International Travel

• In general, traveling to most countries is not a problem. Tighter export controls are in effect for countries that are comprehensively sanctioned or have restrictions on trade enforced by various departments of the U.S. government. Sanctioned countries will require advanced planning and coordination with our Export Control office.
• Click here for a list of sanctioned/embargoed countries.
• If you are traveling with items to Cuba, Iran, Syria, Sudan and North Korea, or providing access to your items to a citizen of one of those countries, an export license will most likely be required. Please contact the Export Control Officer as soon as possible prior to travel.

• When you leave the U.S., even temporarily, for teaching, research, or to attend a conference, everything you take with you is an export, including electronic devices, software and data. This applies to hand-carried items, materials, and devices.
• An export license is not usually required for most commercially obtained items and equipment (laptop computers, tablets, cell phones, PDAs containing software), unless you are traveling to or through an embargoed or sanctioned country. For sanctioned countries, an export license may be required.
  • List of common equipment taken abroad: Checklist, Export Control Status for Commonly Traveled Items.
• Without an export license or license exception, you cannot take with you any commodities, software, or technology that are:
  • Articles, technical data or software controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). For example, a blueprint, document or drawing on your electronic device that is considered ITAR controlled technical data cannot be taken out of the U.S. without a license;
  • Classified, controlled unclassified, or export controlled;
  • Proprietary, confidential, or sensitive;
  • Specifically designed for military, intelligence, space, encryption software, or nuclear related applications;
  • Data or information subject to a Non-Disclosure Agreement or that results from a project with contractual dissemination restrictions; or
  • Computer software or encryption items with export restrictions or access restrictions for non-U.S. persons.
• Need a clean laptop to travel? 
  • Non-Research Employees: Contact IT Service Desk at ITHelp.Service@tamucc.edu or Export Control Officer at ec.compliance@tamucc.edu or (361) 825-5191.
  • Research-related Employees: Contact Tuan Phung, Business Manager, Division of Research and Innovation at Tuan.Phung@tamucc.edu to borrow a laptop.

• It is important to ensure that you do not accidentally export restricted information or provide any type of assistance or benefit to a sanctioned or blocked entity (a Restricted Party). The following are a few things to keep in mind as you plan your travel activities:

• Presentations: When presenting data/information in an international setting (including in the U.S. where the audience may include foreign nationals), you need to ensure that you limit your presentation to only information or data that is published, or is publicly available, or that qualifies as Fundamental Research. Be careful not to include or discuss any proprietary, unpublished, or export-restricted data or information as that may constitute an unauthorized export.

• Providing Training or Instruction: If you are providing instruction or training, be sure that the information you are sharing is not controlled for export and that providing a service to the country of destination is allowable.

• Interaction with Foreign Colleagues: You are free to openly discuss any published or publicly available information or information generated as the result of Fundamental Research, if the recipient is not a sanctioned or specially designated entity. It is important to remember that while the results/information resulting from Fundamental Research are not subject to export controls and can be shared without a license, any items, technology, or software generated under that Fundamental Research would be subject to export controls and may require an export license.

• Field Work: Any university research activity done outside the U.S. may not qualify for the Fundamental Research Exclusion. Before disclosing or sharing information or data resulting from international field work, it is important to ensure that the information is not export restricted.

• Office of Foreign Assets Controls (OFAC) regulations pertaining to transactions with these countries vary by country. These regulations address a broader spectrum of activities than export that OFAC restricts without a license.

• Cuba: Cuba sanctions regulate personal travel to Cuba, as well as professional research activity conducted with Cuba institutions here and abroad. Cuba regulations allow for a broad range of research and humanitarian related activities when approved by a license from OFAC.

• Iran: Iran regulations do not regulate individual tourist travel to Iran, but remain highly restricted as to any activity, research or otherwise, which OFAC defines as “services”, to Iran. While certain kinds of collaborative research activities are permissible with Iranian institutions, a license may be required.

• Syria and Sudan: Because of the geopolitical instability in both countries, transactions with these nations must be carefully executed for evolving sanctions and requirements.

Contact the Export Control Compliance Office when contemplating any research or transactional activity with one of these OFAC sanctioned countries or foreign nationals known to reside in these countries.