International Travel and Hand-Carrying Items Abroad

Science is global, and members of theCU communityshould engage with colleagues throughout the world. However, international travel creates an acute set of risks for maintaining compliance with U.S. export controls. Failure to uphold U.S. laws while abroad can lead to civil and criminal liability, as well as violations of University policies.

The Office of Export Controls (OEC) works to ensure that individuals travelling internationally are aware of the risks and remain in compliance with legal requirements for U.S. Export Control Laws and Sanctions. All international travelers who are travelling as a CU Boulder representative (i.e. NOT personal travel), whether or not the university or one of its sponsors are paying for the travel, must contact OEC regarding items they will be taking out of the country. Travelers must also follow the PSC travel policies and procedures.

Hand Carrying Items Abroad

Per the CU Boulder International Shipping and Hand-Carry Policy, all items that are hand-carried abroad must be approved by the Office of Export Controls prior to leaving the country.

Even everyday items like laptops, smartwatches, and phones are subject to U.S. export control rules when taken abroad—especially if they contain certain types of software or encryption. The same goes for any CU Boulder items you might be carrying, such as prototypes, scientific equipment, and research samples. Sometimes, prior permission from the federal government, in the form of an export license, is required. Licenses aren’t always required—but when they are, they can take anywhere from a few weeks to over a year to obtain. OEC will advise on how to comply with export controls in a manner that facilitates your research goals.

You can submit a request for OEC review using the International Hand-Carry Form. Approvals are valid up to 6 months prior to travel. Currently reviews require 3-4 weeks to complete. Submitting a request early will help to ensure your travel is not impacted. 

You should not take any of the following on an international trip without approval by OEC:

• Devices or equipment received with restrictions on where it can be exported (foreign country) or who can use it (foreign persons).
• Data or information received under an obligation of confidentiality or is otherwise restricted.
• Devices, systems or software that were specifically designed or modified for military or space applications.
• Data or analyses that result from a project with contractual constraints on sharing or publishing research results.
• Computer software received with restrictions on where it can be exported (foreign country) or who can use it (foreign persons).
• Unpublished research data of any kind.

Beyond export laws, certain countries are known for accessing files upon entry, so you should be extremely careful about any proprietary, patentable, or sensitive information that may be stored on your device. This includes information that might be perceived as culturally inappropriate. Department of Homeland Security personnel may also decide to inspect your laptop upon return to the US, in which case everything on the device is subject to inspection. In the United States, Customs and Border Protection may take possession of those items for various periods of time, and even permanently depending upon the circumstances.  The inspectors in other countries might do so as well.

Note Regarding Encryption

Encrypting your files, or the complete hard disk, is generally considered a best practice for data security.  However, doing so when travelling internationally can create an additional set of issues. Some countries restrict the import of encrypted devices, and US regulations prohibit the export of an encrypted device to embargoed countries.* OIT has additional information regarding encryption and IT challenges for international travel. Please contact OIT regarding device security when traveling abroad.  OEC recommends using a loaner laptop from OIT when traveling abroad, please contact OIT for details.

If you have questions regarding hand-carrying items internationally, please contact the Office of Export Controls at exportcontrolhelp@colorado.edu.