Pay for Travel
Official VCU travel payments are designed to cover your business trip costs. It is important to understand your options, as each payment method carries specific obligations and responsibilities. Selecting the right option ensures you avoid out-of-pocket expenses, reimbursement delays, and denied charges.
Review the approved payment options before making any travel purchases.
Methods of payment
Agency Travel Card (ATC)
VCU’s Agency Travel Card (ATC) is available for travel bookings through Collegiate Travel Planners. Departments have the option to purchase air and rail tickets using the online booking tool or full agent assisted bookings.
To utilize the ATC card for air and rail bookings, departments are required to supply the 12-digit Chrome River Pre-Approval number and the authorized departmental Banner index number via the online booking tool or to the Collegiate Travel Planners travel agent. Pre Approvals are required for all air and rail bookings including guest travelers and trips under $500.
Travel Card
The Travel Card application is a contract between the employee and the card provider. The Travel Card is an individual liability payment card account which is tied to cardholders’ personal credit. Employees are liable for all authorized charges made on the card, and the account will show on cardholders’ credit reports. As such, the employee is responsible for payment of the monthly bill each month regardless of whether they have received reimbursement for travel expenses.
The Travel Card is issued to VCU employees who incur significant travel related expenses as part of their regular job duties. This card will provide a convenient means for the traveler to charge travel-related expenses including meals, car rentals and motel/hotel reservations, etc. Cash advances can be obtained through designated bank automated teller machines.
- Administration of the Travel Card Program
- Understand the Travel Card Policy
- Get a Travel Card
- Delivery of Travel Cards
- Cash Advances
- Pay the Bill
- Card Renewals
- Lost/Stolen Cards
- Cancellation of Card
Step by Step:
1. Administration of the Travel Card Program
The administration of the Travel Card Program is handled by the Corporate Purchasing Card Administrators (Corpcard). Corpcard is the liaison between the card provider, Bank of America (BOA), and is responsible for providing the following services to VCU participants:
- Maintenance of Travel Card Accounts (name changes, address updates, cancellations, etc.)
- Answer questions and respond to concerns related to the Travel Card program.
- Liaison with Bank of America and the Department of Accounts
2. Understand the Travel Card Policy
The VCU Travel Policy applies to all travel expenses paid for on a Travel Card. In addition, the following policy applies:
- The Travel Card application is a contract between the employee and the card provider: Bank of America (BOA). The Travel Card is an individual liability payment card account issued in the employee’s name and tied to cardholders’ personal credit. Cardholders are liable for all charges made on the card and will be billed directly by BOA. The account will show on cardholders’ credit reports.
- Only one card will be issued in the name of each eligible employee. It must only be used by the employee whose name appears on the card. Family members and other persons are not permitted to use the card.
- In general, Travel Cards shall be used only for University business travel and related expenditures that are incurred while an employee is in travel status. Exceptions to this rule include: the use of a Travel Card to pay for items that are not reimbursable under state and University travel regulations, but which might be charged to a Travel Card coincident to the traveler’s reimbursable expenses. Examples include: non-reimbursable telephone calls charged to a hotel room or non-reimbursable expenses for a spouse included in a hotel bill or a restaurant bill.
- The Travel Card must not be used to circumvent the procurement procedures of the University or the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- Failure to follow the established procedures may result in disciplinary actions, up to and including termination of employment.
- The Travel Card must not be used to pay for personal expenses. The card will be cancelled and cash advance privileges can be revoked indefinitely upon an individual’s first policy violation.
- Travelers should complete and submit a Travel Reimbursement within 30 days of completion of travel. However, Corpcard suggests cardholders submit reimbursements immediately upon return from travel to facilitate timely payment of the Travel Card bill.
- The cardholder must email Corpcard@vcu.eduupon leaving VCU employment to cancel their card. Any balance on the Travel Card is due, in full, to BOA upon separation from the University. Failure to pay any existing balance will result in the funds being removed from the employee’s final paycheck.
3. Get a Travel Card
- Determine eligibility
All classified employees and full-time faculty who incur significant travel-related expenses as part of their regular job duties are eligible to apply for a Travel Card. Students and hourly employees are not eligible to participate in this program. - Understand limits
The standard limit for a Travel Card is $5000 with a 10% cash withdrawal limit. A cardholder may request a higher limit when applying for the card. However, Corpcard may request more information regarding the request for a higher limit. - Complete travel card training on VCU Canvas.
- Complete the Travel Card Employee Agreement.
- Once all of the above requirements are met and the application is received by Corpcard, the Travel Card will be issued within two business days.
4. Delivery of Travel Cards
- Bank of America will mail Travel Cards directly to the home address submitted by the cardholder 7-10 business days from the date the card is issued.
- Follow the directions in the Travel Card training to activate the card.
- Cardholders will choose a PIN when the card is activated.
5. Cash Advances
- Available at any bank or ATM worldwide.
- Limits are set at a percentage of the individual’s monthly credit limit.
- ATM fees are reimbursable. Receipts are not required.
6. Pay the Bill
- Cardholders are required to make payments at the end of each cycle, which is approximately the 15th of each month. Exact cycle close dates can be found on the Department of Accounts Website.
- Please note:The cardholder is responsible for payment of the monthly bill each month regardless of whether they have received reimbursement for travel expenses. If the Travel Card bill for hotel reservations, air/rail, etc. becomes due prior to travel, cardholders must pay out-of-pocket as reimbursement cannot be claimed prior to travel.
- Failure to pay the bill in a timely manner will result in card cancellation.
- If for any reason, payment will not be made by the due date, it is the employee’s responsibility to make arrangements with BOA.
