Ai CSG 2010 02

Administrative Instruction
Date: 23 April 20 I 0
To: All UNOPS Personnel
From:
~~:~;~r~~~~orate sup:)1,~up~
Al Reference: AIICSG/20 I 0102
Subject: Official Duty Travel: UNOPS staff and non-UNOPS personnel
1. Introduction:
1.1 The Executive Director of UNOPS established the policy on travel in the Organizational
Directive No. 11 (OD 11).
1.2 In accordance with paragraph 12.3 of the OD, I hereby promulgate Administrative
Instruction AIICSG/2010102 to provide the procedures governing travel on official duty
by UNOPS statImembers and non-UNOPS personnel traveled by UNOPS.
2. Consequential changes:
2.1 This AI supersedes and replaces AI/CSG/2009/0 1.
3. Effective Date:
3.1 This AI is effective 1 May 2010.
ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTION
(AI/CSG/2010/02)
Pursuant to paragraph 12.3 of Organizational Directive No. 11
OFFICIAL DUTY TRAVEL:

UNOPS staff and non-UNOPS personnel
CONTENTS
PART A: provisions for UNOPS staff appointed under the United Nations Staff
Regulations and Rules only .......................................................................................................... 5
Section 1: Scope, purpose and definitions .................................................................................. 5

1.1. Scope and purpose ............................................................................................................ 5
1.2. Definitions ........................................................................................................................ 5
1.3. Travel expenses ................................................................................................................ 6
Section 2: Authorising Official Duty Travel............................................................................... 6
2.1. Official Duty Travel for UNOPS staff members .............................................................. 6
2.2. Approval of Official Duty Travel ..................................................................................... 7
Section 3: Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) .......................................................................... 8
3.1. DSA rates .......................................................................................................................... 8
3.2. DSA for overnight flights ................................................................................................. 9
3.3. Reduced DSA rates ........................................................................................................... 9
3.4. Special DSA rates for certain hotels ............................................................................... 10
3.5. Ad-hoc DSA ................................................................................................................... 10
3.6. Supplementary DSA ....................................................................................................... 10
3.7. DSA for travel by automobile, train or boat ................................................................... 11
3.8. DSA for official duty while on annual leave (AL) ......................................................... 11
3.9. DSA for official duty while on home leave (HL) ........................................................... 11
3.10. DSA for official duty while on sick leave (SL) .............................................................. 12
3.11. DSA for extended periods of Official Duty Travel ........................................................ 12
3.12. Hotel reservations ........................................................................................................... 12
Section 4: Other official travel allowances and expenses ........................................................ 13
4.1. Terminal expenses .......................................................................................................... 13
4.2. Travel Advance ............................................................................................................... 13
4.3. Excess Baggage .............................................................................................................. 14
4.4. Miscellaneous travel expenses ........................................................................................ 14
4.5. Fitness club charges while on Official Duty Travel ....................................................... 15
4.6. Child care while on Official Duty Travel ....................................................................... 15
4.7. Breastfeeding or single mothers with infants ................................................................. 15
4.8. Travel claim .................................................................................................................... 16
Section 5: Route, mode of transportation and standards of travel ........................................ 17
5.1. Route and mode of official travel ................................................................................... 17
5.2. Standards of travel .......................................................................................................... 17
5.3. Ticketing and flight bookings ......................................................................................... 19
AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 2

5.4. Airline travel safety ........................................................................................................ 20
5.5. Limitation to travel on the same aircraft......................................................................... 20
5.6. Discounted airfares ......................................................................................................... 20
5.7. Deviation from official route, mode and standard of travel ........................................... 20
5.8. “Gain-sharing” ................................................................................................................ 21
5.9. Travel time and rest stopovers ........................................................................................ 21
5.10. Travel by train................................................................................................................. 22
5.11. Travel by boat ................................................................................................................. 22
5.12. Travel by automobile: using privately-owned vehicles .................................................. 22
5.13. Travel by automobile: using UNOPS-owned vehicles ................................................... 23
5.14. Car rentals ....................................................................................................................... 23
5.15. Procedures....................................................................................................................... 23
Section 6: Medical requirements ............................................................................................... 24
6.1. Inoculations..................................................................................................................... 24
6.2. Malaria prevention .......................................................................................................... 24
Section 7: UN travel documents................................................................................................. 24
7.1. UN Laissez-Passer (UNLP) ............................................................................................ 24
7.2. UN Family Certificate .................................................................................................... 25
Section 8: Entry visa… ............................................................................................................... 25
8.1. Description ...................................................................................................................... 25
Section 9: Airlines compensations for denied boarding .......................................................... 26
9.1. Denied boarding - involuntarily...................................................................................... 26
9.2. Denied boarding - voluntarily......................................................................................... 26
Section 10: Hazard pay while on Official Duty Travel ............................................................ 26
10.1. Description ...................................................................................................................... 26
10.2. Duration .......................................................................................................................... 26
10.3. Eligibility ........................................................................................................................ 27
10.4. Amount of HP ................................................................................................................. 27
10.5. Payment authority and conditions .................................................................................. 27
Section 11: Safety and security .................................................................................................. 27
11.1. UNOPS policies .............................................................................................................. 27
11.2. Security Clearance .......................................................................................................... 27
11.3. Security training.............................................................................................................. 27
Section 12: Reporting on UNOPS’s carbon footprint ............................................................. 28
12.1. Requirement of Organizational Directive No. 11 (“Travel Policy”) .............................. 28
PART B: provisions for non-UNOPS personnel traveled by UNOPS ................................... 29
Section 13: Scope, purpose and definitions .............................................................................. 29

