Where are you going?

While travel to most countries is not a concern, tighter export controls are in effect for countries that are sanctioned or have restrictions on trade enforced by the U.S. government.  Sanctioned countries such as: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and/or Venezuela will require advanced planning and coordination to ensure Export Controls compliance.

When traveling to sanctioned countries, it is important to consider the following:

• When traveling to China:
  • Electronic devices such as cell phones, PDA, or laptops must remain in your personal custody and control at all times.
  • Chinese Customs may check your electronics.
  • Use a VPN instead of public Wi-Fi, hot spots or cellular data.
  • Do not bring unpublished research, private or personal information on your devices; expect that anything on your hard drive will be copied upon entering the country.  Upon return, screen your devices for viruses.  It is common to bring a virus back on your device.
• When traveling to other "comprehensively sanctioned" countries such as Cuba, Iran, Syria, Sudan and North Korea, or providing access to your items to a citizen of one of these countries, an export license will mostly likely be required.  
• Additional information on travel to Cuba is available through the U.S. Department of State.
• DUO:   NDSU requires the use of two-factor authentication with DUO.  This log in security is especially important when traveling internationally; however, DUO itself is export controlled technology and its use in certain countries requires special considerations. If traveling to China or Iran, contact the Export Control office for additional information. 
• It is highly recommended that you register any items/equipment that you will be taking with you with U.S. Customs and Protection (CBP). Registration allows you to prove that you had the items before you left the U.S. and all CBP registered items will be allowed to return to the U.S. duty-free. The Export Controls office will assist you with completing theCertificate of Registration – Form 4455 .

When traveling abroad, it is always a good idea to contact the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate before you depart. To register your travel plans with an embassy and receive helpful safety and emergency information related to your destination, visit the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. For more information about U.S. Embassies and Consular Offices visit USEmbassy.gov