11 October 2018

This document presents the guidelines for community members who are supported by the ICANN organization to attend ICANN Public Meetings or other approved ICANN events.

For archived Travel Support Guidelines, please visit:

https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/travel-support-2012-02-25-en#guidelines

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ICANN understands the importance of requirements and practices for protecting personal data.  ICANN is committed to protecting supported travelers’ personal data. Any personal data provided in connection with travel support will be processed in accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy.

ICANN relies in part on the face-to-face interaction of community members to advance policy development and other work. In addition, ICANN is committed to facilitating the participation of those members not yet fully engaged with ICANN. Outside ICANN Public Meetings, much of ICANN’s work is done over the Internet and through conference calls. Community members should consider using authorized tools and methods to participate remotely in ICANN Public Meetings and other approved ICANN events. Even with these options for remote participation, meeting face-to-face continues to be an important part of the ICANN process.

Currently, ICANN supports more than 300 community members to attend each ICANN Public Meeting and spends considerable resources on travel support for community members. The ICANN Organization Travel Support team is dedicated to ensuring that support is implemented fairly, consistently, economically, and with administrative efficiency for all supported travelers and for ICANN. Consistent with ICANN’s commitment to accountability and transparency, these Community Travel Support Guidelines set forth the process and scope of support that ICANN provides to community travelers.

ICANN Travel Support updates these guidelines periodically based on community feedback gathered from:

• Public Comment processes
• Open sessions at ICANN Public Meetings
• Formal consultation with Supporting Organizations, Advisory Committees, stakeholder groups, and constituencies
• Individual community members

The guidelines reflect the initial input received from the community consultation conducted between September 2017 and January 2018 and the public comment proceeding conducted from May to July 2018. They also reflect the observations of ICANN Travel Support.

Terminology

The following terms are used in these guidelines:

• Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN): ICANN organization, unless otherwise indicated.
  
  
• ICANN Travel Support: ICANN org Travel Support team.
  
  
• ICANN Public Meetings: Community Forum, Policy Forum, and Annual General Meeting. These meetings take place three times each year in different regions of the world. Additional information is available on the ICANN Public Meetings website.
  
  
• Approved ICANN events: Events requiring travel, but not occurring before, during, and/or after an ICANN Public Meeting. These are meetings that advance ICANN’s mission, e.g., intersessional meetings, review team meetings, workshops, or conferences.

Intended Audience

The Community Travel Support Guidelines are intended primarily for supported travelers attending an ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event. They also contain information about travel support intended for ICANN community groups that select supported travelers.

Purpose of These Guidelines

These Community Travel Support Guidelines cover the process, guidelines, and scope of the support that ICANN provides its supported travelers.

Purpose of Community Travel Support

ICANN has three primary purposes for providing travel support for ICANN community members:

• Advance the development of ICANN’s technical and policy work by giving community members the opportunity to participate in person.
• Ease the financial hardship for community members who otherwise cannot afford to attend, especially those from underserved regions or countries.
• Conduct outreach, especially to people unfamiliar with the ICANN processes who can benefit from and provide benefit to ICANN.

Participation in the ICANN multistakeholder model comes at a cost of time, energy, effort, and often, direct expense for community members. ICANN and supported travelers must demonstrate fiscal responsibility and strike a balance between the benefits of travel and budgetary constraints. When travel support is economical and feasible, ICANN can support the maximum number of travelers.

In addition to supporting community travel, ICANN and the community are continuously exploring alternative and cost-effective ways to complete ICANN’s work (e.g., remote participation tools).

Scope of ICANN Travel Support

ICANN Travel Support does not select supported travelers. Supporting Organizations, Advisory Committees, review teams, the Nominating Committee, other supported groups (e.g., NextGen@ICANN and ICANN Fellowship programs), and ICANN support staff arranging an approved ICANN event determine who receives travel support for a given event. These groups then communicate the names of supported travelers to ICANN Travel Support.

Travel Assistance and Support

ICANN Travel Support’s function is to provide logistical travel assistance to supported travelers. ICANN Travel Support follows a standard process and applies the guidelines uniformly to all supported travelers within the limits of the approved budget for the applicable fiscal year.

