Dear Students,
On behalf of the Office of International Education, we want to take a moment to congratulate your perseverance and determination, and to wish you a strong finish to both the fall term and a challenging, unprecedented calendar year. Please note that the Chancellor’s decision to pivot to all virtual instruction does not affect your ability to maintain full-time F-1 status, nor does it impact on-campus housing and dining. These services will remain in place for the duration of the semester.
With the holiday season quickly approaching, we would like to share some insight on domestic and international travel during the global pandemic.
In general, we do not recommend traveling currently due to a worldwide increase in positive COVID-19 cases. While the University has done a great job by taking a series of mitigation efforts, it is important that we remain vigilant and continue to follow recommended CDC travel guidelines and measures to prevent transmission, including washing hands often, avoiding close contact, wearing a mask when around others, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning and disinfecting, and monitoring your daily health.
If you plan to travel internationally between now and the start of the spring 2021 term, we ask that you take two important steps:
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Notify us of your travel plans by completing this form. This form will also be used to complete your travel signature request.
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Make an appointment to meet virtually with Danielle Clarizio or Scott Pierson using our Booking App.
Students planning to travel internationally should consider the following:
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Potential for flight cancellations & delays – the rate of transmission is increasing through the world. It is quite possible that flights could be cancelled or delayed, and airports could shut down entirely. We have seen far fewer international flights in general, so keep in mind that returning to resume your studies in the short term may not be possible.
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Potential for U.S. Consulate closures/inability to reopen – if your visa is expired or will soon expire, know that it might not be possible to schedule an appointment to obtain a new one and return in the short term. Several U.S. consulates are significantly delayed in processing visa interviews, while others have not reopened since March.
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Potential quarantines/self-isolation periods upon arrival at your destination, and upon your return to Wisconsin – it is quite possible that you could be required to quarantine for 14 days upon entering your home country, and may need to quarantine 14 days after re-entering the United States, meaning you may experience a full month of quarantining. If traveling for a short period of time, consider these ramifications. Check CDC’s COVID-19 travel recommendations by international destinations here.
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Potential DHS rule change eliminating Duration of Status (D/S) – the Trump Administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has requested an elimination of duration of status. It is possible that this could impact the amount of time you are granted if the policy is changed and implemented prior to your return. Note that nothing has been finalized, but the duration of time you have before needing to file an extension could be different for those who are in the U.S. if/when a change occurs in comparison to those who are re-entering the U.S. from abroad. OIE continues to monitor this proposed change, and we remain hopeful that it will either not be passed or will be reversed under the new Presidential Administration.
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Course delivery – although all courses are transitioning to online delivery, keep in mind that many will continue to be offered synchronously or in real-time and your attendance comprises and important part of your grade. Keep in mind that connecting remotely in another time zone may not be an easy task, and that internet connectivity has been challenged with increase bandwidths. It is quite possible that it could be more difficult to participate when moving away from your current location.
If you plan to travel domestically out of state/by air, consider the following:
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Potential for flight cancellations and delays – domestic flights could also be significantly impacted.
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Potential for quarantines/self-isolation periods upon arrival at your destination, and upon your return to Wisconsin – check CDC COVID tracker information and State Health Dept. websites on any restrictions/measures in place now and just before traveling. The pandemic has been and will continue to be an evolving situation. Guidance may change from one day to another.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns. We would be happy to connect with you and provide you with sound advice as you make future travel plans.
Wishing you good health and much success,
Scott & Danielle
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