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TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR STAFF MEMBERS

The Organization pays the travel expenses of a staff member under the following circumstances:

• On initial appointment, provided that the staff member is considered to have been internationally recruited;
• When required to travel on official business;
• On change of official duty station;
• On home leave;
• On family visit;
• On separation from service;
• On travel authorized for medical or security reasons or in other appropriate cases, when there are compelling reasons for paying such expenses.

TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF STAFF MEMBERS

The travel expenses of a staff member's eligible family members, i.e. spouse and dependent children as defined under Dependency Allowance, are normally paid by the Organization under the following circumstances:

• On the initial appointment of a staff member who is considered to have been internationally recruited, provided that the appointment is for a period of one year or longer or is a probationary appointment and provided that the staff member's services are expected to continue for more than six months beyond the date on which the his or her family members commences;
• Following completion by the staff member of not less than one year of continuous service, provided that the staff member's services are expected to continue for more than six months beyond the date on which the his or her family members commences;
• On change of official duty station, provided that the staff member's services are expected to continue for more than six months beyond the date on which the travel of his or her family members commences;
• On home leave;
• On separation of a staff member from service;
• On journeys approved in connection with the education of a staff member's child;
• On travel authorized for medical or security reasons or in other appropriate cases, when there are compelling reasons for paying such expenses;
• On travel of the spouse to the duty station, in lieu of the staff member's family visit travel.

TYPES OF TRAVELS EXPENSES COVERED BY THE ORGANIZATION

• Transportation expenses (i.e. carrier fare): All tickets for transportation involving official travel of staff members and eligible family members shall be purchased by the United Nations in advance of the actual travel or, where circumstances so require and upon prior authorization, shall be secured by the staff member;

• Terminal expenses: Terminal expenses include all expenditures for transportation between the airport or other point of arrival or departure and the hotel or other place of dwelling, including transfer of accompanied baggage and other incidental charges. For New York, the amounts to be reimbursed for each such trip are $63 in respect of the staff member and $21 for each family member authorized to travel at United Nations expense. For all other duty stations, the amounts to be reimbursed for each trip are $38 in respect of the staff member and $13 for each family member authorized to travel at United Nations expense. When official United Nations or government vehicle is made available for the trip, the amounts to be reimbursed shall be set at $11 in respect of the staff member and $6 for each family member.

  For example, if the itinerary of an official travel involves a round trip between New York and Geneva, total terminal expenses to be reimbursed to the staff member would be US$202 (departing New York: US$63, arriving Geneva: US$38, departing Geneva: US$38, arriving New York US$63), regardless of number of transit stopovers.

• Transit expenses: Full travel subsistence allowance shall be payable for the time spent in transit for flying time of more than 16 hours as authorized by the Organization. 

• Travel subsistence allowance: A staff member authorized to travel at United Nations expense shall receive an appropriate daily subsistence allowance in accordance with a schedule of rates established by the ICSC.