NGOs Beyond 2014 - Articles

This message is to inform all NGOs that are currently in consultative status with ECOSOC about the new requirements for obtaining UN grounds passes in New York in 2022, following our earlier message regarding access to the United Nations Headquarters complex this year.

We urge you to please read the instructions carefully before submitting requests for passes since the requirements have been modified to align with the mandatory requirements/guidance of the host state due to the prevalence of the Covid-19 virus.

These instructions have also been posted on our website at: http://csonet.org/index.php?menu=86 that provides a link to Request a UN Grounds Pass. Please note that the organizational arrangements for collecting ground passes are subject to change depending on the health situation in New York and the related arrangements at the United Nations. Therefore, please check our website periodically for changes or updates to our policy.

Regards,
NGO Branch,
DESA
United Nations

ACCESS TO THE UN HEADQUARTERS COMPLEX IN 2022

The United Nations Secretariat has been working to enable NGOs to access again the United Nations Headquarters Complex in New York. It aims to re-start the processing of requests of NGOs to issue grounds passes for their representatives in the beginning of January.

However, due to the persistence of Covid-19 and the emergence of a new variant of the virus, in-person access to the United Nations Headquarters Complex in New York will continue to be limited for the time being. As a result of the prevailing health conditions in New York City, the UN is obliged to consider extraordinary precautions to ensure the safety of delegates, staff, representatives of organizations including NGOs and visitors alike, to align with the mandatory requirements/guidance of the host state.

Accordingly, for the foreseeable future, UN Grounds passes for civil society access to UN premises in New York will be limited to a maximum of three passes for each organization, starting in early 2022. The UN will continue to monitor the situation closely and will revise the instructions according to prevailing conditions, including a possible resumption of restrictions should the Covid-19 situation in New York deteriorate.

For any change or updates to these instructions, please check this page periodically, and before submitting requests for UN grounds passes.

PLEASE NOTE THAT BEFORE UN GROUNDS PASSES FOR 2022 CAN BE APPROVED FOR NEW YORK, PENDING REQUESTS IN OUR SYSTEM WILL NEED TO BE DISAPPROVED TO ENABLE NGOs TO SUBMIT REQUESTS THAT MEET THE NEW REQUIREMENTS DETAILED BELOW.

NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC can request passes for UN premises in New York through 31 December 2022. For any issues or questions related to UN Grounds Passes, please use the CSO Net messaging system by following this link. Please do not contact the Acting Chief of the NGO Branch or any staff member of the Branch by phone or through their personal email addresses.

Grounds passes for UN Headquarters in New York ONLY should be requested by following the procedures described below. Please read the instructions carefully before submitting your requests.

Pursuant to the new guidelines for access to the UN Headquarters complex in 2022, the President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) must be nominated in the system. In other words, an annual grounds pass request designating the President/CEO must be submitted in our system simultaneously with the accompanying letter (see the sample letter below under instruction #1), in order to be accepted for the 2022 calendar year. Grounds pass requests for other NGO representatives will only be approved after the CEO has been approved in the system by our office. Failure to nominate the head of the organization will prevent the approval of any other request for passes.

In addition to the CEO, an organization will have the option of requesting 2 additional passes for its representatives requiring access to the United Nations Headquarters in New York, for a total of 3 passes for the organization (until further notice). Failure to follow the guidelines outlined in detail here, including the submission of more than 3 requests for passes will result in the disapproval of the requested passes.

For all three designated representatives of an NGO, the head of the organization will be required to certify through an official letter (see point #1 below) that the representatives for whom grounds passes are requested have complied with the mandatory vaccination requirements, based on the verification of the representatives proof of vaccination, and that they will adhere to the COVID-19 related mandatory risk mitigation measures put in place by the United Nations for its headquarters in New York. Mandatory vaccination requirements include completion of the full course of a COVID-19 vaccine recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) or by a national health authority (i.e., the expected number of doses of the vaccine have been administered), with an appropriate official record from the administering body.

