Division of Financial Services
Travel
When approved by the unit, Cornell can reimburse the travel costs of non-employee, non-student individuals (e.g., job applicants, visitors, guest speakers, visiting scientists) under certain circumstances. When possible and appropriate, units should consider using virtual options for meetings during the early stages of candidate interviews and webinars for guest speakers.
For non-employee, non-student reimbursements, except for meal reimbursements, travel for non-employees should conform to all of the same rules required for employees.
Departments can use the per diem or receipt method for meals at their discretion. For the receipt method, itemized receipts are required for lodging and meals. For mileage, document miles using an online mapping tool such as Google Maps.
Non-employees can use Cornell's preferred suppliers for car rentals to take advantage of the available insurance. If they cannot do so, reasonable insurance reimbursement is allowed.
Vendors providing services to the university must invoice the university for all expenses, including travel expenses.
Reimbursements to visitors categorized as non-resident aliens might be taxable or subject to tax withholding.
Departments can issue payments to or on behalf of foreign visitors only when the visitor enters the United States while in an appropriate visa status. In addition to the standard required travel reimbursement documentation, the following must accompany requests for reimbursement to a foreign visitor on a B-1, B-2, or visa waiver.
Passport numbers are considered high-risk (confidential) data when appearing in conjunction with a person’s legal name or other identifier and should be redacted from this documentation.
Canadian citizens entering the United States without obtaining an I-94 Arrival/Departure card or ESTA must provide a signed Honorarium/Expenses Reimbursement Attestation Form to receive reimbursement.
Requests for reimbursements to non-employee or non-student individuals must be processed on a disbursement voucher. Please use the Manual Travel Reimbursement Form to gather information about the traveler, trip expenses, and the traveler attestation, and then attach the completed form to an I Want document. See Non-Employee Expense Reporting.
Because departments can use the Travel & Meal Card for most travel expenses, travel advances will be limited to circumstances when a traveler is expected to endure financial hardship for paying these expenses out-of-pocket and they could not have been paid for directly with a Travel & Meal Card. See Advances for details.
