COVID-19 Related Travel Guidelines and Procedures
Starting May 18th, 2021
Penn will end the COVID-19 suspension on all domestic and international Penn-affiliated travel and move to restricted status.
As the University resumes strategic research and academic activities and adjustments are made to CDC country risk levels and local travel guidance, more Penn-affiliated travel opportunities will become available in the US and abroad. As of May 18th, 2021, Penn will lift the travel suspension and move to restricted travel guidelines for travel occurring on or after May 18th, 2021 and until further notice.
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
Choose Travel Type
NOTE: Penn-affiliated group travel will be permitted starting July 1st, 2021. Group Travel is defined as a group of 5 individuals (of any combination of faculty, students, staff or post-docs) or more following the same itinerary upon arrival at the destination.
Individual Travel
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Faculty, staff and students* may travel domestically** or to countries rated CDC Level 1 and Level 2 without a petition.
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All travelers are required to submit a petition for travel to countries rated CDC Level 3 and Level 4.
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All Penn-affiliated international travel must be registered in MyTrips.
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Travelers are expected to make themselves aware and abide by all state, local, tribal, and territorial government restrictions in the destination and upon return to Penn’s campus, which may include quarantine and/or COVID-19 testing. Travelers must also follow local directives regarding social distancing, face coverings, and other health and safety precautions.
A Note for Non-Vaccinated Individuals
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Non-vaccinated faculty, staff, and students should reach out to travelsafety@pobox.upenn.edu for additional guidance.
* Undergraduate students traveling to international locations with high/extreme security risk, please contact us to determine the risk level and subsequent procedures.
** Domestic travel includes travel within the country where you currently and usually reside. Those with pre-arranged plans to return home for the summer may travel domestically within their home country following the guidelines outlined above.
Contact us if you have additional questions regarding this guidance.
Group Travel
Penn-affiliated group travel will be permitted starting July 1st, 2021. Group Travel is defined as a group of 5 or more individuals (of any combination of faculty, students*, staff or post-docs) following the same itinerary upon arrival at the destination.
-
Groups* may travel domestically** or to countries rated CDC Level 1 and Level 2 without a petition.
-
Groups are required to submit a petition for travel to countries rated CDC Level 3 and Level 4.
-
All Penn-affiliated international travel must be registered in MyTrips.
-
Groups are expected to make themselves aware and abide by all state, local, tribal, and territorial government restrictions in the destination and upon return to Penn’s campus, which may include quarantine and/or COVID-19 testing. Groups must also follow local directives regarding social distancing, face coverings, and other health and safety precautions.
A Note for Non-Vaccinated Individuals on Group Trips
-
Non-vaccinated faculty, staff, and students should reach out to travelsafety@pobox.upenn.edu for additional guidance.
-
Schools, centers, and group leaders may not question the vaccination status of their group participants.
* Undergraduate students traveling to international locations with high/extreme security risk, please contact us to determine the risk level and subsequent procedures.
** Domestic travel includes travel within the country where you currently and usually reside. Those with pre-arranged plans to return home for the summer may travel domestically within their home country following the guidelines outlined above.
Contact us if you have additional questions regarding this guidance.
Individual Travel
-
Faculty, staff and students* may travel domestically** or to countries rated CDC Level 1 and Level 2 without a petition.
-
All travelers are required to submit a petition for travel to countries rated CDC Level 3 and Level 4.
-
All Penn-affiliated international travel must be registered in MyTrips.
-
Travelers are expected to make themselves aware and abide by all state, local, tribal, and territorial government restrictions in the destination and upon return to Penn’s campus, which may include quarantine and/or COVID-19 testing. Travelers must also follow local directives regarding social distancing, face coverings, and other health and safety precautions.
A Note for Non-Vaccinated Individuals
-
Non-vaccinated faculty, staff, and students should reach out to travelsafety@pobox.upenn.edu for additional guidance.
* Undergraduate students traveling to international locations with high/extreme security risk, please contact us to determine the risk level and subsequent procedures.
** Domestic travel includes travel within the country where you currently and usually reside. Those with pre-arranged plans to return home for the summer may travel domestically within their home country following the guidelines outlined above.
Contact us if you have additional questions regarding this guidance.
Group Travel
Penn-affiliated group travel will be permitted starting July 1st, 2021. Group Travel is defined as a group of 5 or more individuals (of any combination of faculty, students*, staff or post-docs) following the same itinerary upon arrival at the destination.
-
Groups* may travel domestically** or to countries rated CDC Level 1 and Level 2 without a petition.
-
Groups are required to submit a petition for travel to countries rated CDC Level 3 and Level 4.
-
All Penn-affiliated international travel must be registered in MyTrips.
-
Groups are expected to make themselves aware and abide by all state, local, tribal, and territorial government restrictions in the destination and upon return to Penn’s campus, which may include quarantine and/or COVID-19 testing. Groups must also follow local directives regarding social distancing, face coverings, and other health and safety precautions.
A Note for Non-Vaccinated Individuals on Group Trips
-
Non-vaccinated faculty, staff, and students should reach out to travelsafety@pobox.upenn.edu for additional guidance.
-
Schools, centers, and group leaders may not question the vaccination status of their group participants.
* Undergraduate students traveling to international locations with high/extreme security risk, please contact us to determine the risk level and subsequent procedures.
** Domestic travel includes travel within the country where you currently and usually reside. Those with pre-arranged plans to return home for the summer may travel domestically within their home country following the guidelines outlined above.
Contact us if you have additional questions regarding this guidance.
Penn Travel Guidelines and Procedures apply to Penn-affiliated (outbound) travel only. Inbound travel is NOT considered Penn-affiliated and therefore does not fall under the purview of Penn Travel Guidelines and Procedures, nor is it managed through Penn Global, International Risk Management, or CTRA.
If you have questions about inbound travel to Penn, visit the COVID-19 Travel Updates for further guidance.
All domestic and international Penn-affiliated travel occurring prior to May 18, 2021 is suspended.
During the travel suspension Penn developed a travel criteria matrix to help Penn travelers understand if they are able to travel. Depending on the severity of the pandemic at the destination and on the traveler’s role within the University (faculty, staff, post-doc, graduate or undergraduate student), the traveler may be able to apply for authorization to travel. Please note that this guidance pertains to all domestic and international Penn-affiliated travel with an overnight stay prior to May 18th, 2021. Day trips that do not involve an overnight stay do not require authorization to travel or registration of travel.
The table below outlines the criteria used to categorize each country and its associated travel stage for trips departing prior to May 18th, 2021. In order to find out how a particular country is categorized using Penn’s travel criteria below, please refer to the CDC risk level and US Department of State travel advisory level for that country.
