International Travel

Planning on traveling internationally?

Please complete the "ITQ" survey below at least 10 business days before to your international travel. See additional instruction via the 'International Travel Guidance' section below.

ITQ's are necessary for each instance of int'l travel when meeting any of the following:

  • VUMC Business-related international travel, or
  • VUMC funded/paid international travel (including Grant-funding received/processed/managed by VUMC)

For record retention, keep all documentation related to your travel for five (5) years past the last date of recorded activity associated with your travel.

**Important Note: Access to Electronic Health Records and PHI from anywhere outside of the United States is prohibited.
     - This includes the use of EPIC, patient messaging services, and any other system containing         
       PHI/identifiable data. Please factor this directive into your travel plans.

Before departing for your international destination, visit the VUMC Travel Safety and Security site for information, requirements and safety recommendations.

International Travel Guidance

BEFORE each foreign trip, it is important to consider:

  • what you are taking,
  • where you are going,
  • who you are working with, and
  • why are the end-users collaborating with you (what is the desired end result?)

It is important to consider all of the above before each international trip as federal regulations change frequently.

Contact VUMC EC for assistance with conducting restricted party screening (RPS) on individuals and organizations you will be working with in the destination country(ies). VUMC EC will provide a copy of the search records to you. You should keep these results with the project file for five (5) years past the last date of activity on the project.

International Travel Questionnaire REDCap survey

  • This survey may be used to document travel outside the U.S. It is important to plan ahead and think about what is being exported (laptop, equipment, information, technical data, biologicals), where you are going, who you are visiting, who you will be meeting with, etc.
  • VUMC EC will review the International Travel Questionnaire for export compliance when completed at least 10 business days prior to travel.

Please Note: Once outside the US or upon your return to the US, your laptop may be subject to search or it may be seized without probable cause, suspicion, or warrant. In addition, keep in mind that WiFi networks are not secure so be sure to safeguard your personal, sensitive, export-controlled, and proprietary data appropriately. If you don't need it - don't take it with you or access it while abroad!

"Clean" Laptop

  • VUMC recommends travelers to take a "clean" laptop on international visits.
    • A clean device refers to any device (computer, tablet, phone, etc.) that does not include any export-restricted, sensitive, or controlled software, data, or information. Such devices have also not had any hardware changes nor have any attachments/accessories been modified outside of commercially available standards.
       
    • This guidance is especially encouraged when traveling to:
      • any Tier 1 or 2 countries, or
      • any foreign location noted below with reported support of a potential ban, governmental limits, or access restrictions regarding the use of a VPN service:
        • Belarus, China, Egypt, India, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Oman, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the UAE or Uganda.
           
    • Contact your local IT personnel, call the Help Desk (34357), or submit a Pegasus ticket to request a clean device during your travel.

Common Travel Items

Item ECCN
Mass Market Commercial Laptops (HP, Dell, Apple, etc.) 5A992.c
iPhones, iPads, and most Android products 5A992.c
Flash Drives (non-encrypted, commercial) EAR99
Commercial GPS systems (Garmin, Tom Tom, etc.) 7A994
Bitlocker Encryption 5D992.c

 

Countries of Concern

In addition to the comprehensive list found at the Countries of Concern link, please be aware that OFAC sanctions may block assets or trade to these countries, certain parties within, and/or representatives from:

  • Afghanistan, Balkans, Belarus, Burma (Myanmar), Central African Republic, China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, Sudan (Republic of - North), South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
  • List current as of Oct 17, 2023.

Sanctions change frequently. It is best to check the OFAC Sanctions website if you have any questions.

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