International travel

General Information

Traveling overseas with high tech equipment, confidential, unpublished, or proprietary information or data may require an export license depending on your travel destination. Federal export and sanctions regulations prohibit the unlicensed export of specific items, software, technology, services and financial transactions to or from certain countries, entities and individuals for reasons of national security, foreign policy or protection of trade. University employees are required to comply with United States export and sanctions regulations when traveling abroad.

Before you travel

Before you travel review the information below and work with your location Export Control Officer for license, license exception, export declaration review and advice for items, information or software to be hand-carried, sent or shipped internationally as well as services, based on the item, information, user, destination and value.

Controlled items and software

Consult the following and work with your location Export Control Officer to determine if any items or software you plan to send, ship or hand-carry internationally, will require a license:

Controlled technology

The following categories of information may require an export license:

  • Controlled Unclassified, Export Controlled, Limited Distribution, Proprietary, Confidential, or Sensitive and information or data received under a non-disclosure agreement
  • Military, intelligence, space, encryption software, or nuclear related applications
  • Data or information that results from a project with contractual constraints on the dissemination of the research results
  • Computer software received with restrictions on export to or on access by non-US Persons

Restricted parties

Conduct Restricted Party Screening (RPS) to determine if the individuals or entities with whom you desire to do business are on any government issued restricted or denied party lists. University of California faculty and staff have access to Visual Compliance software which combines these government lists into one easy screening tool. Click here to sign up for Visual Compliance tool. Or contact your location Export Control Officer for assistance. If you determine that your activity involves an entity on one of these federal lists, please contact your location Export Control Officer for assistance. More details on working with restricted parties.

Sanctions programs

Consider U.S. sanctions programs. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury administers economic and trade sanctions against specific countries, individuals and entities. These trade sanctions programs apply to University activities. Comprehensively sanctioned countries include: Cuba, Iran, N. Korea, Syria and the Crimean region of Ukraine. More information about OFAC.

International field work

Research projects where any part of the research will take place outside the U.S. (e.g., field work outside the U.S.) may not qualify under the Fundamental Research Exclusion and may be subject to export controls. For assistance, contact your location Export Control Officer.

International consulting

Providing professional consulting services overseas may require an export license, and providing professional consulting services to sanctioned countries (e.g., Cuba, Iran, N. Korea, Syria and the Crimean region of Ukraine) is, in most cases, strictly prohibited.

During travel

Presentations and discussions must be limited to topics that are not related to controlled commodities, software, or technology unless that information is already published or otherwise already in the public domain.

After travel

Based on your experiences, contact your campus:

  • Risk management office and share with them your perspective on safety and security issues during your trip
  • Administrative research leadership, export control or research compliance to discuss questions about safeguarding your research and compliance requirements.

Tools for international travel