International Travel Policy
Objective
To establish guidance and policy while traveling on official business and to provide procedures for the approval, reimbursement, and control of travel expenses.
Policy Statement
- Travel plays an important role in accomplishing the Company’s business mission, the professional enhancement of its employees, and in carrying out administrative responsibilities.
- When conducting business on behalf of the Company, employees are expected to use good quality services and accommodation appropriate for the business to be conducted. However Employees are advised not to consider international
travel as:
- Luxurious travel
- Income source or
- Holiday tour.
- International travel will be purely for business & official purpose.
- Good judgment and ethical practices on the part of each Employee remains the most important factors in controlling travel expenses.
- Control of travel authorization is the responsibility of each department head.
Scope
This policy applies to all international travel arrangements on approved Company business, regardless of the source of funds, duration of travel or business purpose (e.g. conferences, visiting other Companies, research, generating Company income, consulting, professional development, Training, etc).
Travel Authorization
Any international travel Requisition is to be filled and approved by the HOD. HOD would forward the same to CEO for final approval. After final approval, authorized requisition to be forwarded to the Admin Department for further formalities. The Admin Dept. will process the Air ticket & visa formalities. Employees has to select the nearest hotels considering their limits given in annexure 1. Admin department will not involve in hotel booking.
Employees are advised to submit the requisitions in advance specially in respect of the travel to countries which has very complex VISA formalities. For eg. U.S.A., EUROPE, ISRAEL ETC.
Booking Procedure
Employees are required to submit the following documents to the Admin department to comply with Ticket booking and Visa formalities;
- Original valid passport and a photocopy of the same. (Passport should be valid for minimum 06 months.)
- Photographs as per destination requirement
Note : Renewal of passport and ECNR stamping is the employee’s responsibility.
The tickets once booked along with the visa will be handed over to the employee undertaking international travel.
Employee Role
- Timely submission of all documents
- Utmost care to be taken of passport and tickets during the travel, as duplicate tickets cannot be provided.
- Loss of ticket would be the responsibility of an employee.
- Obtaining Immigration stamp wherever necessary.
- Employees are advised to check on the net about their hotels, weather details, security and safety before proceeding to the destination.
- Clothing arrangement to be done as per destination weather condition.
- Ensure physical fitness before undertaking travel.
- Loss of any belongings during travel would be responsibility of an employee.
- Incase an employee is frequent flyer, he should furnish details to the admin dept in supporting form.
Communication
- Employees are encouraged to use E-mails, IP telephones or Skye as far as possible for all official communication.
- Employee has to procure a local sim card of the destination of travel or India calling card in order to rationalize communication cost.
- Reasonable personal calls made to family upto Rs. 300 shall be allowed.
Conveyance
Employees are encouraged to use mass public transportation service wherever possible as Taxi cost are usually very high in most of the country, however employees should advice to make up decision depending on the situation.
Insurance
In case of international travel, the employee will be covered under International
Travel Insurance which includes:
- Loss of Luggage
- Sickness during travel
- Loss of passport
Hotels
- Eligibility as per Annexure I
- Employees shall be encouraged to share a room with colleague while on travel.
The eligibility amount for sharing room shall be as under:
- Two employee of the same grade -100 % of the entitlement of the first employee plus 25 % of the second employee.
- When employee of different grade shares the room, the entitlement shall be 100% of the higher grade plus 25% of the lower grade.
- Administration department shall have discretion to approve 25% over and above the cost of existing hotel accommodation.
Non – Allowable Expenses
The Company's policy is to reimburse its employee for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred while transacting the affairs of the Company. However, there are specific types of expenses, which are considered to be personal, and are therefore
not reimbursable. This includes:
- Personal entertainment including cost of paid channels in a hotel room.
- Barber, manicurist and shoe shine.
- Membership fees in airline clubs.
Advances
- Travel advances will be issued to employees who conduct business-related travel to cover travel expenses.
- The advance will be established at an amount that is reasonable. (The sum of daily entitlement)
- The Advance request for foreign currency should submit to finance dept. in advance.
- Employees who possess international credit cards, are encouraged to use the same.
- Travel advances must be settled within 07 days after completion of the travel.
- A travel advance will not be issued if any prior advance is outstanding.
- Statement of Travel Expense forms is to be forwarded to Accounts dept. with all receipts attached. Any unused travel advance money must accompany this form.
Reimbursement
- Employees may only receive reimbursement for actual, reasonable travel costs up to the limits as per Annexure I.
- All the costs towards obtaining VISA wd be born by the company including the cost of travel for appearing before VISA issuing authorities.
- Employees incurring unauthorized or over-limit expenses in the performance of official business, are not guaranteed reimbursement.
- Employees combining personal and official business, or who incur expenses strictly for their personal convenience or benefit, will not receive reimbursement for any additional expenses caused by their personal business or personal convenience needs.
- It will be the responsibility of the department administrator and the Employee to ensure that receipts are collected and retained for each and every request for travel reimbursement.
- A travel advance will not be issued if any prior advance is outstanding.
- Beginning of International travel shall consider from the date and time of boarding in international flight and ending at the date and time of landing in India.
- Before boarding and after returning from International tour, employee shall reimburse the claim as per domestic travel policy.
Procedure
Claims for the reimbursement of expenses for approved Company business travel (including conferences and official meetings) are made on a Travel/Employee Expense Reimbursement Form (Annexure II). Original receipts and other supporting documentation must be attached to the travel reimbursement form.
ANNEXURE I
CONVEYANCE ELIGIBILITY
Category “A” Europe, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Switzerland
Category “B” Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, China, Taiwan
Category “C” All other country's not covered in "A" & "B"
| DESIGNATION [GRADE] |
A |
B |
C |
Stay with relatives / friends – lodging allowance |
|
Boarding & Lodging |
Boarding & Lodging |
Boarding & Lodging |
| Accommodation in USD |
Daily allowance Against Bills in USD |
Accommodation in USD |
Daily allowance Against Bills in USD |
Accommodation in USD |
Daily allowance Against Bills in USD |
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| Country Head / CFO / CEO |
Actual |
100 |
Actual |
100 |
Actual |
100 |
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All manager including Asst managers |
150 |
100 |
125 |
100 |
100 |
75 |
60% |
| OTHERS |
125 |
75 |
100 |
75 |
75 |
50 |
60% |
Daily allowance
Food, laundry, tips & miscellaneous expenses
SP. Allowance
Incase Employee stays with his/her relatives or friends while on business tour & does not claim for
lodging expenses, employees can claim special allowance and daily allowances as mentioned in annexure I.
ANNEXURE II
| INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL REQUISITION CUM AUTHORIZATION FORM |
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| Date: |
Location: |
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST |
| Air |
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$ |
INR |
| Name: |
Designation : |
Hotel (per day) |
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$ |
INR |
| Transport (per day) |
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$ |
INR |
| Grade : |
Meals (per day) |
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$ |
INR |
| Other |
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$ |
INR |
| Total |
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$ |
INR |
| Department : |
| Purpose of Trip: |
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| TRAVEL DETAILS |
| Day |
Date |
Departure |
Arrival |
From |
To |
Mode of Travel |
Total Amount |
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| ACCOMMODATION |
| Arrival Date |
Time |
Dep. Date |
Time |
Location |
Type of accommodation |
Eligibility |
Total Amount |
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Total Advance INR :
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Requester Signature :
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HOD signature :
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Approval of MD :
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Note - A copy of this form will be forwarded to the Accounts department for the advance claim while the
Original will be with the Admin Dept.
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ANNEXURE III
| XXX (India) Limited
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL EXPENSE STATEMENT |
| Name of the Employee : |
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Department : |
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Designation : |
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Travel dates From :to :
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Place/s visited :
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Purpose of trip :
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| SUMMARY OF EXPENSES |
| Transportation |
| Date |
Time |
Starting Place |
Destination |
Voucher # (as attached) |
Amount |
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| USD |
Conversion Rate |
Total (INR) |
| DOMESTIC |
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| INTERNATIONAL |
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| Total |
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Hotel & Other Expenses |
| Date |
Place of Visit |
Description of expense |
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Amount |
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| From |
To |
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Stay / food |
Bill number & date |
USD |
Conversion Rate |
Total (INR) |
| DOMESTIC |
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| INTERNATIONAL |
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| Total |
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total no of days |
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Bett Allowance :
Fromto
XUS$INR
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Cash Summary
Advance
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Less : Cash expense
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Balance due to Company / Self
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Signature of Employee |
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Dated :
Approval Dated :
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| Pls note : |
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| 1.All travel settlements to be done with-in seven days of the trip. |
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| 2. Please attach all supports (invoices, tickets, boarding cards, receipts) |
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3. Please attach Travel Approval
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4. For claiming Entertainment & Business expenses, names of the persons present must be provided.
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