Resources for International Travel

Federal travelers are required by 49 U.S.C. 40118, commonly referred to as the “Fly America Act,” to use U.S. air carrier services for all air travel and cargo transportation services funded by the U.S. Government. One exception to this requirement is transportation provided under a bilateral or multilateral air transport agreement, to which the U.S. Government and the government of a foreign country are parties, and which the Department of Transportation has determined meets the requirements of the Fly America Act. For more information, visit the Fly America Act, Travel Management Policy, U.S. Government.

A passport is required for all international travel. If you’re traveling anywhere overseas, you need a passport to board an international flight and to enter a country. Most countries require that a passport be valid for at least six months beyond the completion of a trip.

Anyone traveling by air between the US to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America are required to have a valid passport.

A passport card is a wallet-size travel document that can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border-crossings and sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air. US citizens can use any government-issued form of identification to travel between the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Countries requiring 6-month passport validity

While not every country requires six months of validity on your passport, it is an increasingly common rule. For a full list visit the State Department’s website for specific country information.

CIBT is Yale’s preferred vendor for all your passport needs. Discounted rates can be accessed by calling CIBT at 800-577-2428 and referencing Yale account number 40634, or by visiting CIBT website.

For more information on passport services, visit the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs.

If a visa is required, it is issued by the country you’re planning to visit. It is an official endorsement inserted into your passport authorizing the bearer to enter or travel in or through, a specific country or region.

CIBT Servicing Visa Needs for the Yale Community*

CIBT is Yale’s preferred vendor for all your visa needs. Discounted rates can be accessed by calling CIBT at 800-577-2428 and referencing Yale account number 40634, or by visiting CIBT website.

CIBT has information on business, tourist, transit and short-term visas and can determine visa needs for all nationalities.

Useful Links:

* Only foreign nationals with residency status in countries where CIBT has a local office may use their visa service. Those countries are: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Benelux, and Germany. Please visit the CIBT website to find specific locations.

For any other questions and/or requests for assistance on visas from foreign nationals residing in countries where CIBT does not have offices, travelers will need to contact a local visa service or the closest consulate in their respective country.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) does not allow U.S. based businesses to have any commercial and/or financial dealings with certain countries. OFAC currently prohibits dealings with:

  • Crimea region of Ukraine/Russia
  • Cuba
  • Iran
  • North Korea
  • Syria

Determine Whether Travel Is Classified as Domestic or International

Excerpted from Yale Policy 3301 Travel on University Business

  • Domestic travel is defined as travel within and between any of the 50 United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.
  • International travel is any travel outside those specified above.

If travel to a foreign destination is planned, please review the University’s International Travel website, which also lists the countries where travel risks are particularly high.

All expenses related to a trip to an international destination are considered international. For example, if you are driving to a domestic airport to leave for an international destination, mileage, parking, tolls etc. are considered international.

Exceptions to Travel Policy

Exceptions to the policy require prior approval by the Controller’s Office in consultation with the Provost’s Office, General Counsel or an Officer of the Corporation as appropriate.

For assistance with circumstances considered to be an exception to the Fly America Act, contact your representative in the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP).

Register your travel plans at the Yale and the World website.

Suggested International Group Travel Suppliers

The University has compiled a list of suggested travel suppliers for departments that sponsor international group travel programs.  These companies have been used in the past by Yale departments and many have a long-standing track record of performance excellence.  Many of them have standard agreements in place that have been approved by Yale Procurement saving you time during planning and organizing your respective programs.

The list is devised to help you select a supplier by the destination that they may specialize in, or by the types of venue where they excel.  In some cases, there is a Yale meeting planner noted that is familiar with the supplier and whom you may wish to call as reference.

If you have a preferred supplier that you use for group travel programs that you would like to add to this list, please notify Yale Travel at travel@yale.edu.

Access the supplier list.