow CDC guidelines for returning to the U.S. from abroad. All travelers
flying to the U.S. will need to receive a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of
vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into
the United States. You must show your negative result to the airline before you
board your flight; you will also be required to confirm that the information you
present is true in the form of an attestation.
Alternatively, travelers to the U.S. may provide documentation from a licensed
health care provider of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days
preceding travel. The CDC Travel Assessment has more information about what
you will need to board a flight to the U.S. The CDC has also posted a Test and
Vaccination Documentation Requirements FAQ with detailed information about
acceptable tests. Visit the U.S. Embassy COVID-19 Information page of your
destination for testing sites abroad. -
If you are an international student, scholar or employee at U-M (i.e.: not a U.S.
citizen or permanent resident), in addition to having a negative COVID-19 test,
you also are required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19
before you travel by air to the U.S. from a foreign country. Details about predeparture testing timelines, country-based restrictions and exceptions and other
announcements are on the U-M International Center website. -
Be prepared to stay abroad longer than expected and account for possible
quarantine and travel disruption costs. Almost every country, including the
U.S., requires travelers to provide a negative COVID-19 test to enter their
country. If a traveler tests positive for COVID-19 before boarding their return
flight (or at any other time while abroad), they will be required to quarantine
according to that country’s local public health guidelines. It’s also possible that a
traveler could get “stuck” abroad because of airport closures or flight
cancellations.
Travelers should develop financial contingency plans since the GeoBlue travel
abroad health insurance does not cover the cost of quarantine or travel
disruptions. Travelers should also prepare to be flexible, since staying abroad
longer than expected may impact their ability to meet academic, work or other
obligations in the U.S.
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Follow best practices for remaining healthy while traveling and returning to
campus. See the CDC How to Protect Yourself & Others for details. These include:- Wear a face covering when around others and in any indoor setting.
- Keep a physical distance of 6 feet between you and others.
- Monitor your health daily and seek care if feeling sick.
- Wash your hands frequently and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
We wish you a safe and healthy journey wherever your travels may take you.
Sincerely,
Valeria Bertacco, Vice Provost for Engaged Learning
Office of the Provost
Robert Ernst, Associate Vice President for Student Life
Director of Campus COVID Response
Patrick Morgan, Chief International Travel Safety Officer
Office of the Provost