Sanctioned Country Travel Requirements

Last Updated: January 5, 2026 9:06:05 AM PST

Learn about the federal sanctioned country travel requirements supported by the Export Control Office

In general, collaborations between University employees and scholars at foreign institutions/organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export controlled or restricted research or services, restricted entities or sanctioned countries. Before making international travel arrangements for UC San Diego business or personal travel with UC San Diego equipment or material, the University needs to determine if export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign individual and/or organization are not blocked or sanctioned. Contact UC San Diego Export Control at export@ucsd.edu for any of the following:

Any imports/exports (examples include research samples, artwork, or any research material)
Collaboration with individuals residing in a sanctioned country
Research in sanctioned country
Travel to (including to attend a conference)
Transfer of funds to

NOTE: OFAC sanctions change regularly. Please contact UC San Diego Export Control as soon as possible for the most recent guidance to avoid penalties and delays to your research.

Export Control will determine if your travel to a country subject to U.S. sanctions requires a license. This is subject to change and includes Cuba, Iran, North Korea and specific regions of Ukraine (Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk). [Note: Syria was removed as of July 1, 2025. We should continue to keep in mind the records retention requirements.] A complete and current list is available on the OFAC website.

Many activities in these countries, including research and presentations (even of already published material) may require an OFAC license.

Submit your Travel Request via Concur in advance to notify UCSD Export Control to assist you with next steps. If a general license is not applicable to your travel, expect OFAC licensing to take up to a year. Additional licenses from other government agencies may be necessary when transporting equipment and technology.

Resources:

A short video on OFAC requirements is available on UC Learning.

The UC San Diego International Center can assist citizens of these countries concerning immigration and visa issues.

Find answers, request services, or get help from our team at the UC San Diego Services & Support portal.

Notice: UC San Diego travel policy, as published in Blink, is decisive. It has been adapted to UC San Diego's organization, delegation of authority, terminology, chart of accounts and processing applications. The source for UC San Diego travel policy is UC Travel Policy and Regulations (PDF).