With spring break beginning at the end of this week, please review ISSO’s Travel Tips and Frequently Asked Questions for more information on travel best practices.
ISSO wants to bring to your attention recent reports of possible federal travel bans for entry to the United States. While news reports suggest that additional scrutiny may be applied to nationals from some countries, the specifics of any potential restrictions have not yet been confirmed and reports on the matter have varied. There is a possibility that new bans could affect countries similar to those affected in 2017 including Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen, in addition to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
We want to advise Columbia students and scholars to exercise caution when planning international travel. If you are a citizen of one of these countries, we advise you to avoid non-essential travel outside of the U.S. until more information is available. Changes in visa processing, entry requirements, and potential delays could also impact travelers’ ability to re-enter the U.S. as planned. It is very important to keep in mind that we do not have definitive information including which countries or visa categories would be affected, or the timing of any potential restrictions.
ISSO is closely monitoring the situation and will keep our community posted as things continue to evolve and as information is issued by the Department of State. If you have questions or concerns about your upcoming travel, or would like to speak to an ISSO adviser for any reason, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Our contact information can be found here. We are available via phone, Zoom or in-person appointments.
