A good travel policy for a software team fits on one page and covers six things: which devices to bring, which networks to use, what access to carry, how to report loss, what to do on return, and who to call. Short rules that people remember beat a long document they never open.
Why a one page policy
Travel guidance often ends up as a long PDF that nobody reads until something goes wrong. NIST SP 800-46 Revision 2 covers remote access and telework security at the programme level, including client devices and the threats they face. Your travel policy is the short, practical layer on top: the few rules an engineer can recall at an airport gate.
The template
Copy the headings and replace the details with your own tools.
1. Scope
Applies to employees and contractors travelling for work or working away from their usual location for more than a day.
2. Devices
- Bring only the devices you need.
- Disk encryption and screen lock must be on. See Is a hotel room safe for a laptop?.
- Update before you leave.
- For listed destinations, use a loaner device with no production access.
3. Networks
- Use a phone hotspot for work sign ins, consoles and deploys. See Phone hotspot or hotel Wi-Fi for work.
- Do not enter work passwords on a Wi-Fi sign in page.
- Stop at certificate warnings.
4. Access
- Request time boxed access for the trip, with an end date.
- Do not carry standing production credentials unless on call. See Should developers travel with production access?.
- Use hardware key or passkey MFA, and carry the key on your person.
5. Loss or theft
- Report within one hour to the security contact listed below.
- Do not wait to see whether the device turns up.
- Security revokes sessions, keys and tokens. See Lost or stolen developer laptop: first hour checklist.
6. On return
- Run the post trip review within one day.
- Report anything odd.
- Wipe loaner devices.
7. Contacts
Security contact, phone and chat channel. Put a number that works abroad, not only an internal extension.
How to adopt it
| Step | Owner | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| Fill the template | Security lead | Policy signed off |
| Share at onboarding and before travel | Managers | Acknowledged in the tracker |
| Test the loss process once a year | Security lead | Runbook updated |
| Review after incidents | Security lead | Changes recorded |
Keep a record of acknowledgements. They are useful evidence if an auditor asks how remote work risks are managed. Safeguard's compliance and evidence automation can help hold such records alongside other controls, though the policy itself is yours to write and enforce.
You can run a free scan on your repositories before the next trip to see your dependency baseline.
Quick check
Does a travel policy need legal review?
Parts of it, such as device inspection and privacy rules, may need legal and HR input, so ask them before you roll it out.
Should contractors follow the same policy?
Yes. Reference it in the contract or onboarding pack, and give contractors shorter access windows.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
