UN Passes and Accreditations

ACUNS holds consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as well as partnerships with UNEP and UNESCO. These affiliations allow it to provide accreditations to ACUNS members who are interested in attending UN events, conferences, or other programs, as well as to request temporary grounds passes.

Only ACUNS members are eligible to obtain event accreditation or a grounds pass. Individuals can sign up for membership by completing the dedicated online form.

Please note that ACUNS cannot guarantee that an applicant will obtain accreditation or a grounds pass. For any questions, please email admin@acuns.org.

Accreditations

If you would like to attend an event organized by the UN, or any international organization, ACUNS can provide you with accreditation to do so as its representative. To proceed with accreditation, please complete the accreditation form below. ACUNS reserves the right to turn down any accreditation request; applicants should have a compelling reason for attending an event as an ACUNS representative.

Please note that for many UN events you must first create an Indico Account and register independently before ACUNS can approve your registration and provide a confirmation letter. Once you have completed the Indico registration, please email ACUNS at admin@acuns.org as soon as possible to finalize the process. You must at the same time complete the ACUNS Event Accreditation Form.

Grounds Passes

ACUNS is able to provide 9 temporary UN grounds passes to its members. Temporary grounds passes are for a duration of 1 month minimum to 3 months maximum. Given the limited number of passes available, ACUNS has adopted the following guidelines:

  • Grounds passes will only be provided for members who need to visit the UN for scholarly research purposes. No other reasons (advocacy, tourism, etc.) will be accepted.
  • Priority will go to members who have never been granted a grounds pass via ACUNS in the past.
  • Only ACUNS members are eligible to apply for a grounds pass.
  • ACUNS reserves the right to turn down any grounds pass request.

To apply for a grounds pass, please complete the application form below. The form will ask you to:

  • Provide reasons why you need a grounds pass for your research.
  • Upload your CV.
  • Upload a document indicating that your research went through an ethical review process.
  • Upload proof of complete vaccination against COVID-19 as required by the UN.

After your application has been approved by ACUNS, you will need to schedule a meeting with the ACUNS Administrative Coordinator to submit a grounds pass application to the UN.

Once your grounds pass has been endorsed by the UN, ACUNS will send you a signed official letter and a copy of the security form. You will need to bring a printed copy of both documents as well as a valid government-issued picture ID (passport or driver’s license) when you pick-up your pass.

If you anticipate needing a grounds pass for your research, please apply well in advance as this is a complex, multi-step process.

Detailed information regarding UN grounds passes is available here. Please note the following for reference:

  • The UN Pass and ID Office at HQ in New York is located at 320 East 45th Street (between First and Second Avenue). Office hours are 09:00–16:00 Monday to Friday inclusive.
  • The UN Pass and ID Office in Geneva is located at Pregny Gate, Avenue de la Paix, entrance of the United Nations Office at Geneva. Office hours are 08:00–17:00 Monday to Friday inclusive.