International Travel Requirements

Important Travel Links

Passport

In order to travel internationally, you must have a valid passport. The application process for a new passport, as well as for renewals, normally takes about six weeks. Expedited service is available for an additional fee. For more information about passports, visit this website.

In addition to a passport, most countries also require you have a visa and sometimes additional documentation. It is advisable to plan ahead, as acquiring the proper documentation for international travel will take some time. The U.S. State Department offers excellent information about requirements of travel to most foreign countries. For more information, visit this website.

There are a number of requirements for reimbursement for International Travel funded under the US Department of Agriculture, Foreign Market Development Programs. Some of those requirements may be completed by the SEC staff prior to and during the planning of you trip. Full travel requirements are covered under the USDA Travel regulations.

Expense Account Guidelines

Your travel expenses will be covered for the days you travel as long as the travel is related to FAS/SEC promotional activities. Your meal costs are covered under a daily per diem rate (M&IE) for the city that you are lodging in. These per diem rates can change monthly. Foreign per diem rates are available through this SEC website link.

Submit a separate expense account covering your expenses for each trip that you take. Since most of your travel expenses will be in country, you should submit an account in the local currency, total it, and convert to US dollars at the bottom of the page. Any US dollar expenses (airfares, cabs from home, airport parking, etc.) should be submitted on a separate expense sheet. You should note the conversion rate you used and its source, such as an attached conversion voucher. You may also use this currency conversion website.

Keep receipts for all your travel expenses. This includes taxicabs, major bus, and train travel. Local subway and streetcars are difficult to gather receipts and may be figured in your meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) daily per diem. You need actual hotel receipts or folios, not just the credit card voucher or reservation receipt from an internet provider.  FAS will pay the actual hotel room rate, up to the per diem amount. Note that in some countries, the daily rate may change to match the US Embassy rate in US dollars to the local currency. 

You must provide the hard copy airline Passenger Receipt as proof of your airline travel. It is the final page of your airline ticket or a printout from the airlines. All Passenger Receipts must have the airfare calculation price printed on the ticket receipt or printout at "check-in".  E-tickets, travel agent invoices and receipts, bulk fare, travel consolidator tickets, copies of the tickets, and boarding passes are NOT acceptable to the FAS auditor as proof of travel and will NOT be reimbursed.

Air travel on US flag carriers is required when travel is between the US and a foreign country or when available outside the US.  Code share flights must show the US carrier flight number. This requirement is not influenced by factors of cost, convenience, or personal travel preference.

FAS regulations allow for communications (telephone and internet) charges at $15.00 per day. A traveler with 10 days travel time would be allowed up to $150 of communications charges per trip.

All expenses are subject to an after the fact audit by the SEC staff after any trip and by the FAS compliance review staff on an annual basis. Expenses may be disallowed after the fact. Any SEC member whose expenses are disallowed by the FAS annual audit will be liable for the difference.