International Travel Resources
Topics
Protocol for Faculty & Staff International Travel
- Education Abroad Faculty Director Handbook
- US Department of State Smart traveler Enrollment
- Special Considerations for Foreign Nationals (non-US passport holders)
- Import/Export Control Notice
- IT Travel Security Notification
- Cell Phones & International Voice/Data Plans
- Insurance Plan Cost
- Insurance Enrollment Process
- Immunization Note
International Faculty Travel Grants
If you have additional questions related to faculty/staff travel abroad, then you can contact OIP at international@charlotte.edu or 704-687-7755.
Protocol for Faculty, Staff & Graduate Student International Travel
OIP collects information regarding faculty/staff travels to identify the University’s connection with various countries. Faculty/staff engaged in professionally-related international travel are strongly encouraged to notify the Office of International Programs regarding their travel plans by contacting us at international@charlotte.edu. Furthermore, if you wish, OIP may contact you pending your destination to provide information regarding UNC Charlotte initiatives associated with a particular country/university/alumni group. A listing of UNC Charlotte and overseas university agreements is online at https://oip.charlottewp.psapp.dev/resources/international-links.
As faculty/staff, if you are interested in taking UNC Charlotte students with you on your overseas trip and you have not yet coordinated your work with the Office of Education Abroad, then the OEA staff should be notified immediately. Note: Any UNC Charlotte student participating with faculty/staff on a trip, regardless of whether the student’s participation is or is not for academic credit (e.g., conference attendance, site visit, etc.), must be registered with OEA. You can contact OEA at edabroad@charlotte.edu or 704-687-7747.
Graduate students conducting overseas travel indepedently are required to purchase international insurance regardless of the purpose of travel: conference presentation, research, or others. Like the registration, the insurance purchase must be handled by the Office of Education Abroad (OEA). Please find the information about how to purchase international travel insurance on OEA’s website.
Education Abroad Faculty Director Handbook
UNC Charlotte faculty members who are leading short-term study abroad options for students will receive a copy of the Faculty Director Handbook from the Office of Education Abroad (OEA) as part of the orientation process for program leadership. Essential information and preparatory resources are provided in the handbook for faculty leading programs.
US Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment
Faculty/staff are advised to register with the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) prior to their trip and to read the general international travel information at the U.S. Department of State’s travel website.
Special Considerations for Foreign Nationals
If you do not have a US passport, then in addition to the general guideline recommendations noted for faculty and staff travel, you must also be aware of special considerations regarding your travel. Below are a few factors to keep in mind for Foreign Nationals (FN). Prior to committing to any international travel, FNs are strongly encouraged to contact the International Student and Scholar Office at intlsso@charlotte.edu or 704-687-7781.
Entry to other countries:
Remember that each country has its own visa requirements. FNs should check with the embassy or consulate of the country they intend to visit to determine the visa expectations based on your passport country. Obtaining entry visas can require long lead times and may involve visiting or sending a passport to one of the U.S. based embassies for processing.
Re-entry to the United States:
The authority to approve or deny entry rests with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. Foreign nationals are required to have valid visas, appropriate to their current status, in order to be considered eligible to re-enter the United States. They must also have a valid passport. Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond the entry date. Additional documentation and restrictions may apply depending on specific visa type.
If the FN has changed visa status while in the United States they will need to obtain a new visa, have a valid advance parole document, or been granted a permanent resident card (i.e., green card).
Taxation:
Length of time inside the United States is one factor that determines a FN’s tax status. If a faculty member has a question about the effect of any travel on tax status, especially extended travel, s/he should communicate with the UNC Charlotte Tax Office within the Controller’s Office. Contact information is available online at http://finance.charlottewp.psapp.dev/about-us/controllers-office/tax-office.
Import/Export Control Notice
Certain federal laws and policies cover the import/export regulations the University must comply with when faculty/staff travel to certain countries. Any faculty/staff member traveling should review the US Department of the Treasury’s list of sanctioned and/or embargoed countries to determine if his/her destination is listed at http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Pages/Programs.aspx.
If the country of destination is listed, then the traveler should read the UNC Charlotte Office of Research and Economic Development’s information on Export Control located at https://research.charlottewp.psapp.dev/departments/office-research-compliance-orc/export-control.
Questions about how one’s travel may be impacted by export control should be addressed to the Export Control Office immediately to insure UNC Charlotte is in compliance with all federal policies governing this issue. For consultation call 704-687-1877 or visit the Export Control site at https://research.charlottewp.psapp.dev/departments/office-research-compliance-orc/export-control.
Before traveling overseas, it is advisable to contact your cell phone provider to identify coverage available to you in-country. In general most faculty/staff participating in an extended out-of-country visit (e.g., more than 14~21 days) will want to purchase an inexpensive cellular phone in their destination country. Information about the registration process for University-owned electronic devices and details about the UNC Charlotte cell phone and voice/data plans are provided below.
IT Travel Security Notification
Any University-owned electronic equipment that will be taken with you on an overseas trip should be registered prior to departure. The process must be completed with the Export Control Office once annually. The form is available online at https://research.charlottewp.psapp.dev/departments/office-research-compliance-orc/export-control.
