Per Diem for International, Alaska, or Hawaii Destinations

When creating a travel request or a travel voucher for international travel, or travel to Alaska or Hawaii, the Per Diem Allowed Meals cannot be automatically populated. This is due to the frequent variability in rates which cannot be programmed into the application.

If creating a request or voucher for travel to Alaska or Hawaii:

  • Select the state from the Destination (state) drop down menu.
  • Enter the name of the city or region directly into the Destination (city) field. This field does not determine Per Diem amounts, so there are no rules regarding how to enter text into this field.
  • Click Save & Continue.

Figure 1 - Hawaii destination​

the destinitation state field with Hawaii highlighted 

If creating a request or voucher for travel out of country:

  • Click the International check box. The Destination (state) field will display “International".
  • Enter the name of the city or region directly into the Destination (city) field. Since this field does not determine Per Diem amounts, there are no rules regarding how to enter this field.
  • Click Save & Continue.

Figure 2 - International Travel

the International check box highlighted    
 

For the most accurate record of your travel:

On the Per Diem screen:

1.  First, check the Per Diem Allowed Meals check boxes for the actual meals taken (breakfast, lunch, or dinner).

2. Then enter the Allowed Meals amounts.

  • If not all meals are taken, calculate percentages for breakfast, lunch, or dinner according to Idaho State Travel Policy - Partial Day Per Diem Allowance. Click Save when finished, and continue with the request or voucher. If the amounts are not saved, see below.

To Find Per Diem Amounts

Go to the GSA Web site. It states, “Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense…"  At the time of this writing, there are links to the Departent of Defencse site for Alaska or Hawaii and to the State Dept site for foreign travel

International Travel Requests and Vouchers
Even if you enter Allowed Meals amounts on a request for international travel, these will not populate the voucher per diem amounts when the voucher is created from that approved request. You will still have to look up and enter the amounts on the voucher.

To find per diem amounts, go to the GSA Web site.  The State Department establishes rates for foreign countries, and the site has a link for those rates. Also, refer to the “foreign travel" section of the Idaho Board of Examiner's State Travel Policy, which states “The daily FTPDA will be 100% of the listed M & IE rate...."

Figure 5 - State Department site

the foreign per diem page of the department of state web site 

If Per Diem Amounts Are Not Saved
In some cases, you may enter an Allowed Meal amount, and then press TAB or click into another field and the amount that you entered does not save – it returns to zero. This might happen if you enter a full amount in the Allowed Meals section, then uncheck certain meals for that day.

  • If this happens, go back to the Voucher screen and change the destination city to something else and then click Save. This will essentially “reset" the Per Diem screen.
  • Then on the Voucher screen, change the destination city back to your true destination and click Save.
  • Re-enter the Per Diem amounts if necessary. First, check the check boxes for the meals taken, and then manually calculate and enter the Per Diem Amount.