Announcements & Advisories
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Penn’s definition of heightened-risk regions can be found here. Listed below are locations recently added to the heightened risk regions list in the last 6 months.
November 25th, 2024
South Africa: International SOS raised the risk rating for the City of Johannesburg and eThekwini from MEDIUM to HIGH due to crime and social unrest. Read more.
November 22nd, 2024
Iraq: The US Department of State has updated the travel advisory for Iraq, which remains at a "Level 4: Do Not Travel.” Due to insurance exclusions, Penn cannot provide security evacuation assistance at this time. Read more.
November 14th, 2024
Ukraine: The US Department of State has updated the travel advisory for Ukraine, which remains at a "Level 4: Do Not Travel.” Due to insurance exclusions, Penn cannot provide security evacuation assistance at this time. Read more.
September 28th, 2024
Lebanon: The US Department of State has updated the travel advisory for Lebanon, which remains at a "Level 4: Do Not Travel.” Due to insurance exclusions, Penn cannot provide security evacuation assistance at this time. Read more.
September 24th, 2024
Venezuela: The US Department of State has updated the travel advisory for Venezuela, which remains at a "Level 4: Do Not Travel.” Due to insurance exclusions, Penn cannot provide security evacuation assistance at this time. Read more.
September 18th, 2024
Haiti: The US Department of State has updated the travel advisory for Haiti, which remains at a "Level 4: Do Not Travel.” Due to insurance exclusions, Penn cannot provide security evacuation assistance at this time. Read more.
September 16, 2024
Sudan: International SOS, Penn’s travel assistance provider, has raised the overall risk rating for Sudan from "High" to "Extreme" due to the ongoing conflict that continues to expand and is unlikely to be resolved in the coming months. Read more.
May 2, 2023
As a reminder, disruptions due to COVID-19 continue to impact international travel. If you plan to travel internationally, please be prepared in the event you test positive for COVID-19 immediately before or during your trip. Travelers that test positive for COVID-19 while abroad must isolate and avoid travel in accordance with CDC guidance. Read the full announcement.
May 10, 2022
As of May 10th, 2022, CITRA will continue with the next phase of this careful, but deliberate return to Penn’s international activities, by removing all COVID-19 related restrictions on student travel.
Travelers may still require internal approval to travel from their departments, Schools/Centers, and budget leaders. Individual travelers will also be personally responsible for understanding the complex border restrictions and entry requirements of their individual itinerary. Read more.
February 17, 2022
COVID-19 continues to impact international travel. Please reference these travel recommendations for International Travel Over Spring Break.
January 4, 2022
There has been no change to the existing Penn policy regarding international travel and we remain in a restricted travel status. The Penn-Affiliated International Travel Notice from CITRA - Committee on International Travel Risk Assessment - has no current plans to rescind approval on previously approved petitions for individual or group travel. Should travel policy change, you will be immediately notified.
Utilize our destination specific coronavirus (COVID-19) testing requirements or coronavirus.upenn.edu for information & resources, up-to-date responses to questions about Penn Cares, testing, Penn Open Pass, and more.
September 7, 2021
- Faculty, Staff, and Post docs on individual travel no longer need to submit a petition.
- Registration in MyTrips is still required for all international travel.
May 18, 2021
Penn ended the COVID-19 suspension on all domestic and international Penn-affiliated travel and moved to restricted status. For all Penn-affiliated travel occurring on or after May 18th, 2021, a COVID-19 vaccination is required. This applies to both domestic and international travel, unless an exception has been granted for medical or religious reasons.
People are considered fully vaccinated:
- 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
- 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
