Travel Assistance

2020 GAC Travel Support Rules (PDF)

Last modified: October 2020

I. Overview 

1.1 About

These GAC Travel Support Rules have been developed in compliance with the ICANN Community Travel Support Guidelines which were revised in October 2018.

Along with the Community Travel Support Guidelines, the GAC Travel Support Rules (see current GAC Travel Assistance Page) present the guidelines for GAC community members who seek to be supported by the ICANN organization to attend ICANN Public Meetings or other authorized ICANN events.

1.2 Scope of the Program

Number of Slots

Provisions have been made under the ICANN organization budget for the support of forty (40) GAC travelers to each ICANN Public Meeting. Those supported travelers slots have previously been allocated by the GAC as follows:

• Thirty-five (35) supported travel slots for GAC Members; and 
• Five (5) supported travel slots for GAC Observers (including pre-approved organisations)

The thirty-five (35) GAC Members slots for each ICANN Public Meeting are generally delegated, in order of preference, to GAC Members from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the World Bank economic classification of low, lower-middle and upper-middle income economies. The five (5) additional slots are generally made available to pre-approved organizations, currently including the African Union Commission (AUC), the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).  

Eligible SIDS, LDCs are drawn from designated lists created by established sources including a list based on the United Nations’ groupings of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and a list of the World Bank economic classification of low, lower-middle and upper-middle economies.

For public meetings where there are more requests for support than available slots, priority is accorded to GAC applicants from SIDS, LDCs and lower income countries. Otherwise, flexibility in granting travel support to GAC applicants from other economies may be applied if slots are available.

Extent of Support

The travel support offered to GAC Members includes the cost of air travel (economy class), lodging for the duration of the ICANN Meeting (including GAC meetings convened outside the nominated meeting dates) and a per diem amount set for each city (as set by the ICANN organization travel guidelines).

Although these guidelines and the general GAC selection process are established by the committee, all travel arrangements, including travel insurance, if required, are made through the ICANN Travel Support team (ITS). It is the responsibility of the GAC traveler to obtain any necessary visas (destination or transit), prior to the purchase of tickets on their behalf by the ITS; however, the ITS can provide itineraries to assist the traveler with their visa application and visa costs will be reimbursed as specified in section 6.2 and 6.3.

In addition to travel support for GAC Members, ICANN has a Fellowship Program that is open to the GAC.

1.3  Applicant Criteria

Allocation of supported travel slots for members of the GAC community are made based on the following criteria 

1. Priority accorded to GAC Member applicants identified in the United Nations’ groupings of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), in addition to the World Bank economic classification of low, lower-middle and upper-middle income economies are eligible to receive travel support for up to three (3) consecutive ICANN Public Meetings. In cases where there are more requests than available slots, priority will be given to GAC applicants from SIDS, LDCs and lower income economies - in that order. 
2. Up to five slots may be reserved for GAC Vice-Chairs from eligible SIDS and LDCs for the duration of their respective tenures.
3. In exceptional cases, if slots remain available after prioritized requests have been granted, applicants from other economic categories may be considered and accepted by  the Selection Committee, provided a reasoned justification for acceptance is issued. Likewise, requests from applicants who have attended 3 consecutive meetings with travel support may exceptionally be considered by the Selection Committee if there are remaining slots after the selection has been made.
4. The traveler must be an authorized GAC Member representative or delegation member. See this link for a public list of authorized GAC Members and Observer representatives and delegates. 
5. The program only supports one traveler from a GAC membership delegation per meeting.
6. This program is ordinarily available to GAC Members, but non-GAC Member requests can be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account other existing resources of ICANN funding.
7. GAC members and pre-approved organizations need to file timely requests for each meeting to be eligible for travel support for that meeting.
   The above criteria apply as appropriate for such requests. However, the limit to three consecutive meetings with travel support will apply if there are more requests than available slots.

For priority considerations, see section 4.1.1.