Travel support by ICANN is not intended to cover all travel costs. There are inherent discretionary travel costs that a supported traveler may incur that are not eligible for reimbursement and are not within the scope of these guidelines.

Travel Reports

Another responsibility of ICANN Travel Support is to provide visibility into and accountability for travel expenditures. After every ICANN Public Meeting and approved ICANN event, ICANN Travel Support posts reports of nonaudited travel costs – that is aligned with the reporting format that is agreed upon  ICANN Privacy Policy and the website Terms of Service.

Budgetary Considerations

In any given fiscal year, ICANN’s activities, including travel support, are subject to evaluation and changes based on ICANN’s review of available resources. The supported travel allocation for ICANN Public Meetings and other approved ICANN events is included in the ICANN Annual Budget and Operating Plan for each fiscal year. To request changes to the current travel allocation or to request additional travel services, the community should provide input through the Public Comment process.

Standards of Behavior and Anti-Harassment Policy

Supported travelers are expected to follow the ICANN Expected Standards of Behavior and the ICANN Community Anti-Harassment Policy and Terms of Participation and Complaint Procedure. Any violations may result in ICANN revoking travel support.

Communication Responsibilities

Supported travelers are expected to be responsive to ICANN Travel Support so that it can book flights as early as possible, preferably 90 days before the start of an event.  

ICANN Travel Support attempts to reach a supported traveler four times before deeming the supported traveler unresponsive:

1. ICANN Travel Support sends “welcome email.”
2. If there is no response after seven business days, ICANN Travel Support sends a second email, copying ICANN support staff.
3. If there is no response five business days after the second email, ICANN Travel Support sends a third email, copying ICANN support staff and the community group chair.
4. If there is no response five business days after the third email, ICANN Travel Support sends a fourth email, copying ICANN support staff and the community group chair.

If there is no response three days after the fourth attempt to reach the supported traveler, the community group may substitute another traveler. If the community group is unable to find another substitute, please refer to Travel by the Numbers.

Trip Cancellations

Except for emergencies that pose an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment, supported travelers must inform ICANN Travel Support of their intent to cancel travel plans at least 45 business days before the start of an event. Giving adequate notice provides the community group with the time to find a replacement for the supported traveler and cancel any travel arrangements already made.  

Financial Responsibilities

The supported traveler has certain financial responsibilities to ICANN. In some instances, ICANN needs to wire supported travelers money for per diems, stipends, and reimbursements of travel expenses.

Banking Information

To receive funds from ICANN, all supported travelers must submit a completed Traveler Vendor Setup Form and W-8BEN Form or W-9 Form. These forms are required by tax authorities to identify beneficiaries of funds paid by ICANN. Supported travelers must provide all requested information to enable bank transfers to their personal bank accounts.  Supported travelers may contact their banks to obtain this information. Incomplete or inaccurate information will delay receipt of per diems, stipends, reimbursements, and expense claims may be denied.

For instructions, see the Complete Required Form page.

Note: ICANN wires funds for per diems, stipends, and reimbursements only to personal bank accounts, not to business or organizational bank accounts. ICANN will wire the funds in USD currency. 

If supported travelers cannot receive a wire transfer (for example, certain countries have restrictions on receiving wire transfers from other countries), they can make alternative arrangements with ICANN Travel Support.

Lodging

In most hotels, a deposit or debit/credit card is required at the time of check-in to cover incidental expenses. ICANN will not provide any guarantee or supplement the inability of a supported traveler to provide a deposit or debit/credit card.

Payment Deferment of Amounts Under USD 100

Reimbursements of less than USD 100 are typically deferred until after the following ICANN Public Meeting. Alternatively, the supported traveler can contact ICANN Travel Support to make other arrangements.

Supported travelers who are not supported to attend the next ICANN Public Meeting should submit all supporting receipts to ICANN Travel Support for reimbursement.  

Reimbursement Deadline

Supported travelers must submit receipts for approved reimbursable expenses within 15 business days after the completion of an event. ICANN does not reimburse receipts received more than 30 business days after the completion of an event.

