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“Know before You Go” Checklist for International Travel

for Employees of the LSU AgCenter

Know Before You Go Checklist

The LSU AgCenter administrative support units recognize that there are many steps to planning an international trip. To help simplify the process, below is a checklist designed to assist any employee of the LSU AgCenter planning to travel abroad. International travel undertaken on behalf of the LSU AgCenter is subject to LSU Permanent Memorandum Number 13 (PM-13), University Travel Regulations, and all current AgCenter guidelines.

Before You Go

  • Ensure that you have a Passport that is up-to date (typically more than six months before expiration). If not, access the following:
    • Off-campus Passports Application
    • Passports fees are not allowable for reimbursement by the LSU AgCenter
    • Keep copies of your passport cover page in a safe place to facilitate replacement if necessary.
  • Determine if you need an entry visa for any of the countries that you plan to visit. For more information:
  • Obtain the required approvals for international travel. Approvals of the unit head, the Director of Accounting Services (Jan Bernath) and the Senior Vice Chancellor of the AgCenter or appropriate Director of LAES or LCES are required.
    • Approval of LSU AgCenter Accounting Services is required for all international travel prior to preparing a Spend Authorization. All requests for international travel should first be submitted to the appropriate Unit Head. Unit Heads will be responsible for submitting and obtaining approval from Jan Bernath at jbernath@agcenter.lsu.edu. Requests must include name(s) of travelers, date(s) of travel, destination, method of travel, lodging accommodation details, purpose of travel, funding account number, and any other information related to the request. Jan will forward to the Senior Vice Chancellor of the AgCenter or appropriate Director of LAES or LCES as required.
    • If traveling to countries designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce as foreign adversaries, the Request for Travel to Foreign Adversary Country form is required to be completed and submitted with the request.
    • If approved, Jan Bernath will issue an approval letter to the requested travel. The traveler should then create the Spend Authorization in Workday and attach the approval letter.
  • If any of your travel expenses are being paid by a third party or sponsor, you are required to comply with La. RS 42:111 of the Code of Governmental Ethics prior to travel. AgCenter Ethics Reporting Procedures
  • LSU monitors U.S. Department of State Travel Alerts and Warnings. Note that this page currently includes information on the status of COVID-19 for each country. To mitigate the risk associated with travel to high-risk regions, all international travel requests are approved by the Senior Vice Chancellor of the AgCenter or appropriate Director of LAES or LCES.
  • Book International Airfare – Once an employee has been granted approval to travel internationally, the employee is free to either book their airfare through the contracted travel agency – currently Christopherson Business Travel (CBT) – or access CBT’s online booking system by logging in to myLSU, then clicking on Travel Resources, CBT Online Booking System. Other information regarding air travel includes:
    • CBT fees
    • CBT tutorials
    • Any federally supported air travel has to conform to the Fly America Act. This requires the use of a U.S. air carrier service for all air travel and cargo transportation services funded by the U.S. government
  • If you must book a hotel room, ensure that the nightly charge is within the U.S. State Department’s or PM-13’s maximum per diem rate for hotels in that destination. Refer to this website
  • If you need to rent a vehicle while traveling overseas, please note the following:
    • The State’s mandated contracts with Enterprise, Hertz, and National are only for domestic vehicle rental so you are not limited to one of these vendors while renting a vehicle outside the U.S.
    • It is strongly recommended that liability and physical damage insurance be purchased when renting a vehicle outside the U.S. If included in the spend authorization, this international rental insurance can be reimbursed.
  • Arrange Airport Parking if necessary – Ensure that you obtain the state contracted rates in accordance with PM-13.
  • Ensure that you comply with LSU AgCenter IT Travel Guidance. Failure to do so can result in significant difficulties and limited or no access to your AgCenter assigned devices. Access the IT Travel Guidance (sharepoint.com) site with your AgCenter credentials.
  • Ensure that any items you bring into a foreign destination, including electronics, comply with export control regulations. Export control laws are federal regulations that govern how certain information, technologies, and commodities can be transmitted overseas to anyone or to foreign nationals on U.S. soil. International travel may be subject to such regulations depending on the destination, purpose of the trip and the hardware, software, and/or items that are taken.
  • Travelers who book airfare through CBT are covered by LSU’s international travel insurance with On-Call International at no additional cost. Information concerning this insurance, and the services provided is at the following link: Faculty and Staff International Travel Insurance | LSU Risk Management. Individual travelers who do not book through CBT must register their trip by sending their itinerary to trips@oncallinternational.com and copying travel-insurance@lsu.edu. However, please keep in mind that airfare must be booked through CBT unless the proper prior approvals are obtained in accordance with PM-13, Section VIII (E).
  • Confer with your doctor to determine if immunizations are necessary and, if so, the procedure for receiving them. These websites could be useful:
  • Update your Emergency Contact information in Workday so that key personnel in your unit have access to that information if needed. This information should include telephone and e-mail from host country partners as well as hotels. Also ensure that your unit has local/family contact information
  • Miscellaneous (Optional)


While Abroad

  • Arrive with enough currency to cover initial expenses (taxi etc.), particularly if credit cards are not used. Be prepared to exchange currency at the airport for such expenses.
  • Update Emergency Contact information to the key personnel in your unit as well as to your family. This information could include hotel room number and any cell phone. If possible, provide this information to the U.S. Embassy.
  • Save all receipts incurred on business travel except for personal meals.


On Your Return

  • Travel Expense Report – Report all travel expenses through Workday using your unit’s administrators after the trip for guidance. Use a Currency Converter to determine USD equivalents for your travel expenses (for out-of-pocket expenses only and not those expenses paid with LaCarte).
  • After returning from travel, it is highly recommended that you change your LSU AgCenter accounts password, along with any others that might have been used while traveling and monitor your account and device(s) for unusual activity and notify LSU AgCenter IT of any unusual behavior or the possibility of exposure or compromise.
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