Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo’, 6/213: 

As it is permissible to transfer zakaah (to another country), or may be obligatory, the costs of doing so must be borne by the owner of the wealth. End quote. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:

A person has been asked to take some zakaah abroad at the personal level; is it permissible for him to be given the travel expenses from the zakaah, knowing that he cannot afford to pay for that himself? 

He replied: 

It is not permissible for him to take anything from the zakaah for this trip, because what the person who owes zakaah must do is to send it to the poor with his own money. If he wants to go to a place where he has to spend on travel expenses, then he should take them from the owner of the money, and the rights of the poor must be given to them in full. End quote.

 Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 18/369.