COVID-19 Travel Considerations

**Last updated on Feb. 17, 2023

International travel during the COVID-19 pandemic should prioritize health and safety. The CDC does not recommend traveling internationally unless fully vaccinated. As a result, all members of the Georgetown community (students, faculty, and staff) are expected to be fully vaccinated and boosted (if eligible) prior to commencing any university-sponsored international travel.

It is important for GU travelers to stay up to date on and comply with all travel requirements and restrictions in place both at their destination and upon their return, with the understanding that these regulations may change without advanced notice.

Information on this page will be updated regularly to align with emerging best practices in COVID risk mitigation and exposure/infection management. Travelers should review these resources to assess and mitigate risks.  If you are planning or supporting future travel, please bookmark this page and check back often for updates.

Information Resources

In addition to adhering to Georgetown’s International Travel Policy and consulting the Individual Travel Considerations or the Group Travel Considerations, the following resources may be consulted when planning international travel:

• U.S. Department of State (DOS) Travel Advisories. Each DOS travel advisory page contains a link to the country’s U.S. Embassy COVID-19 information page. The Embassy pages provide current country-specific information.
• CDC Inbound and Outbound Testing Requirements. As of Oct. 3, 2022, the CDC will no longer maintain a country-by-country list of travel advisories related to COVID-19. The CDC will only post a notice for a country if there is a concerning COVID-19 variant or other situation that would change the CDC’s travel recommendations.
• International Air Transport Association (IATA) COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map 
• International SOS (ISOS) COVID Dashboard

Departing the U.S.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and/or a negative test may be required for outbound international travel. Consult your airline and destination country to determine the type and timing of test required to board the aircraft and enter the destination country. Georgetown’s COVID-19 testing is available to students, faculty and staff on the Main Campus, at the Law Center, and at the School of Continuing Studies. COVID testing is also available at pharmacies and specialized testing centers in the Washington, DC area. Consider isolating three to five days prior to flying to increase your chances of staying healthy and testing negative prior to traveling.

If you have tested positive for COVID and recovered and require a letter to prove this, you can request such a letter from your primary care doctor or use a signed isolation letter from your local health department. Georgetown community members who have tested through Georgetown’s testing services may submit a request in writing to covidcarenavigator@georgetown.edu.

Returning to the U.S.

All non-U.S. citizens and non-U.S. immigrant travelers arriving in the U.S. from a foreign country must have proof of an acceptable COVID-19 vaccination. For all other travelers, proof of a negative COVID-19 viral test is not required to board an aircraft to the U.S. Full details are available on the CDC’s website.