Overview
UCSF strives to create a welcoming and collaborative environment for international visitors while also upholding our obligation to comply with export control regulations. These regulations exist to safeguard sensitive technology and information from unauthorized transfer outside the U.S. This includes items like lab equipment, software, and technical data, and even visual inspection by visitors subject to export restrictions. While routine academic interactions are usually exempt, some activities may require an export license.
Hosting Foreign Visitors
To ensure compliance, all non-U.S. visitors must undergo Restricted Party Screening against restricted party lists. Depending on their campus access and visit purpose, access to export-controlled equipment and data may be restricted.
Before any lab or facility visit, work with the UCSF Export Control Officer to:
- Screen all non-U.S. persons against the specially designated and restricted parties lists.
- Review the proposed activities, determine if access or exposure to controlled items is required, and determine if a license is required.
- Identify export-controlled equipment, data, or technology and implement a technology control plan (if necessary) to appropriately secure them from access by unlicensed, non-U.S. persons.
- Alert your colleagues to the upcoming visit so they are aware of any potential issues involving controlled items.
If you are uncertain about any of the requirements, need help developing a technology control plan, or think you may need to apply for an export license, please contact UCSF Export Control for assistance.
Hosting Foreign Government Visits
All foreign government officials wishing to visit UCSF's campus must also be appropriately screened. Depending on their campus access and visit purpose, access to export-controlled equipment and data may be restricted.
Countries of Concern: If foreign government officials from countries of concern [Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the People's Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau), the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), the Russian Federation, and the Islamic Republic of Iran] wish to visit your department, lab, or any other area of campus, the Export Control Officer/Research Security Officer must be contacted, as additional due diligence will be required.
Additionally, the State Department has implemented a policy external site (opens in a new window) that requires Chinese diplomats and government officials temporarily visiting the U.S. to provide advance notification to the Department's Office of Foreign Missions when visiting U.S. universities or research institutions. While the requirement to register with the State Department is the visitor's responsibility, the existence of this policy is relevant for awareness.
Hosting Visiting Scholars
If you are hosting a visiting scholar:
- Review the Host Guidelines on the UCOP Hosting Foreign Visitors Webpage external site (opens in a new window) .
- Review the Visiting Scholars Policy (APM-430 external site (opens in a new window) ).
- Report the effort from the visiting scholar as Other Support to federal sponsors, as applicable.
For assistance with international student and scholar visas, please contact UCSF’s International Student & Scholar Services Office external site (opens in a new window) .