I was a local hire and then went to post, where all of my travel vouchers were handled by FSNs. Imagine my horror when I had to navigate the voucher system all by my lonesome upon coming back to FSI for long-term language training. I would have killed to have this info before, so to prevent homicide I give you the following how-to:Your first voucher will be your most difficult, and I highly recommend visiting the FSI voucher office located at F-23xx. Fellow FSer Rich Roesing has posted an MS-Word and pdf version of the DS-189 on his website. Get one of those or use the eForms server (intranet only, and I prefer it) and your receipts handy. And get ready.

What can you voucher?

There are two components to per diem: lodging and M&IE. Rates for both can be found on the GSA website. Note that they may change throughout the year. For FY2008, DC rates are $64 for M&IE and between $154-$201 for lodging. The Department uses a declining scale, giving you 100% per diem for the first 60 days, 50% for the second 60 days, and 25% for all following time up to one year (after a year you have some serious issues with the IRS). Dependents generally DO NOT receive per diem, except during travel days and consultations.

Lodging costs depend on your situation is. You could buy a house, stay in a hotel, or rent an apartment. Generally, the cost of shelter plus utilities is covered. That means if you are in a hotel or utilities-included apartment, it’s the nightly rate (minus tax, which is billed seperately); for a normal apartment lease plus utilities it’s gas, water, electric, basic phone, and basic cable. Internet is not/not reimbursable in most cases. If it’s a house, you get the utilities plus mortgage interest, property tax, and HOA/insurance fees. Furniture rental is also a go, though car rental is not. I have successfully claimed Vonage fees at the basic rate.

Filling out the DS-189

I’m gonna get all IRS on you here and do it line-by-line. If I don’t mention the line, you don’t need to fill it out.

Line 1: Fill in State

Line 4: Put your name and your mailing address

Line 5A: Which submission it is. For your first month, 1. Second month, 2.

Line 5B: Final date of the voucher period.

Line 7: Your SSN

Line 8: If you got a travel advance from post, you’ll have to voucher against it. FSI has a rule requiring you to pay 32.5% of the advance in each of your first two months and the balance split over the next two months. This, however, seems to be against the regs set out in 4 FAH-3 H460 but it doesn’t seem that anyone has fought it. Regardless, this is where you pay back all that interest-free cash.

Line 11: Sign and date that stuff!

Line 12: This is where you summarize the accounting on page two. Simply putting a withholding amount on line D doesn’t mean it will happen, as I learned the hard way. Line E will be the deposit into your bank account roughly 8 business days after your submission.

Line 18: Put your dependents plus their DOBs here. I also put the starting and end dates of the voucher period to help me out for the next time (mortgage interest changes every month, so I have to keep track by day). List ALL of your expenses here. If your phone bill was $40 one month and $20 the next, you have to break it up differently. List M&IE separately. If claiming travel M&IE, it’ll be more clear for you to give it its own line item. If you fill it out on eForms, the line total and subtotal will add automatically, though the total won’t appear in line 12A automatically.

Assembling your submission and turning it in

So, filling it out wasn’t so bad. Now you have to assemble it. Here’s how I do it:

  1. DS-189
  2. Travel orders (I prefer the three-page, non-cable version for brevity)
  3. Receipts for each and every item you claim in box 18 EXCEPT M&IE. You must prove you paid; a bill is not/not sufficient to show you paid.
  4. If it’s your first submission, you should provide your bank information for direct deposit.

Go MAKE A COPY for your records. Of the whole package. Then, turn it in in the box in the registrar’s office and cross your fingers for speedy processing.

Filing supplemental vouchers

Often, you’ll be short a bill or two when you are filing your voucher. Rather than waiting on a $2,500 payment just because you don’t have your $20 phone bill, submit the voucher without it. I write the description of the item in box 18 with a blank reimbursement value so they know it’s coming later. When you get your bills complete, file a supplemental to your original voucher. Basically, fill it out the same as above, with the box 5A filled out with the same number as the original. In box 6, write “This voucher is a supplement to the voucher number X filed XX/XX/XXXX. You’ll delete all the items submitted before and only put the new bills in line 18. Assemble it the same as normal (with only the receipts for items claimed this round) and add the original DS-189 to your submission packet so they know you’re not double dipping. That’s eat.

I might post a dummy form showing examples here. If that’d help, hit me up.

Update: John thinks it’d be good to point out that vouchering is done on a STRICT 30-day basis. Think you’re at 100% for two months? Wrong. You’re there for 30 days. It can make things a bit tedious, which is why I always write the days that it covers (inclusive) on the remarks section of my submission. It’s as much for my memory as it is for their accounting.

References:

http://askadmin.a.state.gov/display/2/kb/article.asp?aid=4069&n=4&s=1

http://askadmin.a.state.gov/display/2/kb/article.asp?aid=7170&n=8&s=1

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