International Travel Requirements
SMU maintains international travel risk ratings of Negligible, Low, Medium, High, and Critical. Risk ratings are based on multiple factors, including health and security conditions, sanctions and embargoes, counterintelligence concerns, insurance requirements, and other institutional risk considerations.
All university-sponsored international travel must be registered through the University's travel registry.
High and Critical Risk Destinations
Countries designated as High Risk or Critical Risk may be elevated due to one or more of the following risk factors:
- Health and security conditions
- Corruption concerns
- Embargoes and sanctions
- Counterintelligence concerns
- Insurance restrictions or underwriting requirements
- Other institutional risk considerations
In SMU's travel risk framework, Critical Risk countries generally include destinations where insurance coverage is restricted or excluded, while High Risk countries generally include destinations requiring insurer review, broker review, sanctions review, regulatory review, or other enhanced scrutiny before travel can proceed.
The requirements and restrictions applicable to travel in High Risk and Critical Risk destinations differ for faculty and staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students and are summarized below.
View the current risk ratings: Country List
Travelers should submit travel registrations and any exception requests at least 60 days prior to departure to allow sufficient time for required review, briefings, insurance coordination, export control screening, and International Oversight Committee (IOC) consideration.
Health and Security
- May be required to sign an informed consent and release.
- May receive health and safety information relevant to the destination.
Corruption
- Will receive information regarding applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption requirements.
- Must comply with all applicable university policies and disclosure requirements.
Embargoes and Sanctions
- Travel is prohibited.
- Exceptions must receive approval from the IOC, in consultation with the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC).
- RIC will be notified upon travel registration.
- If approved, the traveler must complete a pre-travel briefing.
Counterintelligence
If the traveler conducts, performs, or assists with federally funded research, the traveler must complete pre-travel and post-travel counterintelligence briefings, even when traveling in support of a non-federally funded project.
Health and Security
- Travel is prohibited.
- Travel may be permitted only in compelling circumstances with approval from the IOC.
- Must sign an informed consent and release.
- May receive health and safety information relevant to the destination.
Corruption
- No additional requirements beyond standard university travel requirements.
Embargoes and Sanctions
- Travel is prohibited.
- Exceptions must receive approval from the IOC, in consultation with the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC).
- RIC will be notified upon travel registration.
- If approved, the traveler must complete a pre-travel briefing.
Counterintelligence
If the traveler conducts, performs, or assists faculty or staff with federally funded research, the traveler must complete pre-travel and post-travel counterintelligence briefings, even when traveling in support of a non-federally funded project.
Health and Security
- Travel is prohibited.
- Travel may be permitted only in compelling circumstances with approval from the IOC.
- The student, and in some cases a parent or guardian, must sign an informed consent and release.
- May receive health and safety information relevant to the destination.
Corruption
- No additional requirements beyond standard university travel requirements.
Embargoes and Sanctions
- Travel is prohibited.
- Exceptions must receive approval from the IOC, in consultation with the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC).
- RIC will be notified upon travel registration.
- If approved, the traveler must complete a pre-travel briefing.
Counterintelligence
If the traveler conducts, performs, or assists faculty or staff with federally funded research, the traveler must complete pre-travel and post-travel counterintelligence briefings, even when traveling in support of a non-federally funded project.