13.1. Scope and purpose .......................................................................................................... 29
13.2. Definition ........................................................................................................................ 29
Section 14: Official Duty Travel of non-UNOPS personnel .................................................... 29
14.1. Provisions in the project agreement and/or written instructions .................................... 29
14.2. No provisions in the project agreement and/or written instructions ............................... 29

APPENDIX I: Official Duty Travel authorisation........................................................................ 30
APPENDIX II: Roles and responsibilities .................................................................................... 31
APPENDIX III: Examples for establishing the DSA for overnight flights .................................. 33
APPENDIX IV: Calculation of supplementary DSA ................................................................... 34
APPENDIX V: Establishing DSA for extended periods of Official Duty Travel ........................ 35
APPENDIX VI: Summary of travel time and rest stopovers ....................................................... 36
BUSINESS PROCESS MAP........................................................................................................ 37
FORMS, TEMPLATES AND USEFUL LINKS ......................................................................... 37

PART A: provisions for UNOPS staff appointed under the United Nations
Staff Regulations and Rules only
Section 1: Scope, purpose and definitions
1.1. Scope and purpose
1.1.1. This part of the AI shall apply to travel on official duty (or “Official Duty Travel”) of
UNOPS staff members based in UNOPS Headquarters (HQs) and Regional offices (RO),
Operations centers (OC) or Project Centers (PC). This AI establishes policies and
procedures governing the undertaking of Official Duty Travel and reimbursement of costs
incurred in connection with the staff members’ travel on official duty for UNOPS. These
instructions and procedures are derived from Chapter VII (Rule 7) of the United Nations
Staff Rules and Organizational Directive No. 11 (“Travel Policy”).
1.2. Definitions
For the purposes of this AI:
1.2.1. “Daily subsistence allowance (DSA)” shall mean UNOPS’ standard contribution towards
such charges as meals, lodging and gratuities, and such other payments made for personal
services rendered to the staff member while travelling on official duty;
1.2.2. “Excess Baggage” shall mean any accompanied baggage not carried free of charge by air
carriers;
1.2.3. “Official Duty Travel” or “Travel on official duty for UNOPS” shall mean the travel
undertaken by UNOPS staff members in order to attend meetings and conferences,
participate in training courses, official briefings/debriefings, official consultations, project
site visits and project/programme-related trips undertaken for UNOPS;
1.2.4. “Official itinerary” shall mean the itinerary based on the official route, mode of
transportation and standard of travel as provided in this AI;
1.2.5. “Preferred itinerary” shall mean the deviation from the Official itinerary that is requested
by the traveler for his/her personal convenience;
1.2.6. “Terminal expenses” shall mean all expenditures for transportation and incidental charges
between the airport or other point of arrival or departure and the hotel or other place of
dwelling in respect of the staff member;
1.2.7. “Travel advance” shall mean the estimated DSA and terminal expenses for each duly
approved travel on official duty for UNOPS. In case of deviations from the approved
itinerary which have monetary implications, the advance is subject to review against the
travel claim and any necessary adjustments are made at the time the travel claim is settled;
1.2.8. “Travel authorisation (TA)” shall mean the written authorisation on a standard TA form
defining the entitlements and parameters of the travel authorized for the staff member
travelling on official duty for UNOPS; and
1.2.9. “Travel claim” shall mean the post-travel financial report (i.e. the “Travel Expense Claim
(TEC)” form) that may have to be submitted in case of deviations from approved itinerary

or if miscellaneous expenses are incurred while in travel status by the traveler to the travel
authorising business unit within two weeks from completion of travel.
1.3. Travel expenses

When UNOPS staff member undertakes travel on official duty for UNOPS, the related
transportation costs, DSA, terminal expenses and other reasonable miscellaneous travel expenses
are covered by UNOPS, within prescribed limits. Transportation arrangements are normally
undertaken and the respective costs incurred directly by UNOPS. Exceptions to this rule are
described in and shall be applied in strict conformity with the provisions of this AI. The Travel
advance is paid in the form of a bank transfer to the traveler’s bank account indicated in the TA
Form. Miscellaneous travel expenses may be claimed by submitting a TEC form and are considered
in strict conformity with the provisions of this AI.
Section 2: Authorising Official Duty Travel

