Uniform Procedures for International Activities 

In Reply Refer To: 
Mail Stop 917 

                                                                        
June 22, 2001 


                      MEMORANDUM 


To:       All USGS Employees 

From:     P. Patrick Leahy 
          Associate Director for Geology 

Subject:  Uniform Procedures for International Activities 

Effective March 21, 2000, Director Groat delegated responsibility for the 
bureau's international programs to the Associate Director for Geology.  
With the elevation of the International Programs (IP) Unit to a 
bureau-level office, I am taking actions to streamline the operational 
functions of the bureau's various international programs. 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) personnel on international travel have the 
privilege of representing the bureau and the Department overseas.  As 
such, USGS personnel traveling internationally on official business will 
apply and use official passports issued by the Department of State (DOS).  
This topic was discussed at length at a recent meeting at DOS with 
representatives from other Government agencies.  The DOS position is that 
employees on official travel using personal passports are misrepresenting 
themselves.  When visas are obtained in official passports it is a 
bilateral agreement between countries authorizing the performance of 
official duty.  In addition, U.S. Embassy assistance is more readily 
available to Government employees using official passports.  This is 
crucial in case of personal emergency or civil unrest.  As always, USGS 
employees may continue to carry their personal passports with them, as 
another form of identification and for use in case of emergency.  Only in 
extenuating circumstances and at management discretion at the Discipline 
level may an employee use their personal passport for official travel. 

Travelers anticipating international travel over the next few months 
should contact the Bureau Support Unit to start the application process.  
Processing time at DOS normally takes 2-3 weeks.  Many countries need 
visas and there may not be sufficient time to obtain the official passport 
and visas and clearances if you wait until the request for approval of 
international travel, DI-1175, is processed. 

Requests for annual leave should be within reason and never exceed the 
number of days of official business (excluding travel time).  This policy 
is subject to the following general provisions: 

Use of annual leave in conjunction with foreign travel shall be subject to 
supervisory approval.  Supervisors are responsible for careful review of 
any request for annual leave in conjunction with foreign travel.  
Supervisors must consider the effect of the leave on accomplishment of the 
purpose of the official travel. Use of the annual leave must be clearly 
incidental to the official travel. 

Annual leave shall not increase the cost to the Government of the official 
foreign travel.  Any additional costs incurred in conjunction with the use 
of annual leave shall be borne by the employee. 

Upon completion of foreign travel involving the use of annual leave, the 
traveler will file a reconstructed travel voucher to claim reimbursement 
for official travel only. 

Complete travel requests from Disciplines, with all required approvals, 
must be received in International Programs 45 calendar days prior to 
travel.  This deadline is necessary to allow adequate time to prepare 
Embassy cables and to obtain "required" approvals from the Department of 
the Interior, the Department of State, and the Embassies.  When country 
clearances are obtained by other agencies, the deadline is 21 calendar 
days.  Please reference the "Foreign Travel Guidelines" at 
http://international.usgs.gov/usgs/ for detailed instructions for foreign 
travel requests.  There are occasions that a "special" request may be 
processed; however, that should be rare and not the norm. 

Your assistance in implementing these procedures is greatly appreciated. 

cc:  Executive Leadership Team