1.4 Applicant Requirements

ICANN Travel support slots are limited and requests often exceed the number of available slots for the meeting.  As a result, the attendees who receive support must make a commitment to focused and active participation in the GAC activities at each public meeting. GAC Members who request travel support to an ICANN Meeting are expected to:

1. Complete a travel support request form within the submission period announced periodically for public meetings by GAC Support.
2. Complete the additional information box in the travel support request form, explaining the reason for their request, their position within the GAC and the purpose of their mission.
3. Complete (if required), short designated courses available on the ICANN Learn online platform prior to attending the meeting for which they are receiving support. Required courses may be designated from time-to-time by meeting sponsors or GAC leadership and will be identified at the time the application period for a meeting is announced by GAC Support. Courses or course web links may be delivered via email in preparation for the upcoming meeting. ICANN Learn courses can be found at: https://learn.icann.org/#/login, and are comprised of short online learning courses for the global Internet community, designed to share institutional knowledge and increase understanding about ICANN and Internet-related topics.
4. Confirm that (if required), should they receive travel support, their department, Ministry or High-Level Authorities, agree to their availability for the travel dates and associated attendance during the ICANN Meeting period for which they are requesting travel support.
5. Attend, at a minimum, all scheduled GAC plenary and joint sessions.
6. Complete all GAC attendance tracking forms provided by GAC support during each GAC meeting day.
7. Failure or inability to follow-through on the applicant expectations/requirements will be considered in the assessment of any future requests for travel support.

II. Terms & Conditions

2.1 Application process

Below is the necessary application process and general timeline for GAC travel support requests. Application deadline dates and processing are driven by the ICANN org requirement that lists of supported travelers must be provided by each community 120 days prior to the start of each ICANN public meeting.

Interested GAC Members are alerted to complete the travel support request form within ten (10) business days following the date the email from GAC Support titled “GAC Travel Support Requests For ICANN[XX] - [Location] Meeting - Due [date]” has been sent.

GAC Members applying for travel support may be required to provide an official notification from their organization, Ministry or High-Level Authorities, confirming they are authorized to travel and attend the ICANN Meeting for which they are requesting travel support.

A GAC participant may apply for partial support (for instance, air fare only or hotel only). In any case the applicant should indicate specific requirements during the application process.

GAC Support is expected to assess all the applications submitted by the deadline according to the specific criteria set forth in these rules so that the assessment can be reviewed by the Selection Committee. The assessment should be concluded within two (2) to five (5) business days after the travel support request deadline has passed. 

The assessment is to be recorded in the form of a report (e.g., spreadsheet) for the review of the Selection Committee. Upon completion of the assessment, GAC Support should produce a list of applicants who qualify for the travel support slots to the Selection Committee for review and approval. In those circumstances where there have been more eligible applicants than travel support slots, GAC Support should also produce a “waiting list” of qualified applicants reflecting the appropriate order of wait list priority according to the eligibility and selection criteria assessment.

The Selection Committee should have sufficient time (7 to 10 business days) to review the request list of supported travelers following the GAC Travel Support Rules selection criteria.

Once the selection has been finalized, GAC Support should promptly provide the list of GAC supported travelers to the ICANN Travel Support team, who will contact each traveler individually to start the travel booking process (see Section “6.1 Once Selected” below, for further follow-up steps expected to be taken by each supported GAC traveler).

Finally, GAC Support should promptly contact all GAC Members and Observers who have requested travel support and inform them of the Selection Committee’s decisions.

III. Application 

3.1 Application Dates and Deadlines

Application deadlines and travel support processing times will be published on the GAC website.  See below for most recent examples of application processing deadlines.

3.2 Apply to the ICANN Meeting

The travel support application process is initiated by an announcement from GAC Support.  That announcement is typically published to the GAC email list to give interested applicants ten (10) business days to submit their applications. 
The on-line form used for each public meeting will be published by GAC Support in the announcement email. 

IV. Selection Criteria

Decisions about travel support are based on a two-step process, eligibility and then selection based on specific criteria established by the GAC.

4.1 Eligibility 

Eligibility for travel support is limited to officially designated representatives or advisors of GAC Members or Observing organizations. Allocation of supported travel slots for applicants of the GAC community are made based on the following criteria.