Wire Transfer and Foreign Exchange Fees/Losses

Supported travelers acknowledge and accept the risk that as recipients of wire transfers to any international account – for per diems, stipends, or reimbursements – they may incur foreign exchange fees/losses. ICANN does not reimburse wire transfer fees below USD 50. If a wire transfer fee exceeds USD 50, supported travelers may submit the expense, with required justification, to ICANN Travel Support for reimbursement.

Other Travel Responsibilities

Visas

Supported travelers are responsible for obtaining any required visas (including transit visas, if necessary) before departure. Supported travelers must have all visas at least two weeks before the start of an ICANN Public Meeting or approved ICANN event; otherwise, travel support will be cancelled. Exceptions can be made for supported travelers with a special provision or confirmation from an embassy or consulate that they will receive all visas at least one week before travel.

For detailed visa guidelines, including reimbursement policies, see Part III: Travel Guidelines.

Travel Insurance

ICANN will reimburse travel insurance expenses only if it is required to apply for visa. To be reimbursed, the supported traveler must provide proof that the insurance is required.

Medical Care While Traveling

Supported travelers are responsible for their medical care and expenses incurred in transit to and from an ICANN Public Meetings or other approved ICANN event.

During ICANN Public Meetings, the Health and Safety Center is staffed by qualified medical professionals who can provide immediate assistance and, if warranted, recommend additional care such as a doctor’s appointment or hospital visit.

For other approved ICANN events, if there is no ICANN medical support on-site, supported travelers should seek the nearest medical assistance (hotel doctor or hospital) to receive treatment and are responsible for any medical expenses.

Immunization and Medications

Optional immunizations and other medications (both over-the-counter and prescription) are the responsibility of supported travelers and are not eligible for reimbursement. ICANN will reimburse immunization expenses only if required for traveling to the destination of an ICANN Public Meeting or ICANN approved event. Supported travelers requiring personal medications should bring them in their carry-on luggage in case their checked luggage is lost at the time of travel. Supported travelers are financially responsible for replacing stolen or lost personal medications while traveling.

Standard Travel Support

Supported travelers can receive funding for one or more of three main categories of travel expenses:          

• Airfare
• Lodging
• Meal allowance (per diems, stipends, or actual expenses)

Travel by the Numbers

One supported traveler includes three main categories of travel expenses: airfare, lodging, and meal allowance.

Allocations may be split among supported travelers; however, the allocation of the three parts must equal one supported traveler.

Example 1

Supported traveler 1: airfare, lodging, and meal allowance

Example 2

Supported traveler 1: airfare and lodging

Supported traveler 2: meal allowance

 

Example 3

Supported traveler 1: airfare and meal allowance

Supported traveler 2: lodging

Example 4

Supported traveler 1:  airfare

Supported traveler 2:  lodging and meal allowance

 

Example 5

Supported traveler 1: airfare

Supported traveler 2:  lodging

Supported traveler 3:  meal allowance

Supporting Organizations, Advisory Committees, the Nominating Committee, review teams, and other supported community groups (e.g., NextGen@ICANN and ICANN Fellowship programs) may not reallocate funding from unused travel slots from current or prior fiscal year allocations to another ICANN Public Meeting or another approved ICANN event., Unused slots cannot be carried forward for future events or applied to prior events. The only authorized reallocation of unused travel slots is to transfer them to another individual for the same event during the same fiscal year, per the allocation process of each community group.

Shared Funding for a Supported Traveler

If multiple groups are funding a supported traveler for the same ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event, the expenses are split as follows:

• Air and other expenses (e.g., visas and transit hotel costs): Paid 100 percent by the group that is staying the longest at the ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event.
• Hotel and meal allowance can be split among groups during authorized dates only.

Approved Dates of Arrival and Departure

In general, the maximum length of a supported traveler’s stay is defined by the dates of the ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event. The approved arrival date is defined as the day before the official event start date. The approved departure date is defined as the day after the official event end date.

Approved arrival and departure dates can vary depending on when a particular community group is meeting, and these dates are subject to change. Since some community groups have meetings before or after an event, a supported traveler’s authorized dates of attendance may be different from the dates of the actual event or from the approved dates of other groups or individuals participating in the same event.

