U.S. Department of State

Per Diem Rates

FOREIGN PER DIEM RATES:

Foreign per diem rates are established by the Office of Allowances as maximum U.S. dollar rates for reimbursement of U.S. Government civilians traveling on official business in foreign areas. Foreign per diem rates are updated monthly and are effective the first day of each month, and are published in DSSR Section 925. The Bureau of Public Affairs of the Department of State offers a subscription service that permits individuals to receive notices when Foreign Travel Per Diem rates are updated. To subscribe please click here.

The rates consist of a maximum lodging portion and a maximum meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) portion. Lodging and M&IE (Meals & Incidental Expenses) are reported separately followed by a combined daily rate. The breakdown of rates by meals and incidentals is found in Appendix B.

The maximum lodging amount is intended to substantially cover the cost of lodging at adequate, suitable and moderately-priced facilities. The M&IE portion is intended to substantially cover the cost of meals and incidental travel expenses such as laundry and dry cleaning. The maximum per diem rates for foreign countries are based on costs reported in the Hotel and Restaurant Survey (Form DS-2026) submitted by U.S. government posts in foreign areas. This report includes prices for hotel rooms and meals at facilities representative of moderately priced and suitable hotels and restaurants most frequently used by typical Federal travelers.

The lodging portion of the allowance is based on average reported costs for a single room, including any mandatory service charges and taxes. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner at facilities typically used by employees at that location, including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. The M&IE rate is based on these meal costs plus an additional amount, equal to 10% of the combined lodging and meal costs, to cover incidental travel expenses. Because taxes are included in the lodging and meal prices we use to determine the foreign per diem rates, tax expenses may not be reimbursed separately. The incidental expenses portion of the per diem rate includes laundry and dry cleaning expenses. Therefore, these expenses may also not be claimed separately.

All travelers are advised to request information on hotel discounts for U.S. Government employees when arranging for hotel reservations. They should also seek information on the possible avoidance of taxes or their refund upon return to the United States or their post of assignment.

The Chapter 925 Per Diem Supplement to the Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas) lists all foreign areas alphabetically. Where a country or island is listed it is intended to include all territory within the boundaries of that country or island including any off-shore islands in the same general vicinity. It will not include territories or possessions located elsewhere even though considered an integral part of the parent country or island. In such cases, no cost data pertinent to such territories and possessions were used in determining the established rates. When a political subdivision smaller than a country is named, such as states, provinces, departments, cities, towns, villages, etc., it will include the corporate limits of such political subdivision or the limits of territory within the normal boundary thereof if it is not incorporated.  Any further clarification of the area covered by a specific listing is contained in associated footnotes which can be viewed by selecting Foreign Per Diem Rates by Location.

NOTE: Any location not listed for per diem under a country takes the "Other" rate we administer and publish for that country. An unlisted suburb of a listed location takes the "Other" rate, not that of the location of which it is a suburb.

The foreign per diem rates are used for (1) Permanent Change of Station (PCS) travel between the U.S. and a foreign area; (2) PCS travel from one foreign area to another; (3) temporary duty or detail (TDY) to a foreign area; and (4) calculating the Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance when permanently assigned to a foreign location. Refer to your agency's travel regulations for instructions on how to calculate travel reimbursements.

In order for the Department of State to maintain appropriate travel per diem rates in foreign areas, employees of the Federal Government who believe that the per diem rate authorized for a particular area is inappropriate for expenses normally encountered while on temporary duty are encouraged to notify their respective agency travel officials. Those agencies that receive complaints about a per diem rate for a locality where there is frequent travel may submit a request to the Department of State for review. This request should include cost data on lodging and meals using Form DS-2026 (see FORMS section below). This information must be submitted in accordance with instruction in section 074 of the Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR).

OTHER PER DIEM RATES:

The General Services Administration establishes per diem rates in the continental United States (CONUS). For travelers to CONUS locations, laundry, dry cleaning, and taxes on lodging may be reimbursed in addition to the per diem rate. The Department of Defense establishes per diem rates for non-foreign locations outside of the continental United States, such as Alaska, Hawaii, or Guam. Travelers to these non-foreign "OCONUS" locations may claim lodging tax expenses separately, but may not claim laundry and dry cleaning expenses as those expenses are included in the incidental expenses portion of the OCONUS per diem rate. Updated information on non-foreign area per diems are published periodically in Civilian Personnel Per Diem Bulletins.  The Per Diem Committee also establishes maximum per diem rates for U.S. military bases.

FORMS:

Note: All posts are required to submit Foreign Per Diem surveys via eAllowances (Intranet ONLY). 

DS-2026 (04/2015) - Hotel and Restaurant Report (PDF) or (eforms version on State Department external website)

LINKS:

Foreign Per Diem Rates by Location

Excel Version of Foreign Per Diem Rates

Domestic & Non-Foreign Areas Per Diem Rates

Breakdown of Meals/Incidentals (FTR Appendix B)

Allowance by Location
*To view Reporting Schedule select Allowances by Location and enter your post name

Survey Status by Post (Intranet ONLY) 

RESOURCES:

FAQ - Per Diem

Foreign Service Assignment Notebook

For regulations pertaining to these rates, see the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) established by the General Services Administration and implementing regulations established by Federal Agencies.  

Foreign Affairs Agencies (State, Commerce (Foreign Commercial Service), Agriculture (Foreign Agricultural Service), U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)) - Implementing per diem regulations may be found in 14 FAM 570.

Defense Agencies (Uniformed Services as well as for Civilians) - see the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) 

For more information on per diem policies, contact GSA's Office of Travel Management Policy at 202-501-0483 or consult your agency's implementing regulations. 

PCS Lodging Portal (Intranet ONLY) - HRPCSLODGING@state.gov 
*Provides temporary housing for employees traveling on Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders authorized and funded by GTM/EX