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Nonemployee International Travel Information
** This information is for international travel by individuals who do not receive compensation through the UMB payroll system and/or who do not have a UMID, and whose travel counts as UMB Business Travel. **
Examples of nonemployees: Authorized affiliate employees, consultants, collaborating researchers, conference presenters, and partner representatives.
UMB Business Travel: Any trip undertaken for UMB business purposes or UMB employee work-related business is UMB Business Travel whose travel expenditures will be charged, in part or in whole, to UMB Funds.
UMB Funds: All funds administered by UMB, regardless of fund source.
Related Policies & Procedures
Steps for UMB Units Arranging International Travel for Nonemployees
The UMB unit paying for the trip is responsible for compliance with these procedures. The UMB unit will need to request travel authorization and book the travel on behalf of the nonemployee who does not have access to UMB systems.
*Important* Please note Concur uses security risk ratings as provided by Travel Link, an additional resource that provides information about the destination country. However, UMB will continue to use International SOS’s travel security risk ratings while assessing travel to high or extreme-risk travel security destinations.
**Important** Please note that starting from January 1, Travel Leaders will be the only UMB-approved travel agency.
Step 1: Recommend Personal Safety and Security training
Encourage the traveler to register with and take International SOS's online safety and security courses. Information on how to access these trainings can be found here. We strongly recommend Introduction to Membership (16 minutes) and Travel Risk Awareness (25 minutes) for all UMB travelers.
Step 2: Check if the nonemployee is traveling to a high-risk destination
Check to see if one or more of the traveler's destination countries are rated High or Extreme Travel Risk by International SOS - click here for a step-by-step guide on how to do the check. Document the destination(s) security rating on the attestation form in the next step.
Step 3: Sign the International Traveler Attestation Form
Fill in the Travel Risk Security ratings for the traveler’s destination in the International Traveler Attestation Form for Nonemployees, and have the traveler sign the form.
Step 4: Request Travel Authorization for the Nonemployee
Enter the travel request in the UMB's Concur Travel System. If a destination is high-risk, upload confirmation of International Operations' approval for that travel. Prior authorization is required for all international travel. Take a screenshot of the travel approval for providing to the travel agency.
Step 5: Book the nonemployee's travel
Use the UMB-approved travel agency to book the travel, and the travel agency will notify International SOS of the traveler's itinerary. If booking outside of UMB’s travel agency, manually enter the nonemployee's itinerary into the International SOS system.
Step 6: Advise the Non-employee to register with International SOS
Advise the non-employee to download the International SOS app for mobile-phone access to their services while traveling, and print a copy of the International SOS membership card to carry with them.
CHANGES TO THE NONEMPLOYEE'S TRAVEL ITINERARY?
Go back to Step 2: Get prior approval if they are traveling to a high-risk destination - and proceed with Steps 3-6. The revised travel plan must be authorized.
BACK HOME? SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE NONEMPLOYEE.
Once the person returns from their travels, promptly submit an invoice in Quantum Financials with a Nonemployee Business Travel Certification Form (NBTC) XLSX completed and signed by the traveler.
ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING TRIP?
Before departure, contact
globalhub@umaryland.edu to request a pre-departure security briefing with the International Safety & Security Team. It is a great opportunity to ask questions about your destination country and learn more about how UMB can support your while traveling.
FAQs
Who needs to approve international travel by a nonemployee? ▾
Travel authorization: A nonemployee's international travel must be approved by the UMB faculty or staff member leading the international activity and by a person with fiscal authority for the funds used to pay for the travel.
High-risk destination: If one or more destinations is rated High or Extreme Travel Risk by International SOS, the travel must be cleared by the AVP of International Operations or their designee, as per Step 2 above.
The UMB unit paying for the trip is responsible for assuring compliance with US government regulations and sponsor terms and conditions (such as the Fly America Act), as well as proper and judicious use of UMB financial resources.
Yes, IF their travel will be paid for, in part or in whole, with UMB Funds. In these cases, they are treated like other nonemployees.
Of note:
- Affiliates such as the University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation (UMBF) and Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation (MGIC) have their own travel policies and procedures, which apply when the affiliate is paying for the travel.
- UMB will not reimburse expenses for travel that the UMB Foundation, MGIC, or another affiliated entity, or any other organization has paid for or will reimburse the traveler for.
Yes! If the traveler’s departure and arrival destinations are outside the US and involve no stop within the US, you still need to follow UMB procedures for seeking pre-approval of travel and authorization of related expenditures. You also need to follow the other UMB procedures for international travel, starting at Step 1 above.
What if the nonemployee or we already bought the traveler's ticket without the pre-approval? ▾
- Seek travel approval right away! You are still required to submit a travel request and obtain authorization in UMB's eTravel System prior to the traveler's departure.
- Manually enter the nonemployee's travel itinerary into the International SOS system. You'll need to add the trip via MyTrips (which may require registering first). International SOS provides a User Guide for how to do this.
- If the nonemployee procured the ticket, tell them to include the airfare with other travel expenses in their Nonemployee Business Travel Certification Form (NBTC). Do not reimburse the airfare prior to completion of travel.
Hmmm, we should probably talk about why they are going to any of these countries, as research and other activities may be restricted. More information is available on the UMB Export Compliance - International Travel webpage but probably best to contact us at globalhub@umaryland.edu!
Proceed with caution! Work with the nonemployee to make sure that UMB is paying for or reimbursing only expenses that are clearly associated with UMB Business Travel.
- If the nonemployee's other travel increases the cost of the airfare or other travel expenses that UMB is covering, the nonemployee personally must pay that increased amount, preferably at the time of purchase and prior to departure.
- If UMB has paid for travel expenses that relate, in part or in full, to the nonemployee's other work or personal travel, the nonemployee must reimburse UMB immediately for any cost that exceeds the UMB Business Travel portion.
- Expenses for any portion of a trip that is not for UMB business purposes must be CLEARLY identified and excluded from the request for reimbursement of travel expenses to the nonemployee.
Do your best to avoid these situations. If they arise, handle them carefully and provide clear supporting documentation.