Supported travelers may arrive on or after the earliest “arrival date” and leave on or before the latest “departure date.” Supported travelers deviating from the approved arrival and departure dates for personal or professional purposes should contact ICANN Travel Support and give the specific reason for the earlier arrival or later departure. Supported travelers who chose to travel on a date different from the approved dates of arrival/departure will be financially responsible for their hotel, living allowances, and other expenses for the entirety of their unapproved dates of arrival and departure

Cancellations and Substitutions

A community group or program may substitute another supported traveler on a period of up to 45 business days before the start of an ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event, under either of these circumstances:

• A supported traveler has not responded to ICANN Travel Support after four attempts at communication.
• A supported traveler cancels for any reason.

The community group must provide a replacement name to ICANN Travel Support. Any costs incurred from a cancelled booking due to nonrefundable rates cannot be recovered. They are considered a loss and are charged against the relevant budget.

If a supported traveler misses two consecutive days of an event once it has started, ICANN Travel Support cancels its support for this supported traveler. Any costs already incurred resulting from the absence cannot be recovered. They are considered a loss and are charged against the relevant budget.

If a supported traveler requires a visa to enter the country where an ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event is to be held, it is the supported traveler’s responsibility to secure all necessary visas, including transit visas.

ICANN Travel Support assists supported travelers whenever possible, but it cannot apply to any visa on the supported traveler’s behalf. ICANN cannot guarantee that the supported traveler will be able to obtain a visa to enter a particular country and has no authority to get a visa expedited or approved. Each consulate or embassy has the discretion to approve or deny a visa application for any reason.

ICANN Travel Support may use a third-party service to assist a supported traveler with a visa application. However, the provision of this assistance does not a guarantee that the supported traveler will receive a visa. ICANN Travel Support will provide supported travelers with the following documents for their visa application:

1. ICANN Invitation Letter
2. Flight confirmation for visa purposes
3. Hotel confirmation for visa purposes

Special Circumstances

ICANN Travel Support can make exceptions for special circumstances. For example, sometimes supported travelers need to travel to another country to visit a consulate or embassy to apply for or obtain a visa. In these cases, ICANN Travel Support may provide additional financial support for a single round trip. If the total travel cost (flights, hotel, living allowance, and visa cost) will exceed more than USD 1,000, ICANN Travel Support will consult with the supported traveler’s group for guidance.

Reimbursement

Visa costs vary by country and citizenship. The maximum reimbursement for a visa is USD 200. Reimbursable expenses for obtaining a visa are limited to:

• Visa fees
• Arrival and departure taxes
• Passport photos for visa application
• Immunizations (if required)
• Travel Insurance (if required)
• Shipping costs (both sending and receiving)

To be reimbursed, supported travelers must provide ICANN Travel Support with a legible electronic copy of all fees. Reimbursements are provided at the end of the ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event.

Overview

ICANN Travel Support selects flights based on the following criteria, in descending order of priority:

• Economy (nonrefundable)
• Approved date of arrival/departure
• Nonstop/direct flight routes from the supported traveler’s original main domicile airport location
• Lowest fare available at time of booking.

These priorities override personal preferences or frequent-flyer program preferences.

ICANN-Arranged Travel

In most cases, ICANN Travel Support books air travel for supported travelers through its designated Travel Management Company. This method ensures the lowest trip cost and allows ICANN Travel Support to manage the security and well-being of supported travelers.

Note: Fellowship and NextGen program participants must book travel through ICANN Travel Support.

Self-Arranged Travel

Only in exceptional cases, supported travelers are authorized to arrange their own air travel. For example, sometimes the designated Travel Management Company cannot book a preferred or required itinerary.

Before arranging their travel, supported travelers must receive approval from ICANN Travel Support. ICANN Travel Support first ensures that the supported travelers have been designated for travel support, then confirms if the designated Travel Management Company is able to match the supported traveler’s requested itinerary. If the designated Travel Management Company cannot match the supported traveler’s requested itinerary, ICANN will send written authorization for self-arranging travel.

Reimbursement for self-arranged travel may be denied without prior written authorization from ICANN Travel Support.  

Maximum Reimbursable Fares

Reimbursement for self-arranged travel is limited to a maximum reimbursable amount.

