What Is the Process for Requesting Business Travel?



Modified on: Mon, 26 Jan, 2026 at 4:11 PM

As the legal employer of record, Horizons is required to ensure that all employee travel complies with local labor, social security, immigration, and health & safety regulations. To do so, all business travel must follow the process outlined below. Travel that does not follow this process cannot be approved or supported by Horizons.


1. Advance Notification Is Required
Employees must notify Horizons well in advance of any planned business travel. All travel requests must be submitted to support@joinhorizons.com 


The request must include the following details:

  • Purpose of the trip (e.g., client meetings, training, conferences)
  • Travel dates (departure and return)
  • Destination country or countries
  • Itinerary or overview of planned tasks
  • Manager approval
    • The line manager and at least one admin (user role) from the client company must be CC’d to confirm approval.

⚠️ Requests missing required details or submitted without manager approval will not be processed.


2. Horizons Review & Regulatory Applications
Once a complete request is received, the Horizons support team will:

  1. Review the destination country’s employment and compliance requirements
  2. Assess social security, labor law, and regulatory obligations
  3. Apply for any required approvals or certificates with the relevant local authorities

Example: A1 Certificates (Europe)

For travel within the EU/EEA or Switzerland, employees may require an A1 certificate confirming which country’s social security laws apply during the trip.

Key points:

  • The A1 is issued only by government authorities, not employers
  • Horizons applies for the A1 through the relevant local authority
  • Employees may be required to present the A1 during inspections abroad


3. Processing Timelines

Timelines depend on local authority requirements:

  • Standard processing: Up to 1 week
  • Extended timelines: Up to 1 month, depending on:
    • Destination country
    • Local authority processing times
    • Complexity of regulatory requirements

Please note:

  • Processing times are set entirely by government authorities
  • Horizons cannot expedite or influence these decisions
  • Submitting your request early is essential


4. Mandatory Compliance Requirement

As the legal employer of record, Horizons must follow strict labor, tax, and social security regulations. Therefore:

  • This process is required for every business trip
  • Trips that bypass the process cannot be approved or supported
  • Unauthorized travel may cause compliance, tax, or social security risks for the employee, the client company, and Horizons.


5. Travel Risk & Safety Policy

Employees are encouraged to independently review their country’s foreign ministry or government travel advisories before planning travel.


Horizons will:

  • Only support and process travel to countries classified as low-risk
  • Not support or approve travel to countries with:
    • Elevated risk levels
    • Safety, security, or health concerns (even minor)
    • This policy exists because Horizons has a legal duty to protect employee health and safety as the employer of record.


6. Visa & Immigration Clarification

Horizons does not support visa applications for business travel.

Important clarifications:

  • Horizons is not the official sending party for business trips
  • Horizons cannot issue invitation letters
  • Horizons can issue a Certificate of Employment, if needed. Please review How do I request a Company Letter for Business Visa Application?
  • Any invitation letters or business confirmations must be:
    • Drafted
    • Signed
    • Provided directly by the client company


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