Travel Ban

I. Relevant Security Council resolutions/Guidelines of the Committee

The exemptions to the travel ban are provided for by the following:

  • Security Council Resolution 2693 (2023): paragraph 4
  • Security Council Resolution 2399 (2018): paragraph 14
  • Committee Guidelines: Section 11

II. Who is entitled to submit the request for exemptions from the travel ban?

The State of nationality and the State of residence may submit a request through their Permanent Mission to the United Nations, or through the relevant United Nations office.

III. What should be included in the request for exemption from the travel ban?

Each request for exemption should include the following information:

  1. the name, designation, nationality and passport number(s) of the person undertaking the proposed travel;
  2. the purpose of the proposed travel, with copies of supporting documents furnishing details connected to the request such as specific dates and times of meetings or appointments;
  3. the proposed dates and times of departure from and return to the country from which the travel commenced;
  4. the complete itinerary for such travel including the ports of departure from and return and all transit stops;
  5. details of the mode of transport to be used, including where applicable, record locator, flight numbers and names of vessels;
  6. A statement of specific justification for the exemption.

Except in cases of emergency, to be determined by the Chair, all travel ban exemption requests shall be received by the Committee Chair as early as possible but not less than fifteen working days before the commencement date of the proposed travel.

IV. How to make requests for exemptions from the travel ban?

Please send the requests for exemptions from the travel bans to:

  • The Chair of the Committee, H.E. Mr. Amar Bendjama (Algeria), through the Permanent Mission of Algeria to the United Nations.

  • The Secretary of the Committee, Mr. David Biggs, Email address: SC-2127-Committee@un.org

V. Decision Making of the Committee

Once the Committee has approved a request for exemption from the travel ban, the Chair will write to the Permanent Mission to the United Nations of: the State of which the listed individual is a national or resident, or citizen, the State(s) to which the listed individual will be travelling, and any transit State, as well as any United Nations office involved.

VI. Request for an extension of the exemption from the travel ban

Any request for an extension of the exemption is subject to the procedures set out above and need to be received by the Chair in writing, attaching the revised itinerary, no less than five working days before the expiry of the approved exemption period, and circulated to Committee members.

VII. Changes to the approved exemption from the travel plan

Any changes to the required travel information previously submitted to the Committee, particularly the points of transit, shall require the prior approval of the Committee and shall be received by the Chair and circulated to the Committee members no less than five working days prior to the commencement of the travel, except in cases of emergency, as determined by the Chair.

The submitting State (or United Nations office/agency) will inform the Chair immediately and in writing of any change to the departure date for any travel for which the Committee has already issued an exemption.

Written notification will be sufficient in cases where the time of departure is advanced or postponed no more than 48 hours and the previously submitted itinerary remains otherwise unchanged. If travel is to be advanced or postponed by more than 48 hours before or after the date previously approved by the Committee, a new exemption request must be submitted and should be received by the Chair and circulated to Committee members.

For exemption requests based on medical or other humanitarian need, including religious obligation, the Committee will determine whether the travel is justified within the provisions of paragraph 14 (a) of resolution 2399 (2018), once informed of the name of the traveller, the reason for travel, the date and time of treatment, along with flight details, including transit points and destination(s). In case of emergency evacuations, the Chair should be promptly provided with a doctor’s note containing details of the nature of the emergency and the facility where treatment was received by the patient, without prejudice to respect of medical confidentiality, as well as information regarding the date, time, and mode of travel by which the patient returned to his/her country of residence or nationality.

VIII. After the travel

The Committee shall receive written confirmation from the State in whose territory the listed individual resides, or from the relevant UN office, with supporting documents, confirming the itinerary and date on which the listed individuals travelling under an exemption granted by the Committee returned to the country of residence. All requests for exemptions and extensions thereto which have been approved by the Committee pursuant to paragraph 14 of resolution 2399 (2018) shall be posted on the Committee’s webpage until confirmation of the return to the country of residence of the listed individual is received by the Committee.