Establishing secure connection…Loading editor…Preparing document…

Employee Travel Form

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

EMPLOYEE TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION AND EXPENSE REPORT

Personal Information

Employee Name:    Employee ID:

Position Information

Reporting Manager:    Start Date:

Travel Request Details

Destination (City, State, Country):

Departure Date:    Return Date:    Number of Travelers:

Travel Type:

Preferred Mode of Transport:

Class of Air Travel:    Company Card to be used:

Estimated Expenses (Provide estimates and attach receipts after travel)

Total Estimated Expense:

Funding and Approvals

Financial Approval Required Prior to Travel:

Expense Reimbursement / Receipts

Receipts required for all items over the per diem threshold and for airfare, lodging and car rental. Submit original receipts attached to the expense report.

Documents to attach (check all that apply):

Employment History (Most Recent)

Title:    Dates Employed:

Title:    Dates Employed:

Education

References (Professional)

Legal Disclosures and Company Policy Acknowledgment

At-Will Employment: Employee acknowledges that employment is at-will and may be terminated by either party at any time, with or without cause, to the extent permitted by law.

Equal Opportunity: Company provides equal employment opportunities without regard to protected characteristics. Employee acknowledges receipt of the company policy and affirms compliance with applicable conduct requirements during travel.

Applicant Certification and Authorizations

I certify that all information provided in this form is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I agree that expenses submitted for reimbursement will be accurate, business-related, and supported by required receipts. I understand that falsification of travel or expense information may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination and may require reimbursement of improperly paid funds.

Authorization to Contact Previous Employers and Conduct Background Checks: I authorize the company to contact references and prior employers I have listed on this form for verification purposes and to conduct any employment-related background screening required by company policy.

Employee agrees to comply with all travel safety policies, expense limits and pre-approval requirements set by the company. Employee further understands that personal travel combined with business travel must be disclosed and costs reasonably allocable to personal travel will not be reimbursed.

Consent to Data Use: By signing below, the employee consents to the use of the personal information provided in accordance with company data protection and privacy policies for the purposes of travel booking, expense reimbursement, and compliance.

Additional Comments / Exceptions

Employee Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Approving Manager Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Enter text✕

What the Employee Travel Form Is and when it’s used

An Employee Travel Form documents authorization, itinerary, cost estimates, approvals, and emergency details for work-related travel. Employers use it to confirm travel purpose, capture compliance with corporate travel policy, and create an audit trail for reimbursements and expense reporting. Completed forms typically accompany pre-trip approvals, travel advances, expense submission, and HR records. The form may be paper or digital and often includes signature blocks, manager approval, business justification, dates, destinations, vendor or booking details, and emergency contact information to ensure duty-of-care and policy compliance.

Why you should standardize an Employee Travel Form

A standardized Employee Travel Form reduces disputes, speeds approvals, and supports audit and reimbursement workflows. It clarifies responsibility for expenses, records manager authorization, and documents duty-of-care steps for international or high-risk travel, helping employers satisfy internal controls and external compliance obligations.

Why you should standardize an Employee Travel Form

Common teams and roles that use the Employee Travel Form

The Employee Travel Form is used across HR, finance, and managing departments to authorize and track business travel.

  • Human Resources: manages travel policy, duty-of-care, and record retention for employee safety and compliance.
  • Managers and Supervisors: review and approve trip purpose, schedule, and budget before travel commences.
  • Finance and Accounting: verify eligible expenses and process travel advances and reimbursements against submitted receipts.

Clear role segmentation for preparation, approval, and reimbursement reduces processing time and limits liability exposures.

Who can sign and approve this form

HR Manager

The HR Manager enforces travel policy, confirms duty-of-care steps (vaccinations, visas), and retains records; they rarely approve budgets but verify compliance and escalate exceptions to legal or benefits teams.

Department Manager

The Department Manager or direct supervisor authorizes the trip based on business need, signs the approval block, and is responsible for budgetary sign-off and verifying the traveler’s itinerary and objectives.

How to complete and submit the form — step by step

Complete all employee fields, attach required documents, obtain manager approval, then send to finance for processing.

  • 01
    Fill fields: Enter traveler data, dates, destination, and cost estimates.
  • 02
    Attach documents: Attach itinerary, booking confirmations, visa copies if required.
  • 03
    Obtain approval: Route to manager for signed authorization before travel.
  • 04
    Send to finance: Submit approved form for advances or post-trip reimbursement.

Typical routing and submission destinations

Know where each completed Employee Travel Form should be sent and how routing integrates with corporate systems.

  • Submit to Manager: Primary approver receives form for business justification and budget sign-off.
  • Forward to HR: HR retains travel authorization for duty-of-care and policy compliance.
  • Send to Finance: Finance processes travel advances and later reimbursement claims.
  • Archive in Records: Store signed form in HRIS or document management for retention and audit.