For any request for change of designation for either annual or temporary passes for other representatives from the organization during the 2022 calendar year (within the above-mentioned limit of three passes per organization), the CEO will be required to certify that they too will adhere to the COVID-19 vaccination requirements and the mandatory risk mitigation measures at the UN, in fulfillment of the new requirements. This is to ensure that certification of rotating representatives throughout the year are current and valid.

Any unused or expired UN Grounds passes must be returned to the United Nations Pass/ID Office to be deactivated.

Please note that once representatives gain entry to UN premises, they will be required to strictly observe COVID-19 mandatory risk mitigation measures implemented by the United Nations, which include practicing physical distancing and wearing a mask at all times on UN premises including in lobby areas, elevators and restrooms and all other public areas, as well as during participation at meetings and events. Eating and drinking will be allowed while seated in the cafés only so that food and drinks are not carried around or consumed anywhere else in the UN buildings. Those various measures may be reviewed and adjusted at any point in time depending on the health situation and the mandatory requirements/guidance of the host state.

All representatives must be prepared to show proof of vaccination, if requested to do so by UN personnel, including for access to seated indoor dining at the UN headquarters complex.

Organizations may choose to request either annual or temporary passes for the other two representatives. Annual passes will be valid until 31 December 2022, and temporary passes are for a minimum duration of 1 day and a maximum of 3 months.

All requests for passes must be made online as explained below. Fax, emails to UN staff members and paper requests will not be considered.

To apply for either an Annual or Temporary UN grounds pass, an NGO representative will need the following 3 documents:

A signed official letter (click for sample) from the President/CEO on the official letterhead of the organization, requesting a UN grounds pass, containing the above-mentioned provisions regarding certification of vaccination status. Please note that the CEO signing this letter must also be the same person designated as the CEO in our system. The letter should then be submitted as an email attachment through the messaging system at: https://esango.un.org/civilsociety/displayCorrespondence.do?method=addPublicMessage.

The President/CEO can designate a maximum of two other representatives, besides himself or herself, for any combination of annual and temporary passes in the letter. Please note that the duration of the annual passes should be for the 2022 calendar year only, i.e., between January and December 2022, while the duration of temporary passes can range from 1 day to 3 months maximum within the 2022 calendar year. Requests that include dates beyond 2022 will not be approved.
A security form, showing the NGO pre-registered its information online (see the 4 Steps for Pre-registration below).
A valid government-issued photo ID (such as a passport, driver's license, etc.).

Please note the following restrictions:
For official meetings and events that require prior registration, NGOs will be issued separate tickets/passes for the specific events by the event organizers. Please review participation guidelines for each event carefully on their respective registration websites.

Pre-registering for UN Grounds Pass - 4 Steps

Log in and Review.
Login here to access your profile in our system, using the username and password assigned to your organization. On your profile page, click on the tab for "Consultative Status." From the drop-down menu, select "Designations" and then select "New York". This page will list all your existing representatives.
Renew or add representatives.
To renew passes for existing representatives (bearing in mind the current limit of three grounds passes per NGO) select "Copy" next to the name of your representative(s), update the details, and then press "Submit."
To add a new representative, select "New Designation", insert the information in all the required fields, and then press "Submit." Please be sure to specify the duration of the new pass (through 31 December of 2022 for annual passes, or for a specific period, but no more than 3 months, for temporary passes).
Wait for confirmation email.
Due to the high volume of requests, applications for passes will be reviewed with due care to ensure compliance with the new guidelines. As such, requests will only be endorsed after a thorough check, which will require a longer than usual wait period. As soon as the requirements have been verified, an email notification will be sent to the email address of your organization on file which will provide instructions to print a security form.
Collect your pass.
Once you receive the email confirmation, please read the detailed instructions in the email carefully. To collect your pass, you must first print the security form by clicking on the "print" icon next to your name and bring both the form and a valid photo ID with you to the UN Pass and ID Office located at 320 East 45th Street, New York, NY 10017, Ground Floor, between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Please note that passes will NOT be issued if representatives present themselves at the UN Pass & ID Office without the printed security form and a valid photo ID. Please note that the organizational arrangements for collecting ground passes are subject to change depending on the health situation in New York and the related arrangements at the United Nations.