This article sets out the step-by-step process for requesting and approving business travel at Remote People. It is relevant to both employees travelling for work and client admins or managers approving or notifying travel on behalf of their team. For the employee-facing overview of travel rules and responsibilities, see Business Trips & Working from Abroad: What You Need to Know. For a full guide on what Remote People can and cannot support, see Business Trips & Employee Travel Abroad: How Remote People Supports You.
To support compliance, all business travel must follow the process outlined in this article.
Travel that does not follow this process cannot be approved or supported by Remote People.
1. Business Travel Must Be Reported in Advance
Employees must notify Remote People before any international business travel takes place.
All travel requests must be submitted to well in advance of the planned trip.
Information Required in Your Request
Please include the following details in your email request:
Purpose of the trip
Destination country or countries
Departure and return dates
Travel itinerary or summary of planned activities
Manager approval
Your direct manager and at least one administrator from the client company must be copied on the email to confirm approval.
Requests that are incomplete or submitted without approval confirmation cannot be processed.
2. Remote People Compliance Review
Once a complete request is received, the Remote People team will review:
Local labor law requirements
Social security obligations
Immigration or regulatory considerations
Health and safety risks
Where required, Remote People will apply for any necessary approvals or compliance certificates with local authorities.
Example: A1 Certificates for Europe
Employees travelling within the EU, EEA, or Switzerland may require an A1 Certificate.
An A1 Certificate confirms which country’s social security system applies during the business trip.
Important information:
A1 Certificates are issued by government authorities, not employers
Remote People submits the application on the employee’s behalf
Employees may need to present the certificate during inspections abroad
3. Processing Timelines
Processing times vary depending on the destination country and local authority requirements.
Typical timelines include:
Standard processing: up to 1 week
Extended processing: up to 1 month
Longer processing times may apply depending on:
Government authority timelines
Destination country requirements
Complexity of the trip
Remote People cannot speed up government processing times, so early submission is strongly recommended.
4. Business Travel Compliance Is Mandatory
As the legal employer, Remote People must comply with strict labor, tax, and social security regulations.
For this reason:
All business travel must follow this process
Unauthorized travel cannot be approved or supported
Travel completed without approval may create compliance or tax risks for:
The employee
The client company
Remote People
5. Travel Risk and Safety Requirements
Employees should independently review official government travel advisories before planning international travel.
Remote People will:
Support travel only to countries considered low risk
Decline support for travel to countries with elevated safety, security, political, or health risks
This requirement exists because Remote People has a legal duty to protect employee health and safety as the Employer of Record.
6. Visa and Immigration Support
Remote People does not manage or sponsor business travel visas.
Important clarifications:
Remote People is not the official inviting entity for business travel
Remote People cannot issue invitation letters
Remote People can provide a Certificate of Employment if required
Any invitation letters or business confirmations required for visa applications must be issued directly by the client company or host organization.