Digital workflow settings to configure for online use

Configure routing, authentication, and storage to match your approval and audit needs.

Field Configuration
Approval Flow Manager then Finance sequential approval
Authentication Email + optional SMS OTP for signer verification
Conditional Fields Show visa fields if destination is international
Storage Location Save signed PDF to HRIS or secure cloud folder

Digital signing and integration considerations

Choose a platform that supports secure eSigning, audit trails, and your preferred integrations.

  • Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
  • Formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML supported
  • Authentication: Email, SMS, advanced signer options

Ensure the chosen platform meets security and retention policies and supports automated routing into HR and finance systems.

Core elements to include in a professional Employee Travel Form

A robust form collects traveler identity, trip details, approvals, costs, emergency information, and policy acknowledgments.

Traveler Details

Full legal name, employee ID, department, contact phone and company email to link the form to HR and for emergency reach-back.

Itinerary

Detailed itinerary with departure and arrival dates, carrier and flight numbers, and lodging address to support logistics and duty-of-care.

Approvals

Signed manager approval with date and budget code to authorize spend and create a clear audit trail for expense reconciliation.

Cost Breakdown

Itemized estimates for airfare, lodging, meals, ground transport, and incidentals to establish budget authority and reimbursement limits.

Emergency Contacts

Local and home emergency contact names and phone numbers for duty-of-care and to coordinate if travel disruptions occur.

Policy Acknowledgment

Traveler acknowledgment of corporate travel policy, per-diem rules, and acceptable expenses to limit reimbursement disputes and clarify expectations.

Export options and supporting attachments

Make signed forms and attachments easy to export, archive, and share with relevant teams.

Export Formats

Provide signed copies in PDF and DOCX and include a machine-readable audit trail for compliance and recordkeeping.

Attach Receipts

Allow uploaded receipts and invoices (PDF or images) linked to expense line items for verification and reimbursement.

Itinerary Files

Attach booking confirmations and e-tickets to validate travel dates, carriers, and lodging reservations.

Visa & Permits

Include copies of visas, work permits, or vaccination certificates when required for the destination.

Required data fields to collect on the form

Employee Name: Full legal name
Employee ID: Payroll identifier
Trip Dates: Start and end dates
Destination: City, state, country
Estimated Cost: Itemized estimate
Approver: Manager name and signature

Typical timelines and internal deadlines

Establish clear submission and post-travel deadlines to ensure timely approvals, travel safety checks, and reimbursement processing.

Pre-Travel Submission:

Submit at least 7–14 days before departure for approvals and booking approvals.

Manager Approval:

Managers should respond within 72 hours to avoid travel delays.

Post-Trip Expenses:

File reimbursement claims within 30–60 days of return per typical corporate policy.

Record Retention:

Retain signed forms as part of HR records per retention policy and legal requirements.

Advance Reconciliation:

Reconcile travel advances within 30 days after trip completion.

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing the form

  • Missing or mismatched employee identifiers that delay linking to payroll and expense systems.
  • Incomplete itinerary or missing booking confirmations that hinder duty-of-care responsibilities.
  • Unclear business justification leading to rejected approvals or delayed funding.
  • Failing to attach required visas or vaccination records for international travel.

Risks and consequences of an incorrect or incomplete form

Reimbursement Denial: Expenses may be disallowed
Delayed Approval: Trip may be postponed
Policy Violation: Employee discipline possible
Duty-of-Care Gaps: Liability for emergencies
Audit Findings: Control weaknesses noted
Data Exposure: Sensitive info mishandled

Notarization and witness steps for travel documents (when required)

Certain travel authorizations—especially parental consents for minors or documents used abroad—may require notarization or witnesses; follow these steps if your jurisdiction or destination mandates authentication.

01

Determine Requirement

Confirm whether destination or carrier requires notarization or witnesses.

02

Gather IDs

Collect government IDs for signer and witnesses before appointment.

03

Schedule Notary

Book an in-person notary or an RON session if permitted.

04

Witness Presence

Arrange required number of witnesses per state or foreign authority rules.

05

Sign in View

Sign the document in front of the notary/witness as required.

06

Notary Certificate

Ensure notary completes the acknowledgement or jurat section.

07

Recordkeeping

Retain the notarized document and notary journal reference.

08

Check International Rules

Confirm additional legalization or apostille needs for foreign travel.

Select eSignature pricing and feature comparison for travel workflows

Comparison of entry-level pricing and key capabilities for common eSignature vendors; signNow appears first per platform data and supports enterprise and site-license models.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial Yes, 7-day trial No No Yes, limited Yes, limited
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Frequently asked questions about the Employee Travel Form

Answers to common issues encountered when preparing, approving, and storing Employee Travel Forms.


Need help? Contact support

be ready to get more
Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users