International Travel Review Process Update

As faculty and staff re-engage with international travel, ISP’s Office for Global Health, Safety and Security would like to share these important reminders and resources regarding MSU’s international travel processes and procedures. Please share this information widely with your college and don’t hesitate to contact our office with any questions.

MSU is continuing to review all international travel proposals on a case-by-case basis. However, with the high campus COVID-19 vaccination rate and many international borders starting to reopen, the provost, associate provost and dean of ISP, and the university physician have approved streamlining the review process for most international travelers. Travel requests for faculty, staff and guests no longer require additional review by the Faculty and Staff Travel Review (FASTR) committee, unless the traveler is unvaccinated or the destination is considered high-risk for non-COVID safety and/or security reasons.

PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES FOR FACULTY AND STAFF

For faculty, staff, and sponsored guests traveling on official MSU international travel, please review the international travel waiver processmanaged by ISP’s  Office for Global Health, Safety and Security. 

STEP 1—MAU APPROVAL: 

1. The traveler fills out and submits the MAU Form to their dean, associate dean or relevant MAU administrator for approval.
2. Once the MAU Form is signed, the traveler must submit an online International Travel Waiver Request detailing their health and safety plan.  

STEP 2—REVIEW:

1.      Following the submission process, ISP’s Office for Global Health, Safety and Security will review the request, focusing on the country’s COVID-19 and security risk factors.

•        Non–higher-risk: Vaccinated travelers will receive approval notification.

•    Higher-risk: The travel request will be referred to FASTR for full review. This includes travel to high-risk destinations and/or travel by unvaccinated individuals.

2.      ISP’s Office for Global Health, Safety and Security will email the traveler detailing next steps specific to the travel in the follow-up communications, including:

1.      Registration in MSU’s Global Travel Registry

2.      Resources regarding international health and travel insurance

3.      Acknowledgement of Risk Form

4.      Options for supplemental trip interruption insurance to offset quarantines or trip interruptions

Please refer to the Office for Global Health, Safety and Security for additional detail regarding the review process, higher-risk travel and a tip sheet. 

STUDENT TRAVEL  

For details regarding travel with Education Abroad programs, please refer to the COVID-19 Guidance for EA Programs and the Office for Education Abroad.

Students on non-Education Abroad travel should follow the initial steps in the waiver review process above. Their travel may be subject to additional review by the Risk and Security Assessment Committee (RSAC).

STAYING UPDATED

ISP’s Office for Global Health, Safety and Security is in regular contact with RSAC and FASTR leadership to ensure these processes and procedures are updated according to MSU’s COVID-19 guidance, as well as federal guidance. Regular updates will be posted at:globalsafety.msu.edu/covidintl. 

If you’d like to receive an email when international travel procedures are updated, please  sign up for our mailing list .

Questions can be directed to Elke Schmidt, coordinator for the Office for Global Health, Safety and Security, globalsafety@msu.edu.