International Travel

General Information

When traveling outside of the United States, researchers need to know their responsibilities under export control regulations. Federal export regulations prohibit the export of specific commodities, software, technology, and payments to or from certain countries, entities, and individuals for reasons of national security, foreign policy, or protection of trade. In addition, countries have specific rules and regulations related to importing / exporting items (e.g. countries, such as Pakistan, India, and China, have either severely regulated or banned encryption technology). While travel to most countries does not create an export control issue, export control regulations can affect:

• Traveling with devices for a conference or meeting such as:
  • Laptops
  • Encryption products
  • Data or technology
  • Blueprints, drawings, or schematics
• Carrying unpublished technical information related to a defense article.
• Carrying or providing technology or data to a private conference or meeting (in which attendees are limited and notes are not permitted).
• Exchanges of goods and services in certain Countries of Concern . 
• Conducting business with restricted or debarred individuals or entities.

Export License exception 

If you are taking UTEP property (Laptops, iPads, cameras, commercial software, etc.), the property is not export restricted based on your destination. You may temporarily (<12 months) take the items by submitting the Certification of Temporary Export of UTEP Property and Review of U.S. Export Control Regulations form and Authorization to Remove Equipment Off Campus to the Office of Research Compliance and Regulatory Assurances. All international travelers are required to complete this form prior to departure if they are taking UTEP equipment and/or accessing UTEP systems. 

The Department of Commerce’s Export Administration Regulations (EAR) makes an exception to licensing requirements for the temporary export or reexport of certain items, technology, or software for professional use as long as the criteria in the TMP exception are met.

The exception does not apply to any EAR satellite or space-related equipment, components, or software, or to any technology associated with high-level encryption products and cannot be used for travel to Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea, or Sudan (in limited circumstances TMP can be used for Sudan). This exception does not apply to items, technology, data, or software regulated by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

UTEP travelers carrying personal property can find information on the temporary license exception for personal baggage (BAG) in EAR 740.14.

An export license may be required if federal regulations control access to the item you are carrying or the country to which you are traveling. A license may also be required if you are providing a defense service to a foreign person, even if the exchange is based on information in the public domain.

Please send an email to exportcontrol@utep.edu for more information on licensing. For more information on international travel, please also visit the UTEP Procedure for Traveling Internationally. 

Personal International Travel

On November 19, 2024, Governor Greg Abbott signed Executive Order No. GA-48.  As a result, all University employees are required to complete a Personal Foreign Travel Notification prior to travelling to a foreign-adversary nation and submit a Post Foreign Travel Questionnaire upon their return. Both documents can be found at the UTEP Procedure for Traveling Internationally page. For a list of foreign adversaries, click here.

Additional Travel Tips

• All exports should be screened by the Office of Research Compliance & Regulatory Compliance to evaluate export license requirements. Please forward the completed Certification of Temporary Export of UTEP Property form to   exportcontrol@utep.edu
• Technologies, software, or commodities that are subject to ITAR; proprietary, confidential, or sensitive; subject to Non-Disclosure Agreements; or from the results from a project with contractual restrictions will not be exported outside of the United States.
• Collaboration (e.g., presentations, discussions) must be limited to topics that are not related to research on controlled items, commodities, or technology unless the information is already published or otherwise already in the public domain. You must verify that the shared information falls into one or more of the exclusions (e.g., fundamental research, published information, educational information, publicly available software).
• EAR favorable countries where hand carry of “tool of trade” is permitted in:
  • Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom