14 FAM 520
travel AUTHORIZATION
(CT:LOG-379; 06-09-2023)
(Office of Origin: A/LM)
14 FAM 521 GUIDELINES FOR ISSUING TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS
14 FAM 521.1 Purpose of Official Travel
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
Authorizing officials should be cognizant of any personal or other travel plans, including plans to take annual leave in conjunction with travel, and should consider the need for the travel, use of travel substitutes (mail, teleconferencing, etc.), and the most cost-effective routing and means of accomplishing travel. Personal leave during official travel must not increase the cost of the travel to the U.S. Government. Each travel authorization and the associated travel vouchers must clearly specify the purpose of the travel.
14 FAM 521.2 Types of Travel Authorizations
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
The use of general travel authorizations for entire agencies or groups of employees must be authorized only by the Executive Secretariat and the Bureau of Administration in specific circumstances. To assure adequate managerial and supervisory attention to the need for all travel, each employee's travel must be authorized separately under one of the types of travel authorizations detailed below.
14 FAM 521.2-1 Unlimited Open Authorization
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
An unlimited open authorization permits an individual to travel for any purpose without further authorization. The Secretary of State has an unlimited open authorization.
14 FAM 521.2-2 Limited Open Authorization
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
A limited open authorization permits an individual to travel without further authorization under certain prescribed conditions, which may include limitations on the purpose(s) of travel, the geographic areas that may be visited, trip costs, and the period of time in which travel is authorized.
14 FAM 521.2-3 Trip-by-Trip Authorization
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
A trip-by-trip authorization permits a group or an individual to take one or more specific trips identified as to purpose(s), itinerary, time period, and estimated cost.
14 FAM 521.3 Open Authorizations
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
To minimize administrative costs and to provide for necessary flexibility while maintaining essential controls, use of open authorizations must be as follows:
(1) Unlimited open authorizations for travel must be permitted only for Department or agency heads, their deputies, other principal assistants, and managers as designated by the agency head or deputy;
(2) Limited open authorizations may be provided for employees whose work requires frequent repetitive travel, but should be revalidated quarterly and should specify realistic limitations on purposes, geographic area, trip duration, and costs; travel not covered in an open authorization must be separately authorized on a trip-by-trip basis; and
(3) Unlimited (except in the case of the Secretary and agency heads) and limited open authorizations must include an estimate of the travel costs to be incurred over the period covered by the authorization. Those estimates will be used to obligate those funds necessary to carry out that travel and thereby provide travel budgetary controls.
14 FAM 521.4 High-Cost Travel Authorizations
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
Because of the relatively high costs associated with certain kinds of travel, such travel must be authorized on a trip-by-trip basis and reviewed at a level of authority sufficient to provide policy approval. The types of travel covered by this requirement are:
(1) All conference attendance, training, entitlement, and relocation travel. In the case of conference attendances, as defined in the travel purpose categories (see 14 FAM 533.4), the authorizing official must assure that the numbers of attendees from the Department are necessary and justified. In addition, the need for conferences and meetings for which total travel and per diem estimates exceed $5,000, must be authorized by, at a minimum, an Assistant Secretary, executive director, the Deputy Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), or equivalent;
(2) Travel outside Continental United States (CONUS) for all employees, except those whose work requires repetitive foreign travel or emergency foreign travel without advance notification. In addition, U.S. Government representatives and attendees at international, multilateral, and intergovernmental conferences must be accredited by the Bureau of International Organization’s Office of International Conferences (IO/C), the Executive Secretariat (S/ES), or the Bureau of Administration’s Presidential Travel Support Division (A/PTS); and
(3) Authorization of other travel should be delegated to the lowest management level that has responsibility for both program accomplishment and/or obligation or commitment of funds, but not lower than an office director, bureau travel manager, or equivalent. The requesting and authorizing official should not be the same person, unless a higher authority is not available. In the latter instance, a specific memorandum of approval to authorize travel must be issued by the next higher organizational level.
14 FAM 522 Unassigned
(CT:LOG-135; 11-05-2012)
14 FAM 523 TRAVEL AUTHORITIES
14 FAM 523.1 Policy to Delegate and Authorities
(CT:LOG-339; 12-08-2021)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
In addition to the authorities listed in 14 FAM 511.4, 14 FAM 500 refers to the following authorities:
(1) GAO Decision B-148087, Payment of a Voucher for Traveling Expenses, 2/21/62;
(2) GAO Decision B-223872, Reimbursement for Travel Expenses – Air Ambulance, 11/25/86;
(3) GAO Decision B-211490, Termination of Overseas Employment – Transportation of Household Goods to Alternate Destination, 4/10/84;
(4) OMB 93-11, Fiscal Responsibility and Reducing Prerequisites; and
(5) OMB Circular A-126.
14 FAM 523.2 Delegation of Authority to Authorize and Approve Travel
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
Delegation 53-I, Delegation of Authority to Sign and Issue U.S.A. Transportation Requests, dated February 26, 1964, confers upon the Secretary of State the authority to delegate as set forth below.
14 FAM 523.2-1 State Department
(CT:LOG-379; 06-09-2023)
(State Only)
(Foreign Service)
a. The delegations of authority, by the Secretary, as set forth in this section are subject to the availability of travel funds, all requirements of law, and to regulations, instructions, and directives separately issued by the Department of State from time to time. The delegations must be in writing and registered with the Office of Directives Management (A/GIS/DIR).
b. Authority to authorize post assignment travel and related items, in connection with assignment, transfer, separation, and home leave is shared between GTM/EX which controls STATE Salaries and Expenses (S&E) International Travel Allotment 2025, and CGFS which controls the Reimbursable Detail Allotment 6035.
c. Authority has been delegated to the Director for Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), to authorize travel and related items chargeable to funds controlled by OBO.
d. Other bureaus and offices:
(1) Authority has been delegated to certain officers of other bureaus and offices of the Department to authorize travel and related expenses chargeable to allotments which they control; and
(2) Travel for speaking engagements by employees on home leave (3 FAM 3430), as approved by the Bureau of Public Affairs (Office of Public Liaison), is funded by the requesting outside organization or that portion of the Department's S&E appropriation allotted to the Bureau of Public Affairs.
e. Authority has been delegated to the Medical Director, Bureau of Medical Services (MED), to authorize travel and related items chargeable to funds controlled by MED including the following types of travel:
(1) Medical travel of U.S. citizen employees, medical attendants, or authorized family members, including return to post of assignment; and
(2) Medical travel of Marine security guards to hospitals abroad and return to post of assignment.
f. Posts abroad (State):
(1) Travel chargeable to post-held State S&E funds. Chiefs of mission and personnel designated in writing are delegated the authority to approve travel and related expenses properly chargeable to post-held S&E funds including the following:
(a) Local administrative travel within or between foreign countries when such travel is in connection with temporary details, and assignment and separation travel of Foreign Service national employees;
(b) Travel to alternate seat of government;
(c) Educational travel;
(d) Rest and recuperation travel;
(e) Emergency and periodic shipment of privately owned motor vehicles;
(f) Directed departure travel;
(g) Local transportation at post; and
(h) Visitation travel in accordance with 3 FAM 3730;
(2) Travel chargeable to Washington, DC-held S&E Allotment 2025. The Department should be notified of the amendment(s) by TMSIX telegram. The amended travel authorization (TMFOUR) will be processed in the Department and transmitted to the amending post. Posts may amend Allotment 2025 Travel only when necessitated by:
(a) Change in classification of employee (losing or gaining posts);
(b) Change in number of eligible family members, except when acquired through proxy marriage (losing or gaining posts); post should submit revised Form OF-126, Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report (RET);
(c) Shipment of a foreign-made, foreign-purchased privately owned motor vehicle in accordance with regulations in 14 FAM 615.9;
(d) Change of home leave address, provided the change of address, as documented by the employee's copy of Form OF-126, Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report (RET), has previously been approved by MED in accordance with 3 FAM 3430 (losing post only);
(e) A dependency change involving a newborn child at a post where U.S. or other suitable layettes are unavailable locally and must be obtained in the United States or its territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). In such instances, the employee may be granted an air freight allowance for shipment of a layette in an amount not to exceed 113 kilograms or 250 pounds gross weight (see also 14 FAM 613.4) (gaining post only); and
(f) A determination made by an authorizing officer in line with the provisions of 14 FAM 532.3 that advance PCS travel for the eligible family member(s) of an employee is warranted, in connection with marital separation or divorce;
(3) Travel chargeable to Washington, DC-held S&E Operating Allowance 6091:
(a) Rest and recuperation travel;
(b) Emergency or periodic shipment of privately owned motor vehicles; and
(c) Educational travel; and
(4) Travel chargeable to post-held OBO funds:
(a) Travel within or between foreign countries when such travel is in connection with temporary details, and assignment and separation travel of Foreign Service national employees;
(b) Local transportation at posts;
(c) Educational travel;
(d) Rest and recuperation travel; and
(e) Directed-departure travel.
14 FAM 523.2-2 United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
(CT:LOG-352; 06-17-2022)
(USAID Only)
(Foreign Service)
a. The delegations of authority, by the USAID Administrator, as set forth in this section are subject to the availability of travel funds as well as to regulations, instructions, and directives separately issued from time to time.
b. Authority to approve, as appropriate, official travel, transportation, and storage of effects is delegated to the officials designated in this section. Exercise of this delegated authority is subject to the availability of travel funds, all requirements of law, and all instructions, regulations, and directives which are now in effect or which may be issued hereafter by the Agency.
14 FAM 523.2-2(A) USAID/Washington-based Staff
(CT:LOG-339; 12-08-2021)
(USAID Only)
(Foreign Service)
The Chief Human Capital Officer, Office of Human Capital and Talent Management or designee, may authorize the travel, transportation, and storage of effects (including transportation of motor vehicles) incident to a personnel action, home leave, or evacuation, of USAID Foreign Service employees under authorizing officer's jurisdiction. Exercise of this authority must be in accordance with the provisions of the travel orders and is subject to the following limitations:
(1) Travel of a mission director, or USAID representative, outside the country or area of assignment, must be approved in advance by the senior supervisory or independent office head concerned; and
(2) Travel authorizations for participating agency employees (Participating Agency Service Agreement (PASA)) are authorized or approved by USAID only when the participating agency agreement includes provisions for issuance of travel authorizations by USAID.
14 FAM 523.2-2(B) Participating Agencies
(CT:LOG-339; 12-08-2021)
(USAID Only)
(Foreign Service)
Appropriate officials of the participating agencies (Participating Agency Service Agreement (PASA)) have the authority to approve travel, transportation, and storage of effects (including transportation of motor vehicles) incident to a personnel action or home leave for Foreign Compensation (FC) schedule employees when employed or assigned by them when the interagency agreement so specifies.
14 FAM 523.2-2(C) USAID Staff Abroad
(CT:LOG-339; 12-08-2021)
(USAID Only)
(Foreign Service)
a. The mission director or USAID representative abroad, or their designee authorizes:
(1) Travel, transportation, and storage of effects incidents to a personnel action, home leave, emergency evacuation, and temporary duty for USAID direct-hire employees upon notification by USAID/Washington that the personnel action, home leave, or temporary duty (where USAID/Washington approval is required) has been approved;
(2) Transportation of replacement motor vehicles in accordance with regulations in 14 FAM 615.3 and 14 FAM 615.4, and shipment of a foreign-made vehicle in accordance with regulations in 14 FAM 615.9;
(3) Educational travel for eligible family members in accordance with regulations in 14 FAM 532.5;
(4) Travel within or between foreign countries when travel is for temporary detail consultation or representational purposes in accordance with regulations which authorizing officer has prescribed;
(5) Rest and recuperation travel for USAID direct-hire employees or offshore contracted U.S. personal service contractors, and for participating agency employees; and
(6) Return of the family of a direct-hire employee or offshore contracted U.S. personal service contractor, to the United States for a compelling or compassionate reason in advance of the date the employee is eligible for travel.
b. The principal or executive officer of the U.S. diplomatic mission authorizes travel and per diem for USAID U.S. citizen employees including employees of participating agencies and their dependents for medical treatment while located abroad.
c. The Inspector General, or designee, for USAID Foreign Service employees under the Inspector General's or designee's jurisdiction, may authorize, as appropriate, official travel, transportation, and storage of effects to the extent provided in 14 FAM 523.2-2, except for representational travel.
14 FAM 523.2-2(D) Authorizing or Approving Exceptions
(CT:LOG-339; 12-08-2021)
(USAID Only)
(Foreign Service)
a. The authorizing officials designated in 14 FAM 523.2-2(A) and 14 FAM 523.2-2(B) may authorize emergency, unusual, or additional payment for personnel under their jurisdiction in accordance with regulations in 14 FAM 512.
b. Certain special exceptions may be authorized as follows:
(1) First-class air accommodations (see ADS 522);
(2) Business-class air accommodations (see ADS 522);
(3) Foreign-flag airlines or ships (see ADS 523); and
(4) Actual expense subsistence (see ADS 522).
c. Exercise of this authority must be in accordance with the provisions of current statutes and implementing regulations.
d. USAID employees seeking an exception to the Foreign Service Travel Regulations should refer to 14 FAM 583.6 for procedures.
14 FAM 523.2-3 U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)
14 FAM 523.2-3(A) USAGM Authorities
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(USAGM Only)
(Foreign Service)
a. The delegations of authority, by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) Director, as set forth in this section are subject to the availability of travel funds as well as to regulations, instructions, and directives separately issued from time to time.
b. Authority to approve, as appropriate, official travel, transportation, and storage of effects, is delegated in this section. Exercise of this delegated authority is subject to availability of funds, all requirements of law, and all instructions, regulations, and directives which are now in effect or which may be issued hereafter by the Agency.
14 FAM 523.2-3(B) USAGM/Washington
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(USAGM Only)
(Foreign Service)
a. Authority to authorize post assignment travel and related items, in connection with assignment, transfer, separation, and home leave is shared between the Office of Engineering (E/O), News Division (VOA/X), Marketing Office (P/N), and the Office of Personnel/Foreign Service (M/P).
b. The following types of travel or travel expenses of USAGM Foreign Service employees must be authorized or approved by Washington:
(1) Travel, transportation of effects, and related items for travel of agency personnel and their dependents in connection with personnel actions, advance travel of dependents, home leave, and education travel to and from the United States for secondary and college education; shipment of layettes; shipment of replacement vehicles; and shipment of foreign-made motor vehicles in accordance with regulations in 14 FAM 615.9;
(2) Agency-directed travel to the United States;
(3) International conference travel;
(4) Transportation and per diem of dependents when employee is on temporary duty in route to post of assignment;
(5) Allowance and actual subsistence expense;
(6) Excess official baggage for travel in connection with personnel actions; and
(7) Other travel or travel expenses for which specific authorization or approval authority has not been delegated to field offices.
c. The following types of travel expenses of USAGM employees, U.S. and Foreign Service nationals, must be authorized and approved by the Deputy for Engineering Operations, or his or her designee in Washington, DC: Travel originating abroad to the United States or travel between two points abroad.
d. Officers in charge of transmitter relay stations are authorized to approve temporary duty of U.S. and Foreign Service nationals within the geographical boundaries of the country to which they are assigned.
e. Delegations of authority to heads of USAGM overseas establishments do not alter the range of services to be rendered by the Department of State under existing administrative support agreements.
f. Voice of America (VOA) Washington provides authorization for VOA correspondent bureaus, temporary duty of correspondents and Foreign Service national employees; rest and recuperation travel of U.S. employees and their dependents in accordance with 3 FAM 3720; and emergency visitation travel for employees and their dependent in accordance with 3 FAM 3730.
14 FAM 523.2-4 USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
(CT:LOG-339; 12-08-2021)
(USDA/FAS Only)
(Foreign Service)
a. The following types of travel authorizations or approval of associated expenses are prepared in Washington, DC by the Foreign Affairs/Global Service Division (GSD) and approved by FAS/Headquarters for:
(1) Permanent Change of Station (PCS):
(a) Assignment/Transfer;
(b) Retirement/Separation; and
(c) Resignation; and
(d) Curtailment;
(2) Expenses for:
(a) Shipment of Layette;
(b) Shipment of replacement vehicle;
(c) Consumables shipment; and
(d) Newly acquired family member;
(3) Language Training Travel:
(a) Short-term; and
(b) Long-term; and
(4) Long Term TDY.
b. The following types of travel authorizations are prepared at post:
(1) Authorized/Ordered Emergency Evacuation;
(2) Education;
(3) Eldercare;
(4) Emergency Visitation;
(5) Home Leave;
(6) Medical Travel (Medevac);
(7) Rest and Recuperation
(8) Temporary Duty Travel (TDY); and
(9) Travel of Children of Separated Families.
14 FAM 523.2-5 USDA/Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
(CT:LOG-339; 12-08-2021)
(USDA/APHIS Only)
(Foreign Service)
a. The following types of travel authorizations are prepared in Riverdale, MD by the International Services/Administrative Services Personnel and Travel Section for approval by the Director of Administrative Services for:
(1) Assignment to overseas posts;
(2) Home leave; and
(3) Change of station:
(a) Transfer;
(b) Retirement; and
(c) Resignation;
(4) Education travel;
(5) Expenses for:
(a) Shipment of layette;
(b) Shipment of replacement vehicles;
(c) Consumable shipment; and
(d) Overseas storage charges. (NOTE: For overseas storage charges, travel authorizations are only prepared when the employee has household effects in storage abroad. Storage within the United States will be processed by IS/AS Logistic Management Support and does not need to be requested by the employee);
(6) Rest and recuperation travel;
(7) Medical travel;
(8) Emergency visitation travel;
(9) Travel of children of separated parents; and
(10) Eldercare travel.
b. The following type of travel authorization is prepared at the post and charged to the program travel account: Temporary duty (TDY) travel including:
(1) Outside area of assignment;
(2) Agricultural counselor/attaché conference; and
(3) Consultations in Washington.
14 FAM 523.2-6 Commerce/Foreign Commercial Service (FCS)
(CT:LOG-135; 11-05-2012)
(Commerce/FCS Only)
(Foreign Service)
a. The following types of travel authorizations are prepared and approved in Washington, DC by the office of Foreign Service Human Capital (OFSHC). The Foreign Service officer must submit a request to travel to the Office of Foreign Service Human Capital (OFSCH). Prior to submitting the request, the officer must receive his or her immediate supervisor’s approval along with his or her regional director's when appropriate. The Chief of Foreign Service HR and Assignment Support and the Director of the Office of Foreign Service Human Capital will approve the travel authorization for:
(1) Appointment travel;
(2) Relocation travel;
(3) Home Leave travel;
(4) Separation (retirement/resignation) travel;
(5) Temporary duty (TDY) travel for training/consultations;
(6) Medical travel;
(7) Newly acquired family member travel;
(8) Emergency visitation travel;
(9) Advance return of family travel;
(10) Authorized/ordered emergency evacuation travel;
(11) Separated EFMs (child/spouse/domestic partner) travel;
(12) Eldercare travel;
(13) Death of U.S. citizen employee or eligible family member travel; and
(14) Expenses for:
(a) Shipment of layette;
(b) Shipment of replacement vehicles;
(c) Consumable shipment; and
(d) Storage.
b. The following types of travel authorizations are prepared and approved at post and charged to the posts budget for:
(1) Temporary duty (TDY) travel including:
(a) Outside area of assignment;
(b) Conference; and
(c) Consultations in Washington;
(2) Rest and recuperation travel; and
(3) Education travel.
14 FAM 524 AUTHORIZATIONS
14 FAM 524.1 Advance Authorizations
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
Travel should be authorized, in writing, before travel begins or any travel expenses are incurred. When, due to unusual circumstance, this is not practicable, travel may be subsequently approved in writing.
14 FAM 524.2 Superseded Authorizations
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
a. A subsequent authorization issued upon the transfer, separation, or death of an employee, supersedes and invalidates any prior authorization for transfer, home leave, or assignment to a post. If a part of the travel of the employee or employee's family or transportation of effects has already begun, expenses in connection therewith are allowable to the first subsequent point of interruption, provided it is on a usually traveled route between the points authorized in the prior authorization.
b. Using a new travel authorization, onward travel and transportation of effects are allowable from such point of interruption to the newly authorized destination. In case of death of an employee, a new travel authorization will be issued authorizing travel of employee's family and transportation of effects from point of interruption on a usually traveled route to point of service separation, in accordance with regulations in 14 FAM 532.6. In the event the point of interruption is not on a usually traveled route, onward travel will be authorized from a comparative point along a usually traveled route.
14 FAM 524.3 Amending Travel Orders
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
a. The issuing authority must issue an amended travel order when the authority contained in the original order is insufficient for performance of official business or when the traveler expects to incur additional allowable expenses not authorized in the original order.
b. Travel orders must be amended when:
(1) In the case of temporary duty (TDY), the date of departure or return differs by more than 2 days from the date authorized on the original travel orders;
(2) The itinerary needs to be changed to add an alternate temporary duty site; and
(3) An item requiring special authorization was erroneously omitted.
c. Travel orders may not be amended retroactively to increase or decrease the rights of the traveler after he or she has performed the relevant portion of the travel unless:
(1) The amendment corrects errors apparent on the face of the original orders; or
(2) All the facts and circumstances surrounding the issuance of the original orders clearly demonstrate that some provision which was previously determined and definitely intended was inadvertently omitted in their preparation.
14 FAM 525 TRAVEL ADVANCES
(CT:LOG-352; 06-17-2022)
(Uniform State)
(Foreign Service)
See 4 FAM 463.
14 FAM 526 DOCUMENTATION
14 FAM 526.1 By Authorizing Officer
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
When an authorizing officer makes a special determination, authorization, approval, or exception, the authorizing officer is responsible for furnishing, if requested, adequate explanation for this action. The authorizing officer should therefore include the pertinent information in the files. When this action is based on unusual circumstances, the authorizing officer should furnish this explanation to the traveler for inclusion in the travel voucher. The explanation should state the facts upon which the action was based but should be as brief as possible and be limited to pertinent information.
14 FAM 526.2 By Traveler
(CT:LOG-253; 10-01-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Foreign Service)
If a traveler incurs any expense not previously authorized, which requires specific authorization or which is not covered by these regulations, the traveler should provide an adequate explanation as an attachment to traveler's travel voucher.
14 FAM 527 through 529 unassigned