1. An eligible supported traveler will be a delegate from a GAC member country, territory or observing organization, that is formally identified as such on the GAC website. 
2. Only those GAC applicants from the United Nations’ groupings of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in addition to the World Bank economic classification of low, lower-middle and upper-middle economies, are eligible to receive travel support for up to three (3) consecutive meetings. In case there are more requests than available slots, priority will be given to GAC applicants from SIDS, LDCs and lower income economies - in that order. 
3. A supported traveler applicant will not be eligible for support for a meeting if they have been allocated travel support for the last three (3) consecutive GAC meetings, unless they hold a Vice-Chair position.
4. In exceptional cases, if slots remain available after prioritized requests have been granted, applicants from other categories may be considered and accepted by the Selection Committee, provided a reasoned justification for acceptance is provided. Likewise, requests from applicants who have attended three (3) consecutive meetings with travel support may exceptionally be considered by the Selection Committee if the applicant holds an active leading role in the GAC.
5. The program only supports one traveler from each GAC Member delegation per meeting or event.
6. This program is ordinarily available only to GAC Member and Observer organizations,  but non-GAC Member requests can be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account other existing resources of ICANN funding.
7. A pre-approved organization needs to file timely requests for each meeting to be eligible for travel support for that meeting. The above criteria apply as appropriate for such requests. However, the limit to three consecutive meetings with travel support only applies to such requests if there are more requests than available slots for pre-approved organizations.

4.1.1 Priority Consideration

       8. Priority consideration can be given to applicants holding an elected GAC position or appointed to lead GAC work on a particular topic.
       9. Priority consideration can be given to an applicant based on the location of the GAC meeting in order to enhance participation from a particular         region.

4.1.2 Travel Support Allocation

10. GAC applicants may apply for partial support (for instance, airfare only, hotel only or hotel and per diem only). For more information, see travel by the numbers of the ICANN Travel Support Guidelines at: https://community.icann.org/display/trvlconstit/Travel+Support+Guidelines#TravelSupportGuidelines-TravelbytheNumberTravelbytheNumbers.
11. GAC Members should cancel their travel support for the ICANN Meeting within the forty-five (45) business days before the start of the event (see https://community.icann.org/display/trvlconstit/Travel+Support+Guidelines#TravelSupportGuidelines-TripCancellations).
Important note: If cancellations are sent after the forty-five (45) business days request, this action will count as an allocated travel support slot for the next round of applications.

4.1.3 Travel Support Due Diligence

GAC Members who request travel support to an ICANN Meeting are expected to:

1. Complete the information box in the travel support request form, explaining the reason for their request, their position within the GAC and the purpose of their mission.
2. Complete (if required) designated short mandatory courses available on the ICANN Learn online platform. Courses may be delivered via email in preparation for the upcoming meeting.
3. Confirm that (if required), should they receive travel support, their Ministry or High-Level Authorities, agree upon their travel dates and attendance at the ICANN Meeting for which they are requesting travel support.
4. Attend, at a minimum, all scheduled GAC plenary and joint sessions.
5. Complete daily attendance tracking forms at the start of the meeting.
6. It is required that the GAC traveler benefiting from the travel support to assist and actively participate in meetings of the GAC and ICANN.
7. Cancel their travel within the forty-five (45) business days request prior to the start of the meeting, allowing a GAC traveler from the waiting list to attend the meeting (see section 4.4), otherwise the travel support slot will count as allocated for the next round of applications.

4.2 Selection Criteria Scoring

For most ICANN public meetings more GAC applicants seek travel support then there are slots available. Thus, the GAC Travel Support Rules provide the following objective criteria to help assess the relative priority of various requests. Applied to all applicants determined to be eligible for support under Section 4.1 of these rules, the scoring system is designed to objectively measure certain criteria for each support request to allow the administrative staff to score and rank each applicant. The 35 highest scoring applications will be ranked to determine the selections for travel support at each public meeting.

4.3 Selection Process

Final approval of all selections is made by the Selection Committee, composed of the GAC Chair and Vice-Chairs.

After applying the criteria set forth in these rules, the GAC Support sends the ranked list of applications to the Selection Committee for review.

