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All five affected Rice students and recent graduates have had their visas reinstated. Rice continues to monitor the situation and remains deeply committed to supporting our international community. We continue to provide lawful assistance to those navigating visa-related challenges.
July 8, 2025
Dear Rice community,
As international travel continues to evolve with new challenges and regulations, we want to inform you of important updates to Policy 852: International Travel. Originally implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, this policy has been thoroughly reviewed and updated to improve clarity, enhance research security measures, refine the approval process for high-risk travel and ensure that the policy supports all Rice community members in 2025 and beyond.
Key Updates to Policy 852:
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Updated approval process for high-risk travel: The International Operations Committee now formally reviews and approves student travel to high-risk locations. The revised process includes a new subcommittee and is detailed in accompanying guidance materials to ensure thorough, timely and transparent review.
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Enhanced research security measures to align with new federal regulations. Faculty travel to some locations will require a briefing from the Office of Research Security and Export Control.
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Travel Registry: All students, faculty and staff traveling internationally — whether they are U.S. citizens or not — should register with Rice’s Travel Registry. This is required for work travel and highly advisable for personal travel, especially in these volatile times. Also, registering allows Rice to more quickly and expertly help you if you encounter problems returning to the U.S.
The revised policy was developed by the International Operations Committee with input from faculty and staff across multiple offices, including Academic Affairs; Risk Management; Research Security; Ethics, Compliance and Enterprise Risk; Study Abroad; and Rice Global. A key focus was ensuring that these updates support the safety and security of our travelers without creating unnecessary burdens for faculty, staff and students.
We encourage all members of our community engaging in international travel to review the updated policy and stay tuned for upcoming informational sessions. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to global@rice.edu or visit the Policy 852 guidance page.
Thank you for your attention to these important updates. Your collaboration ensures that Rice remains a leader in safe and responsible global engagement.
Best regards,
Caroline Levander, Vice President for Global Strategy