• For ICANN Public Meetings, the maximum reimbursable fare varies for each region – see the Travel Summary for the amounts. ICANN Travel Support follows the geographic regions on the United Nations Statistics Division page to determine the maximum reimbursable amount per region. If supported travelers are not traveling from their main domicile airport, reimbursement is based on the lower fare (main domicile or actual departure airport).
• For other approved ICANN events, the designated Travel Management Company derives the maximum reimbursable amount based on an economy fare (nonrefundable ticket), approved date of arrival and departure, most direct or nonstop flight, and lowest logical fare available at time of booking – in that order.

Although the maximum reimbursable airfare is based on a nonrefundable economy class ticket, supported travelers may purchase any type of fare and any class of service, as long as the fare is under the maximum reimbursable fare for their region.

Supported travelers are not reimbursed for flights they purchase or redeem using their frequent flyer points.

For supported travelers who are approved to fly in business class, reimbursement is also based on a maximum reimbursable amount. The designated Travel Management Company derives this amount from the supported traveler’s approved dates for arrival and departure, most direct or nonstop flight, and lowest business class fare available at time of booking – in that order.

Reimbursement for Self-Arranged Travel

ICANN Travel Support reimburses self-arranged air transportation after the end of the ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event. Supported travelers must submit receipts to provide proof of purchase for the ticket. ICANN Travel Support handles the rest of the expense reporting process. Reimbursements may take up to 15 business days after approval of the expense report.

Preferred Travel Itinerary

The supported traveler’s preferred travel itinerary includes requests for upgradable fares, frequent flyer preferences, specific routes, stopovers, early arrivals, and late departures. Supported travelers may request a preferred travel itinerary. However, ICANN Travel Support, in consultation with the designated Travel Management Company, compares the preferred travel itinerary against the ICANN Travel Support flight selection criteria to determine if there is any difference in cost.

Supported travelers are responsible for paying the difference in cost between their preferred travel itinerary and ICANN Travel Support’s flight selection criteria.

Business Class Travel

Business class travel is available only for ICANN Public Meetings and is authorized only for the current chairs of the three Supporting Organizations, four Advisory Committees, and the Nominating Committee. Eligibility is non-transferable. Vice chairs and incoming chairs are ineligible to fly in business class.

Medical Exemption

ICANN Travel Support will certify waivers for the use of premium economy or business class travel to accommodate a medical or other special need as an exception to economy class travel. Supported travelers who receive medical waivers must be certified annually through a written statement. The written statement must meet the following criteria:

1. Written by a competent medical authority identifying the medical or other special need and stating that special accommodation is necessary.
2. Provide approximate duration for the special accommodation.
3. Recommend a suitable class of travel based on the medical or other special need.

ICANN Travel Support will exercise fiscal responsibility when booking supported travelers who are approved to travel in business class due to medical exemption.

Travel Stopovers

If a hotel stay is required when traveling to or returning home from an ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event, regardless of the supported traveler’s preferred personal preference or frequent flyer program, ICANN Travel Support will book and prepay the transit hotel room. However, the stay must meet all of the following criteria:

• The stopover is necessary as part of the only available itinerary to or from the meeting on the authorized dates of travel.
• The stopover exceeds 10 hours for flights scheduled to arrive in the stopover city between 08:00 to 20:00 local time, or the stopover exceeds 6 hours for flights scheduled to arrive in the stopover city between 20:00 and 08:00 local time.
• The cost of the hotel does not exceed USD 200 per night.

If a supported traveler is eligible to receive a per diem, this will be calculated for the authorized dates of attendance at the ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event, plus any authorized travel days.

Combining Official ICANN Travel and Personal Travel

Supported travelers who want to arrive before their authorized arrival date or stay past their authorized departure date for personal or other business reasons must request approval from ICANN Travel Support. Supported travelers must request this through the travel portal provided by the designated Travel Management Company at the time of booking. The designated Travel Management Company will establish the standard cost of the travel based on nonrefundable economy airfare, approved dates of arrival and departure, most direct or nonstop flight, and lowest fare available at time of booking – in that order.

Arranging and paying for any accompanying travelers is the responsibility of the supported traveler. If a supported traveler is accompanied by another individual, the traveler may contact ICANN’s designated Travel Management Company directly to coordinate itineraries.