The Selection Committee will review the ranked list. After confirming that the application assessment process has been followed, and potentially considering any special circumstances presented, the Selection Committee can then confirm the list and direct GAC Support to notify all applicants individually of the decisions made. 

4.4 Waiting List

GAC Applicants who have not been selected will be added to a ranked waiting list. In the event an allocated supported GAC Member or Observer cancels more than forty-five (45) business days before the start of a meeting, the next ranked applicant from the waiting list will be informed and given an opportunity to move into that slot. This will enable the designation of a replacement for the originally supported traveler.

V. Selection Committee

The Selection Committee is composed of the members of the GAC Leadership team - the GAC Chair and five (5) Vice Chairs. Any GAC leader who has applied for travel support will recuse themselves from the selection process. Since the GAC Chair’s travel is supported by virtue of the Chairs membership on the ICANN Board of Directors, there will always be at least one leader available to review and confirm the assessment of the applications and the subsequent rankings.

5.1 Responsibilities and Composition Deferment

The Selection Committee has the responsibility to confirm that the travel support allocation criteria set forth in these rules are properly applied by GAC Support. In rare circumstances, the Selection Committee will be asked to make final determinations in cases of unique or special circumstances.

In the event of a Vice-Chair also seeking travel support, he/she shall not participate in the selection process. If all Vice-Chairs, or all but one Vice-Chair, are seeking travel support, then at least the GAC Chair is available to confirm that the assessment process has been followed and the various criteria have been correctly applied.

5.2 ICANN GAC Support 

GAC Support on behalf of the Selection Committee is responsible for advising successful and unsuccessful applicants, and ICANN’s Travel Support team (travelsupport@icann.org), of those applicants who have been confirmed by the Selection Committee. 

In addition to its announcement, GAC Support will individually advise the GAC applicants who have been selected for support as well as those whose applicants who were not selected. GAC Support will also provide ICANN’sTravel Support team with the names of the GAC applicants selected for support and their contact details.

ICANN’s Travel Support team and the travel service provider FCM, will be responsible for liaising with the selected GAC applicants and facilitating the necessary travel arrangements and bookings.

VI. Post Selection Process and Mandatory Compliance

6.1 Once Selected

GAC supported travelers are expected to be responsive to ICANN’s Travel Support team and FCM so that flights can be booked as soon as possible.  The ICANN Travel Support team endeavors to have all flights booked ninety (90) days before the start of the public meeting or an event.  

According to their internal guidelines, the ICANN Travel Support team 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 (7) business days, ICANN Travel Support sends a second email, copying ICANN GAC support.
3. If there is no response five (5) 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 (5) 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 within three (3) days after the fourth attempt to reach the supported traveler, the community group may be asked to provide the name of a substitute traveler.

Please note that if a supported traveler fails to connect with the ICANN Travel Support and a substitute must be selected, the circumstances may impact eligibility or priority of future travel requests for a GAC travel support applicant. 

Additionally, if a supported traveler decides, for any reason, not to attend the meeting or event after they have been selected for support, that may also impact their eligibility or priority for future travel requests for an applicant GAC Member or Observer (see Sections 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 above).

6.2 National Laws and Legislation

1. At any time during the travel covered under ICANN GAC travel support for a particular public meeting or other event, it is the responsibility of the supported GAC traveler tocomply with all local laws and legislation of the country or countries in which he or she is/will travel (including but not limited to laws pertaining to immigration, taxation, customs, employment and foreign exchange control). It is the responsibility of the supported GAC traveler to comply with all regulations (including those dealing with visas and required vaccinations) of any country visited.
2. The ICANN organization is not responsible for obtaining visas for GAC supported travelers but will cover costs to obtain a visa incurred by GAC supported travelers (including for transit) upon presentation of the relevant receipts. A GAC supported traveler is expected and undertakes the responsibility to submit a visa application well in advance of the meeting to assure time for processing. Failure to do so (which results in failure to obtain the necessary visa documentation), may also impact the assessment of future travel support requests. See information set forth in Section “6.3.1 Transportation”.
3. Upon request, ICANN will provide an invitation letter to any GAC traveler, inviting the GAC traveler to the ICANN Meeting for which the GAC traveler has been granted travel support. Should a GAC supported traveler need an additional letter of invitation, this may be provided by GAC Support on behalf of the GAC Chair. A GAC traveler is expected and undertakes the responsibility to make such requests in a timely manner. Requests should be sent to gac-staff@icann.org. 
4. ICANN will not entertain any claim for work permits or any other costs relating to compliance with the national legislation of any country in the world from a GAC traveler or any third party.
5. ICANN is a California non-profit public benefit corporation incorporated in the United States and must therefore comply with all of the laws and regulations of California and the United States.