- Cardholders will have their card cancelled by the Travel Card Program Administration Team if an account becomes more than 60 days past due. Charges for late payment are the employee’s responsibility and will not be reimbursed.
- Sign up to receive your statements and pay your bill online with Global Card Access.
- Corpcard strongly suggests registering with Payment Center to ensure timely delivery of your statement and payment of the bill.
7. Card Renewals
The expiration date is on the face of each card. Renewal cards will be mailed to the cardholder’s home address approximately 30 days prior to the expiration of the card.
8. Lost/Stolen Cards
Immediately upon determining that a Travel Card is missing, lost or stolen, the cardholder must call Bank of America at the number listed on the back of the card: 1-888-449-2273. Also, CorpCard must be advised of the loss. The cardholder is not liable for charges made after a card has been reported lost/stolen.
9. Cancellation of Card
The Travel Card may be cancelled for any of the below reasons, including, but not limited to:
- Violations of and/or non-compliance with Travel Card and/or VCU policies and procedures
- End of employment with VCU
- Leave of absence without pay for a month or longer
- Delinquent payments
- Cash advances not submitted for reimbursement or refunded timely
- Consistent history of returned payments
- Inactivity
Request a Travel Advance
Travel advances may be issued to University faculty and staff to aid with the purchase of travel related expenses. Travel Advances must be requested through Chrome River as an Expense Report. Chrome River Pre-Approvals should not be attached to the Expense Report containing the advance request.
Requests
Amounts must not include air or rail fares, since those expenses should be paid by the Agency Travel Card (ATC) through Collegiate Travel Planners.
Advances will only be issued in whole dollar amounts and must be $100 or more.
Advances are issued to employees only, not students, guests, or contractors.
Advances are not issued to employees who have a sufficient line of credit on the corporate travel card, whose corporate travel card has been cancelled by the corporate card program administrator, or whose travel advance privileges have been revoked due to delinquent reconciled.
The “Pay Date” entered on the Chrome River request cannot be any more than 10 days prior to the “Start” date of travel. It will take 2-3 days after the pay date for the traveler’s bank to make the funds available, please plan accordingly.
The amount of the advance will not encumber in Banner. The reconciliation process (after travel) will charge the travel costs to the appropriate index based on the Chrome River expense report
Reconciliation
The advance must be reconciled in Chrome River within 30 days from the last date of travel. The reconciliation requires the travelers to account/document the travel advance amount to the costs incurred during the associated business trip. The reconciliation process in Chrome River will determine if the traveler is due a reimbursement or if the traveler must reimburse the University for the excess amount not used during business travel.
Your travel advance must be reconciled within 45 days of the last date of travel or will result in the following: Payroll Deduction for the outstanding balance of the cash advance, a $50 administrative fee will be charged to your department, and the loss of future cash advance privileges.
Step by Step
- Request the Travel Advance in Chrome River
- Select “New Expense Report”, then “Travel Advance”
- Enter the Pay Date, amount in whole dollars, and the State and End dates of the business travel
- No other expense types should be used
- Do not attach a Chrome River Pre-Approval
- Select the traveler’s Authorized Approver
- Track the Travel Advance in Chrome River
The travel advance request will reside in the “Submitted Expenses” queue and can be tracked like other expense reports in Chrome River using the “tracking” button.
Once the travel advance has been fully approved in Chrome River it will be sent to Banner and will indicate a status of “Exported.”
Once the travel advance has been paid, the status will change to “Paid” and the traveler’s Chrome River Dashboard will show the “Cash Advance” bank in red.
When a traveler has a Cash Advance Bank, all expense reimbursement requests submitted in Chrome River will reduce the Cash Advance Bank amount.
- Reconcile within 30 Days after the Trip
Complete an expense report in Chrome River to reconcile your business travel expenses to the travel advance amount.
If the reconciliation expense report shows travel expenses were more than the travel advance, the traveler will receive a reimbursement for the difference.
If the reconciliation expense report shows travel expenses were less than the travel advance, the traveler must repay VCU the balance of the travel advance amount. This must match the Cash Advance Bank amount shown in Chrome River
- Repayment of Travel Advance
Once the final balance is known, repayment must be submitted to the Cashier’s office.
Payment Methods Accepted: Cash, Check, Money Order, or Credit Card.
Checks and Money orders should be made payable to “VCU”. DO NOT MAIL or DROP OFF CASH. Obtain the Travel Advance Repayment deposit form from the travel team and include it with your deposit. Add your V# and Name to the description and the total deposit amount and sign the bottom.
Delivery Method for Repayment:
IN PERSON (All Payment types):
Harris Hall
1015 Floyd Ave
Richmond, VA 23220
Window Hours 9:00am - 3:00pm
DROP BOX (Check or Money order only):
Monroe Park Campus drop box located at Harris Hall outside room 1002
VCU Medical Center Drop Box located at VMI Building 2nd Floor, just off elevator
MAIL (Check or Money order only):
VCU Cashier’s Office
BOX 842506
Richmond, Virginia 23298
Once payment is submitted you MUST email TRAVEL@VCU.EDU to notify Travel Services that payment has been made. Please include your payment method. Travel Services will remove the balance from your dashboard once the Cashier’s Office has processed the payment.
For More Information
For help, please submit an IT Support Service ticket
VCU IT Self Service > Enter IT Portal > Submit a Request > Procurement Services
Under Procurement Services, select Travel and Reimbursement
Travel Reimbursement
Travelers may pay out of pocket for travel expenses and get reimbursed for those expenses that were authorized, reasonable, and for business purposes only.