Cell Phones & International Voice/Data Plans
While faculty members and staff often bring their personal cell phones with them abroad, it is important to be aware of guidelines issued by the Department of Travel & Complex Payments regarding reimbursement before doing so. Travel & Complex Payments, a unit within the Controller’s Office, has regulations which prohibit the reimbursement of international plan expenses that are not of a business nature to a personal cell phone or PDA. The expense for an entire international plan cannot be reimbursed if it is added to an existing cell phone plan: only business-related calls are eligible for reimbursement.
Per policy, the only expenses that can be reimbursed are calls that are business-related, meaning that in order to be eligible for reimbursement, faculty and staff would have to track incoming and outgoing business-related calls on a particular form used by Travel & Complex Payments. Data usage fees cannot be reimbursed, as there is no way to track what is business-related versus personal. General information about Travel & Complex Payments and contact details are online at http://finance.charlottewp.psapp.dev/about-us/controllers-office/travel-complex-payments.
For these reasons, the Office of International Programs recommends that faculty and staff purchase an inexpensive in-country “top up” phone upon arrival abroad if they wish to have cellular access. Please use the link above to contact Financial Services for clarification on the policy.
Most insurance policies do not provide special coverage to protect travelers while overseas. For example, medical evacuation services, non-network provider services, repatriation of remains, etc. are not usually included in a standard US insurance policy. You can review your insurance policy coverage to determine overseas coverage.
If you decide to obtain University insurance coverage for international business travel, then UNC Charlotte faculty/staff can currently enroll in an international insurance policy, State of North Carolina International Business Travel Accident & Sickness Program. The State of North Carolina International Business Travel Accident & Sickness Program is intended for faculty/staff representing UNC Charlotte on official university business (i.e., attending a conference, site visit, etc).
The policy has the option of coverage for your traveling spouse and/or dependents. The most recent pricing and insurance information is provided below. Details on the insurance enrollment process also follow.
Insurance Plan Cost Information (August 2022 – July 2023)*
International Business Travel Accident & Sickness Program
| Participant (Age 0-69) | $3.90/day |
| Participant & Spouse (Age 0-69) | $7.80/day |
| Participant & Family (Age 0-69 w/ one child) | $11.70/day |
| Participant & Children (Age 0-69 w/ $3.90 per additional child) | $7.80/day |
*Prices are set annually, and are updated on August 1 of each year.
Insurance Enrollment Process
If you wish to purchase insurance, please contact the OIP Finance Team (oipfinance-group@charlotte.edu). The following information is required to process the request. If you are requesting coverage for a spouse or dependents then be certain to include the requested information for every person included in your coverage request.
Business travel insurance requests take up to 2 weeks to process. Submissions must be made at least two (2) weeks prior to the travel departure date.
Please have the following information ready, as it will be required to complete the International Insurance Enrollment Form.
Required Information
- Name as it appears on passport
- Date of birth
- Dates of coverage (departure date & return date)
- Destination country(ies)
- Business purpose
- Method of payment – Faculty/staff have the option to pay for the insurance in one of the following manners:
- Cash
- Check (payable to UNC Charlotte)
- Interdepartmental transfer or provide a fund # (if department will cover the expense)
- To arrange payment, contact the OIP Finance Team at oipfinance-group@charlotte.edu.
For general questions/concerns regarding international insurance coverage, please contact OIP Finance Team at 704-687-8972 or oipfinance-group@charlotte.edu.
Immunization Note
Insurance policies differ regarding coverage of immunizations. Check online to determine if any immunization measures are necessary based on your travel plans. Keep in mind that health conditions around the world vary widely.
Information about immunization is available through several sources. Two key sites regarding current alerts or immunization requirements include the Department of State and Center for Disease Control.
- U.S. Department of State http://travel.state.gov/
- Center for Disease Control http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/
The following sites also have helpful information regarding immunizations.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/
- U.S. Customs and Immigration Service www.uscis.gov
- Embassies http://embassy-finder.com/
Exchange/ Partnership Interest
Over the years, UNC Charlotte and the UNC System have established numerous relationship agreements around the world. While visiting another country, you may become interested in exploring the possibility of establishing a relationship between UNC Charlotte and a particular institution. A listing of active partnerships as well as details on the process for exploring establishment of agreement is online at https://oip.charlottewp.psapp.dev/resources/international-links. Questions about or interest in partnerships can be addressed to the Office of International Programs at international@charlotte.edu or 704-687-7755.
There are numerous resources available to provide insight to your destination country before your travels. Whether planning last-minute or in advance, you can obtain information to help you be informed. Below are several resources.
The GoinGlobal site has country-specific information for more than 27 countries including information about: embassy listings, financial considerations, work permits/visas, cultural advice and other career-related resources (e.g., resume/CV guidelines, professional/social networking, top companies).
Furthermore, if you register with the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) then you will automatically receive country-specific information related to your destination country. Country information is also available via the U.S. Department of State’s travel website.