Export Control Guidance Regarding

International Travel

Individuals traveling internationally on university business or with university property are responsible for complying with export control laws and regulations which may restrict or prohibit some travel related activities and destinations and require licenses for others. The Research Security and Export Controls Office (RESEC) can help with these assessments to ensure institutional and individual compliance with export control requirements.

Planning a Trip Abroad?

Travelers should consider the following:
  • The purpose of their trip
  • Where they are going
  • Whom they will interact with
  • How long they will be gone
  • What they will be taking with themItems that are not needed, should not be taken
  • When they will be travellingAll foreign travel by university employees and students on university business is required to be submitted for preapproval in Emburse.

Professional Travel (and/or traveling with university-owned items)

Per TAMU SAP 21.01.03.M0.02 – Foreign Travel: All foreign travel by university employees and students on university business requires pre-approval (prior to departure). RESEC reviews all international travel preapprovals in Emburse (accessed through your SSO menu).

All international travelers are required to answer an Export Control Questionnaire at the time of submission. For more information about these questions, please visit Export Control Emburse Questionnaire Information.

Professional Travel to Countries of Concern

Professional travel (which includes traveling with university-owned equipment on a personal trip) to countries of concern must be submitted in Emburse to RESEC a minimum of 20 business days in advance of the proposed start date (of travel).  

Any required prior approval of a supervisor, department head, and or dean, must be obtained prior to RESEC review in order to facilitate meeting the required deadlines.  RESEC will review and route for necessary approvals as outlined in System Regulation 15.05.04 High Risk Global Engagements and High Risk International Collaborations. 

Loaner devices are required for all travel to a country of concern. 

Learn more about Countries of Concern

Conference Attendance

Most travel for conferences will fall under an exclusion to the export control regulations such as the Publicly Available and Public Domain exclusions (see 22 C.F.R. 120.34 and 15 C.F.R. 734.3).

To reduce the risk of potential export control violations:

  • Limit the information and technology shared at the conference to that which is already published and/or publicly available.
  • DO NOT share or take information, software, or technology that is:
    • Proprietary
    • Designated for military, space, encryption software or nuclear related applications
    • Received under a non-disclosure agreement
    • Otherwise subject to contractual restraints

Information that is published and publicly available is considered to be in the public domain:

  • Published books, periodicals, and/or information presented at a conference, meeting, seminar, trade show, or other open gathering
    • An open gathering is one in which members of the general public are eligible to attend, and attendees are permitted to take notes.

Personal Travel

Personal travel does not need to be submitted in Emburse, unless you are traveling with university owned items/equipment or for university business. If you will be traveling to a country of concern for personal reasons, please review the GA-48 Information and FAQs and submit your travel as outlined there.

If you will be traveling to a country NOT included on the country of concern list but will travel to a country of concern for personal reasons during this trip, please be aware that you cannot travel with any university owned items or conduct university business while there.

When traveling, assume no expectation of privacy.

Electronic communication may be monitored, or your mobile computing device(s) may be searched, seized, or subjected to physical loss or digital espionage.

Mobile Computing Devices 

Traveling with a laptop

Loaner Devices

Loaner devices are required if traveling to a country of concern. 
Loaner devices are strongly encouraged for all other international travel. 

Review Technology Services’ information regarding safe computing during international travel

Personal Computer

If you are unable to obtain a loaner laptop or you are taking your personal computer, ensure no confidential or sensitive information, or controlled software, technology, or information is on it.  Unpublished data are also at risk.  It is advised to only take and share information that is publicly available during your time abroad.

As a general rule, personally owned devices (laptops, tablets, etc.) should not be used to conduct university business.  For more information regarding the use of personal computers and university research, please visit the end-user device guide or email it-security@tamu.edu. 

End-User Device Guide

External Storage Devices

All external storage devices that might be used must be approved by a Technology Services representative and have appropriate security applied.  

VPN

Virtual Private Network

When traveling outside of the United States, you should always use a VPN as additional security when connecting to the internet

Review Technology Services’ information regarding VPN use during international travel

Traveling With Items

Hand Carrying Items

Hand carrying items (like research equipment) qualifies as an export and should be reviewed by RESEC prior to departure.

Export Control Questionnaire

If you find you will be traveling internationally with items you have not already submitted on your Emburse Export Control questionnaire, ensure you submit an International Shipping form for these items.

International Shipping form

Important Resources

Other Export Control Regulated Activities

Contacts

TAMU Export Controls

979-862-6419

TEES Export Controls

For international travel questions related to sponsored projects associated with TEES

AgriLife Export Controls

For international travel questions related to sponsored projects associated with AgriLife