For self-arranged travel, supported travelers will be reimbursed only up to the authorized limit, regardless of arrival and departure dates. For more information, see Self-Arranged Travel.

Unauthorized Dates of Arrival or Departure

Supported travelers may not arrive early or depart late to save expenses in order to pay for additional hotel nights, meal allowances, personal travel, or the expenses of other travelers. Any savings from arriving or departing before or after the approved dates of arrival and departure that reduces the overall cost for ICANN cannot be used to cover other costs. Supported travelers wanting to arrive before or after their approved date of arrival or before or after their approved date of departure, please refer to “Approved Dates of Arrival and Departure.”   

Changes to Travel Arrangements

Once an itinerary is approved by the supported traveler and ICANN Travel Support and then ticketed by the designated Travel Management Company, supported travelers who wish to make changes to their ticketed itinerary are financially responsible for any changes in fares and service fees. ICANN is not financially responsible for requested changes to ticketed itineraries. Supported travelers should review the itinerary in detail to ensure accuracy before ticketing.

Supported travelers who change their reservations directly with an airline due to schedule, class, or cancellation are financially responsible for any charges incurred. Once an airline has accessed the supported traveler’s reservation, ICANN Travel Support cannot change the reservation. At this point, supported travelers need to work directly with the airline for any changes or cancellations.

Downgrading Tickets

Supported travelers may not downgrade their tickets to subsidize other travel for themselves or other travelers. Any savings reducing the overall cost for ICANN cannot be used to cover other costs.

If an airline downgrades supported travelers for any reason, the travelers must return any cash refund to ICANN. Supported travelers who encounter this situation should contact ICANN Travel Support.

Forced Overnight Delays

Should a flight delay require a forced overnight stay, supported travelers should first attempt to secure complimentary lodging and any other allowances directly from the airline. If unsuccessful, the supported traveler should contact ICANN Travel Support to confirm the next course of action.

Denied Boarding

Supported travelers who are involuntarily denied boarding should secure a complimentary rebooking on another flight directly from the airline. If unsuccessful, they should contact the designated Travel Management Company to help rebook on another flight.

Compensation for Volunteering to Change Itinerary

Airlines occasionally offer free tickets and/or cash allowances on a voluntary basis to compensate travelers for taking a later flight. Supported travelers may not accept these offers.

Lost or Delayed Baggage

Lost or delayed baggage is in an inherent risk of travel. ICANN Travel Support does not reimburse or provide insurance for lost, stolen, or delayed baggage; nor does it replace items affected by such incidents. Supported travelers must work with the airline to locate items and if needed, file claims.

Other Fees

Advance Seating Fees

If an airline does not allow a supported traveler to select a seat free of charge, fees for selecting a standard seat are eligible for reimbursement if the cost does not exceed USD 100 per itinerary. Preferred, premium, bulkhead, or exit row seat fees will not be reimbursed.  

Checked Baggage Fees

Fees that airlines charge for checking one bag are eligible for reimbursement. Fees for overweight or additional bags are not eligible for reimbursement.

Early Boarding Fees

Fees that airlines charge to board early are not eligible for reimbursement

Rail Travel

Rail travel must be booked through ICANN Travel Support. Economy class is the standard policy for all rail travel.

Car Rental

Car rentals are prohibited for ICANN-related travel.

Personal Vehicles

Use of personal vehicles for ICANN-related travel is prohibited, allowing for exceptions in certain circumstances. For more information, contact ICANN Travel Support.

Overview

ICANN Travel Support will book a standard room (king or queen) based on single occupancy. ICANN will pay for room and tax only – all incidental expenses (minibar, pay television, phone calls, laundry, room service, etc.) charged to the room are the responsibility of the supported traveler.

Hotel Bookings for ICANN Supported Travelers

ICANN Travel Support books hotels for all supported travelers. Supported travelers who choose to book their own hotel rooms, regardless of reason, will not be reimbursed for any hotel room costs.

ICANN must estimate the number of hotel rooms it will be financially responsible for ahead of every ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event. Once these rooms are committed, supported travelers are expected to use them as they are part of ICANN’s overall financial commitment for the ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event.