6.3 Required Travel Documents

Each GAC traveler must be in possession of the following documentation prior to ICANN booking any travel (airfare and hotel):

1. A valid passport.
2. Travel documents as required by the GAC traveler’s country of origin or the country hosting the meeting. An entry visa may be required. It is very IMPORTANT that the GAC traveler check with his or her local consulate agency.
3. Transit Visas may be required to connect in certain cities or countries. GAC travelers should check with their local consulate agency.
4. Visa costs may vary by country and citizenship. Visa fees may be reimbursed at a maximum of 200 USD. For more information on visa fees.
5. As needed, supported GAC travelers may request an invitation letter from ICANN Travel Support to enable them to obtain a visa.
6. GAC travelers should always carry proof of health insurance. Health insurance is NOT supplied by ICANN.
7. All travel documents must be consistent with the name on the supported traveler’s valid passport.

6.3.1 Transportation

1. All airfare, regardless of length of trip, is provided as economy class.
2. Travel will be booked by ICANN via its travel service provider FCM. ICANN will not purchase any travel tickets for a GAC traveler unless and until the GAC traveler has all the necessary travel documents, including visas and transit visas in their possession and has provided ICANN with pdf copies of such documents. Supported GAC travelers should apply for visas, if necessary, well in advance of the meeting. See links below.
3. GAC travelers are not expected, nor are they permitted, to create their own travel itinerary, nor are they permitted to reroute or extend the itinerary created by ICANN’s travel service provider. However, GAC travelers may request from ITS their preferred flight itinerary as long as the cost does not exceed or is equal to the cost of purchasing the most non-stop and direct flight based on the GAC traveler’s approved date of arrival and departure as determined by ICANN’s travel service provider.  
4. ICANN shall not be liable for any loss or expenses (including airfares) of the traveler for travel delays incurred by the traveler as a result of inaccurate information provided by the traveler, delays in submitting the appropriate forms to the relevant authorities or refusals of host or transit country authorities to grant a visa to the traveler.
5. Important information and documentation related to visas:
   1. Travel service provider FAQ: https://community.icann.org/display/trvlconstit/FCM+FAQs
   2. Visa information: https://community.icann.org/display/trvlconstit/Travel+Support+Guidelines#TravelSupportGuidelines-Visas
   3. How to obtain a visa: https://community.icann.org/display/trvlconstit/Get+a+Visa 

6.3.2 Allowances

1. For ICANN meetings, a per diem amount set for each city in U.S. dollars (USD) will be made available. Where possible, per diems will be wire transferred to a designated bank account at least one week prior to the start of the ICANN meeting. Since per diems are based on arrival/departure dates plus any travel dates, travel plans must be completed, and bank wire details provided to ICANN at least three weeks in advance of the meeting.
2. ICANN will only cover the cost of a hotel room (including breakfast whenever possible) directly using an ICANN meeting partner hotel as established by ICANN’s travel service provider. Any and all hotel surcharges (e.g. telephone calls, room service, laundry, movies, etc) are the responsibility of the supported GAC traveler. The hotel may request a credit card from the supported GAC traveler to guarantee these expenses. It is the traveler’s responsibility to have either a credit card or the necessary currency deposit to guarantee these expenses.

