F-8 Foreign Travel Policy - University of Houston-Victoria

Foreign Travel

Section: Travel Index: F-8
Subject: Foreign Travel Policy

POLICY

This policy provides requirements and procedures for foreign travel, defined as travel to/from all countries outside Canada, Mexico, the United States, and U.S. possessions, in addition to the requirements of other University travel policies. Refer to UHV Policy F-5, Travel Arrangements and UHV Policy F-1, Reimbursement of Travel for detailed information on arrangements and reimbursements of transportation, lodging, meals and other travel expenses.

The President must give advance written approval for any foreign travel related to official University business regardless of the source of funds used to pay for the trip or whether the University pays for any of the trip expenses. Advanced written approval will be documented by completion and approval of a Travel Request Form. Faculty and staff must obtain approval, using the Travel Request Form, from the traveler’s supervisor, the cost center authority if other than the traveler’s supervisor, the appropriate Vice President for their area, and the President. The President may designate, in writing, an employee of the University to perform this function.

Travel Requests by UHV’s President for foreign travel, regardless of the source of funds, will be forwarded to the Chancellor’s designee who will review and approve.

All employees who travel to destinations outside the United States must also complete the UHV Export Controls and Travel Embargo Form and receive approval from the Office of Contracts and Grants before leaving on the trip. This requirement applies to all employee business travel outside the United States, regardless of the source of funds used to pay for the trip or whether the University pays for any of the trip expenses.

The Fly America Act requires that foreign air travel funded by Federal funds, including Federal pass-through funds, be conducted on U.S. flag air carriers. There are limited exceptions where the use of a foreign-flag air carrier is permissible.

PROCEDURE

The traveler prepares a Travel Request Form. Travel Requests for foreign travel should be initiated at least 30 days in advance of the date of departure. For foreign travel, the traveler must submit a specific statement which describes the need for the trip and the benefit or expected benefit for the university. This statement may be included on the Travel Request or as an attachment if more space is needed. The traveler must include a reasonable estimate of the travel cost. Faculty and staff must obtain approval from the traveler’s supervisor, the cost center authority if other than the traveler’s supervisor, the appropriate Vice President for their area, and the President.

After these approvals are obtained, the Travel Request will be forwarded to the Research Administrator in the Office of Contracts and Grants, who will approve and forward to the Travel Specialist in Finance who will assign a travel request number and forward back to the department contact person.

The completed UHV Export Controls and Travel Embargo Form, including approval, must be attached to the Travel Request as it is routed for approval and must be uploaded as supporting documentation to any University-paid or reimbursed travel expense (e.g. voucher or Travel Card) for employee business travel outside the United States.

Employees are advised to complete the UHV Export Controls and Travel Embargo Form as early as possible to allow adequate time for the Office of Contracts and Grants to request a license from the responsible federal agency, if required. Most travel outside the U.S. will not require a license, but if a license is required, it could take up to six months to process by the federal agency during which time travel will be delayed.

If a foreign-flag air carrier is paid with Federal funds, the Fly America Act Waiver Checklist must be completed to document the exception to the Fly America Act. The Waiver Checklist must be uploaded as supporting documentation to the voucher or Travel Card expense report used to pay for the airfare.

Upon completion of travel, requests for reimbursement must be supported by a copy of the approved Travel Request, approved UHV Export Controls and Travel Embargo Form and any other supporting documentation. The traveler must also submit a trip report that describes the activities and meetings including those attending, and how the trip was beneficial to the University. Conference programs or other documentation are to be provided in support of the statement.

A brief explanation of the activities that occurred each day on the trip is all that is required. An account is needed for each day because some University travelers incur personal expenses during their business trip which cannot be paid by the University. This post-trip documentation is only required for reimbursement vouchers processed after the trip. The post-trip report can be in the Comments section of the Travel Expense Report, which is signed by the traveler, in a memo signed by the traveler, or in an e-mail from the traveler. It can also be in the Comments section of the Voucher if the traveler signs it and it is uploaded as a backup document.

A travel reimbursement request for the UHV President will be approved by the Vice President for Administration and Finance, audited by the Finance Travel Specialist, and then forwarded to the Chancellor’s Office for final approval and then returned to the Finance Department.