The ICANN Meetings team arranges allocations of hotel rooms for use during ICANN Public Meetings and certain approved ICANN events. ICANN Travel Support informs the Meetings team of the supported traveler’s itinerary, and the Meetings team arranges hotel lodgings from a block of rooms reserved for this purpose.

While every effort is made to accommodate supported travelers at the main venue hotel, nearby hotels may also be used to house supported travelers at an ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN events.

Upgrades to a higher-rate room or suite are not authorized. However, supported travelers may arrange an upgrade directly with the hotel (subject to availability). Any additional expenses are the responsibility of the supported traveler.

If supported travelers do not intend to stay in a hotel funded by ICANN, they must inform ICANN Travel Support as soon as possible so the room may be released to someone else. Supported travelers are not authorized to transfer their ICANN reserved room to someone else.

Hotel Confirmations

Supported travelers receive their hotel confirmations one to two weeks before the event. For ICANN Public Meetings, hotel contact information is made available in the hotel confirmation.

Early Check-In and Late Check-Out

ICANN Travel Support requests early check-in for a supported traveler arriving between midnight and 08:00 (local time) on the approved arrival date if the itinerary shows there is no other alternative to arriving at that time due to airline routing and schedule, regardless of the supported traveler’s personal preferences or frequent flyer program. If there are flight alternatives that arrive later in the day, no early check-in is provided. Supported travelers arriving after 08:00 (local time) may request early check-in directly with the hotel (subject to availability). Any additional expenses are the responsibility of the supported traveler.

Late check-out is not authorized regardless of flight departure time. However, supported travelers may arrange late check-out directly with the hotel (subject to availability). Any additional expenses are the responsibility of the supported traveler.

Arriving and Departing Outside Authorized Dates

Hotel expenses resulting from arrivals or departures outside the authorized dates are the responsibility of the supported traveler, regardless of the reason. For example, ICANN will not cover hotel expenses for an earlier arrival date even if the flight cost is lower for that date or if the supported traveler is leaving a day early. Any savings from arriving or departing before or after the approved dates of arrival and departure that reduce the overall cost for ICANN cannot be used to cover other costs.

Supported travelers are not authorized to arrive earlier than the approved arrival date to attend another ICANN event for which the supported traveler has not been directly sponsored.

Arriving outside authorized dates is considered personal travel. For more information, see Combining Official ICANN Travel and Personal Travel.  

Special Requests for Hotel Accommodations

Supported travelers requiring special room accommodations for medical or accessibility reasons must contact ICANN Travel Support.

Liability

Supported travelers are financially responsible for any physical damages incurred on the hotel property and need to work with the hotel directly to settle any claims and charges.

ICANN is not responsible for any damages, loss, or theft of personal property in hotel guest rooms. Supported travelers need to work directly with the hotel to locate items, file claims, and request compensation.

Combining Official ICANN Travel and Personal Travel

ICANN is not authorized to pay for or reimburse hotel stays other than those expressly described in these guidelines for the authorized dates of attendance and for travel stopovers covered in Air Transportation. ICANN is not responsible for arranging or paying for additional requests – e.g., early arrival or extended stays, double rooms, added amenities.

A supported traveler who wants to combine ICANN travel with personal travel is responsible for making the arrangements and paying for any additional expenses. Upon receiving a hotel confirmation with hotel contact information, the supported traveler should contact the hotel directly to make these arrangements. Additional requests are subject to availability and are the financial responsibility of the supported traveler.

Note: Supported travelers are allowed to stay at their travel/transit destinations for a maximum of 30 days.

Supported Travelers Not Receiving Hotel Support

Certain supported travelers are authorized to receive airfare support, but not hotel support. These supported travelers are responsible for making their own lodging arrangements.

Overview

ICANN pays for meals and other incidental expenses for supported travelers on authorized dates of travel. Supported travelers who choose to arrive before the authorized arrival date or leave after the authorized departure date are responsible for meals and incidental expenses.

Supported travelers need to refer to their “welcome email” to confirm what type of living/meal allowances they are eligible to receive: per diem, stipend, or actual reimbursement. All allowances are calculated in USD.

Coverage

Per diems and stipends are intended to cover meals and incidental expenses. Incidental expenses include ground transportation, parking, and Internet fees.