6.4 Personal Health and Safety

1. Acquiring and paying for any and all insurance, including but not limited to travel insurance is the sole and exclusive responsibility of the supported GAC traveler.
2. Claim processing against such insurance (including any costs involved) is the responsibility of the supported GAC traveler.
3. ICANN is not responsible for the personal health, safety or belongings of the supported GAC traveler.
4. Each supported GAC traveler is exclusively responsible for maintaining his or her personal health and safety during the period of the GAC membership.
5. ICANN strongly suggests that supported GAC travelers consult and comply with the views of the diplomatic and consular authorities of the country of their nationality in respect of travel conditions and safety of travelers applicable in the countries to be visited under this GAC travel support. It is not ICANN’s responsibility to inform or provide advice to applicants or supported GAC travelers about travel conditions or safety of travelers. However, for ICANN’s public the organization does provide general information on the ICANN website about the meeting venue, including general travel and visa information.
6. Should travel to the selected destinations not be advised by the relevant authorities (or should the supported GAC traveler choose not to attend the meeting for any other reason), upon making a determination not to travel, the supported GAC traveler must immediately advise the ICANN GAC travel support program administrator. This immediate notification is necessary to limit, when possible, the penalty payments and lost funds imposed by travel vendors due to cancellations.
7. ICANN also strongly suggests that GAC travelers seek guidance from qualified health personnel concerning potential health risks in the areas to be visited. In preparing for a trip, GAC travelers should receive, at their own expense, all required and recommended immunizations and take malaria prophylaxis if traveling to an area where malaria is endemic. BE AWARE THAT SOME TRANSIT REGIONS MAY ALSO REQUIRE CERTAIN VACCINATIONS OR LAPSE TIME IN TRAVEL DUE TO YOUR REGION OF ORIGIN.
8. 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.

6.5 Deferment 

1. If an applicant has been accepted as a GAC traveler to receive financial support to attend a particular ICANN meeting and, due to unforeseen extenuating circumstances, is unable to attend that meeting, the applicant must inform ICANN Travel Support of their intent to cancel travel plans at least forty-five (45) business days before the start of an event in order to give adequate notice to find a replacement for the supported traveler and cancel any travel arrangements.  
2. Upon the applicant’s written request, ICANN may in its discretion and on a case by case basis depending on all relevant factors consider re-submitting that applicant’s support application to be considered for support for attendance at the next ICANN meeting.
3. If an applicant has not responded to ICANN Travel Support after four attempts at communication (see section “6.1 Once Selected”), the GAC is permitted to provide a replacement name to ICANN Travel Support. However, for GAC selection criteria purposes, the travel support slot that was originally allocated to the initial supported traveler will count as a travel support slot for that public meeting. 
4. GAC Members and Observers requesting travel support should note that any costs incurred from a cancelled booking due to non-refundable rates cannot be recovered. They are considered a loss and are charged against the relevant ICANN budget line.

6.6 Failure to Comply with Terms 

The following terms and conditions reflect the current rules developed in accordance with the Community Travel Support Guidelines, to address the accountability and transparency and audit trail requirements of ICANN. These terms and conditions apply for GAC Travel Support.

The Travel Summary for each meeting provides all basic necessary information to supported travelers - https://community.icann.org/display/trvlconstit/Travel+Summary.  

If a GAC traveler fails to comply with any one of the above-mentioned terms and conditions of the ICANN GAC travel support program and upon the suggestion or agreement of the GAC Travel Support Selection Committee, ICANN upon suggestion by the GAC Chair reserves the right to determine the appropriate course of action including, but not limited to: 

      (i) terminating the financial support prior to the end of a meeting; 
      (ii) causing the GAC traveler’s early departure from the program and ICANN meeting;
      (iii) and/or asking the GAC traveler to cover costs for expenditures.

6.7 Privacy Policy  

ICANN respects the protection and privacy of personal information. See ICANN's privacy policy here. Supported GAC travelers are identified to the GAC leadership and ICANN org has typically produced a public list of all ICANN supported travelers to each ICANN public meeting (see:https://community.icann.org/display/trvlconstit/Travel+Report). 

VII. Important Links

The links below correspond to the central information relative to GAC and Community travel support.

GAC Important Links

• Application Process
• Application dates and deadlines
• Applicant Requirements
• Selection Criteria
• Selection Committee
• Required Travel Documents
• Privacy Policy

ICANN Important Links

• List of supported travelers (ICANN Travel Support Wiki)
• ICANN Travel Support Homepage