Foreign Travel
The Foreign Travel Process
Foreign Currency
Exchange Rates
International Travel Connectivity
U.S. State
Department Traveler Warnings
Insurance While Traveling Abroad
The foreign travel process is almost the same as the process for
domestic travel. The differences are:
- Discount
airfare
tickets for international routes only may be
purchased from an air travel wholesaler who is not a
state contract
travel
agency if the following conditions are met:
- There is no state contract fare for the international routes to be
traveled.
- Quotes (telephone or written) have been requested from at least two
contract travel agencies for the required itinerary. Written
documentation of the quotes should include, at a minimum, name of agency
person obtaining the quote, date and time of quote, and travel agency
from which the quote was obtained.
- Airfares can be obtained at a lesser price (than fares quoted by the
contract travel agency) from an air travel wholesaler for the same
required itinerary.
- The airfare price quotations from the contract travel agencies are
retained together with the documentation of the wholesaler's airfare.
- Separate
per
diem schedules
for foreign and domestic travel allowances (meals and lodging).
- Use the per diem rates in the "Other" column
if
the foreign
location is not listed.
- The breakdown for the foreign meal rate
is 25% breakfast, 30% lunch and 45% dinner.
- The airfare itinerary must
be attached to the TEV in order to
receive meal reimbursement according to the actual departure and
arrival times. Otherwise, one day of meals each for the departure and
arrival day is allowable.
- Additional reimburseable
miscellaneous expenses.
Documentation is required stating the requirement or
recommendation for the immunization and/or medication. Check the
CDC Traveler's Health site for
more information.
Any money the University gives you in advance of your trip is in
United States (U.S.) dollars, and any money it reimburses you
after the trip is also in U.S. dollars. You are responsible for
exchanging those dollars for the currency of the foreign country
you visit.
You must convert the foreign currency to U.S. dollars when you complete
your TEV. You may use the actual exchange rate you received on bank,
hotel receipts or your charge card statement. If you cannot provide the
actual exchange rates, then use an on-line converter such as Oanda and use
the standard Interbank rate. You may not select the plus (+)
Interbank rates.
The
OANDA 164
Currency Converter and
Economist
are websites that convert currencies. This
Currency Cheat Sheet for
Travelers is also available.
When you use an on-line converter, you may use the last day of business
travel in the appropriate country for the conversion date for all your
reimbursable travel expenses rather than using different dates of when the
actual expenses were incurred.
The conversion date must be the date
of purchase if the expenses where prior to the trip.
The source for the exchange rates you used (i.e. receipt, charge card
statement
or an on-line conversion printout) must be attached to your TEV in order
to
claim reimbursement. The TEV will be returned if you cannot provide the
proper documentation.
UW faculty, staff, and students living, working, and traveling abroad can
consult the International
Travel Connectivity website for information on how to stay connected
to UW
technology services while outside the U.S. The site answers questions
about using cell phones, connecting and protecting laptops, and accessing
email in over forty countries within Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe,
and the Pacific.