Meals

ICANN reimburses three meals per day for the supported traveler only. Supported travelers cannot claim meals with multiple diners. When any catering is provided during an ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event, the amount for travel meals is adjusted accordingly.

Supported travelers cannot submit for reimbursement any meal expenses incurred because they have declined the travel meal allowance, ICANN-catered meals, or complimentary hotel-catered meals.

Ground Transportation

Per diems and stipends are intended to cover any transportation expense, including rideshare (Uber, Lyft, Grab, Ola, etc.), taxis, and public transportation to travel between the airport, hotel, and supported traveler’s main domicile (home).

Parking

Per diems and stipends are intended to cover airport parking.

Use of personal vehicles to park at ICANN events is prohibited. Exceptions can be made in certain circumstances. For more information, contact ICANN Travel Support.

Internet Fees (Inflight and Transit Hotel)

Per diems and stipends are intended to cover inflight and transit hotel Internet fees.  

ICANN Travel Support attempts to include Internet access in transit hotel accommodations, but it is not always possible or cost effective to do so. When Internet service is not included, per diems and stipends are intended to cover this expense.

Per Diem

The Travel Summary for each ICANN Public Meeting specifies the per diem amount. For travel to other approved ICANN events, ICANN Travel Support confirms the per diem amount via email.

If possible, the per diem is wire-transferred to the supported traveler’s bank account a week before the start of the event. Therefore, it is very important that supported travelers submit the Travel Vendor Set-Up Form to ICANN Travel Support in a timely manner. For more information, see Financial Responsibilities.

Calculation for Authorized Per Diem Travel Days

The per diem is calculated for each day a supported traveler is authorized to be present at an ICANN Public Meeting or other approved ICANN event. The per diem for an event starts no earlier than the authorized arrival date and ends no later than the authorized departure date. In addition, supported travelers receive per diems to cover travel time:

• 8 – 23 travel hours: One day of per diem each way for a continuous journey that is greater than 8 hours in each direction (including layovers and connections).
• 24 – 35 travel hours: Two days of per diem each way for a continuous journey that is greater than 24 hours in each direction (including layovers and connections).
• 36 travel hours and above: A maximum of three per diem days will be given on a continuous journey that is 36 hours or greater in each direction (including layovers and connections).

The travel hours start at the beginning of the traveler’s flight journey and end at the arrival time of the supported traveler’s final destination as indicated on the final ticketed itinerary. Any travel extensions for personal reasons are excluded from the per diem calculation.

Example

The supported traveler is authorized to arrive on 12 October and depart on 17 October. It takes 15 hours to travel to Los Angeles and 14 hours to return home.

The supported traveler wants approval for an itinerary with a stopover on the way to Los Angeles. The airfare with the stopover is less than the most direct route (established standard cost). In the requested itinerary, the supported travelers leave home on 8 October and arrives in Los Angeles on 11 October after making the requested stopover. For the return trip, the supported traveler departs on 17 October and arrives home on 19 October.

In this example, ICANN is financially responsible for:

• Airfare
• Hotel room from 12 October to 17 October (five nights)
• Eight days of per diem (six days in Los Angeles, one travel day to Los Angeles, and one travel day home)
  
  

The supported traveler is financially responsible for:

• Hotel room for the stopover
• Hotel room for 11 October and stopover cost.

Stipends

For ICANN Public Meetings, the Travel Summary or the supported traveler’s “welcome email” specifies the stipend amount. Fellowship and NextGen program participants receive their stipends at the end of ICANN Public Meetings once supported travelers have met the program requirements. Stipends are typically wire-transferred unless supported travelers are unable to receive a wire transfer. In such cases, ICANN Travel Support makes alternative arrangements.

For other approved ICANN events, ICANN Travel Support specifies the stipend amount via email.

Actual Reimbursements

Supported community groups or individuals approved for actual reimbursement may submit actual expenses at the end of the event. Supported travelers will be advised in advance of their budget for breakfast, lunch, dinner, airport transfer, etc. to avoid excessive spending. Supported travelers may spend their own money to receive additional services. ICANN Travel Support handles the rest of the expense reporting process. Reimbursements are wire-transferred upon approval of the expense report and may take 15 days for remittance.