2.1. Official Duty Travel for UNOPS staff members
2.1.1. Official Duty Travel shall be requested and the request approved in advance. It shall be
authorized by the officer (the “Authorising Officer”) as described in Appendix I.
2.1.2. Official Duty Travel shall be prepared and authorized using the Travel Authorisation (TA)
form (as provided below) before travel is undertaken.
Link to Travel Authorisation Form
2.1.3. The designated Administrative/Operations Officer (in his/her role as the Travel Coordinator
of a business unit/duty station) shall prepare the TA form for signature of the travelling
staff member, the staff member’s supervisor and the Authorising Officer. The
Administrative/Operations Officer must designate a sequential and unique TA number for
each TA and maintain a summary of all travel authorised in the business unit/duty station
for the calendar year. Any approvals or justifications for upgrade of standard of travel
obtained shall be attached to the TA. Copies of the approved TA and quotes received must
be kept on file by the designated Administrative/Operations Officer.
Link to Summary table of approved Travel Authorisation template
2.1.4. The TA must be signed by:

(a) the staff member to confirm:
i. the correctness of his/her personal data (e.g. name and index number);
ii. the itinerary;
iii. the purpose and validity of the travel;
iv. the entitlements (e.g. DSA and terminal expenses amounts); and
v. he/she is in compliance with section 7 of Organizational Directive No. 11
(Travel Policy).
(b) the staff member’s direct supervisor (if he/she is not the Authorising Officer) to
confirm:
i. his/her agreement to release the staff member for the purpose of the travel.
(c) the Authorising Officer to:

i. confirm the chart of accounts (COA);
ii. confirm the availability of funds;
iii. approve the validity of the travel; and

iv. approve the entitlement pursuant to this AI.
(If necessary, the Authorising Officer may require that the TA be cleared by the
administrative/operations officer carrying out the role of the travel focal point
before approving the TA).
See Appendix II for further details on the roles and responsibilities.
2.1.5. In exceptional cases where a staff member has been verbally authorized by the Authorising
Officer and his/her supervisor to travel, the TA shall be created and duly approved as soon
as possible thereafter and always within a maximum of three (3) working days following
return from travel.
2.1.6. Official Duty Travel shall not be authorized by an official reporting to the traveler, with the
exception of the Executive Director’s (which may be authorized by the Deputy Executive
Director or Officer-in-Charge) or Deputy Executive Director’s travel (which may be
authorized in the absence of the Executive Director by the senior-most UNOPS official
present at HQs).
2.1.7. Under no circumstances shall a staff member authorize his/her own travel.
2.1.8. Back-to-office reports are not mandatory but shall be prepared by the traveler if so
requested by the supervisor.
2.1.9. As required by Organizational Directive No. 11 (“Travel Policy”), quarterly travel plans
shall be prepared in advance and approved by the Deputy Executive Director in respect of
Regional Directors and Directors at Headquarters; and by the Regional Directors for
Operations Centre Directors and Project Centre Managers. Other categories of staff
members may be requested by the supervisors to prepare a quarterly travel plan.
Link to Quarterly Travel Plan form
2.2. Approval of Official Duty Travel

2.2.1. When Official Duty Travel is combined with personal travel, the authorisation must show
both the “official itinerary” and the “preferred itinerary”.
2.2.2. Copy of the approved TA should be provided to the traveler.
2.2.3. The procedures for creating and approving TA and the roles and responsibilities for
approving Official Duty Travel TA are described in detail in the attached business process
map.
2.2.4. Advance planning is a must when it comes to reducing the cost of travel. For obvious
reasons, poor planning on the part of the traveler and/or supervisor shall not fit the
definition of genuine emergency. UNOPS offices are strongly encouraged to enter into
long-term agreements (LTAs) with one or more competitively-selected travel agents.
2.2.5. If the purchase of the ticket is not based on an LTA, at least three quotations should be
obtained from different travel agents and the approved itinerary be based on the most cost-
effective available option. The quotes should be collected and the payment made by the
administrative/operations officer, if available, from the Authorising business unit rather
than by the traveler him/herself.

(a) It is recognized, however, that there may be instances of legitimate “last-minute”
requests to undertake travel when obtaining three quotes may not be practicable and/or
the traveler may have to purchase his/her own ticket. Such situations should be limited
to true exceptions and justified by writing a brief note to the file. All changes to the
originally-approved itinerary should be processed by the Authorising business unit.
(b) Only in cases of genuine emergency can such changes be made by the traveler
him/herself en route. Upon return, the traveler should write a brief note to the file
explaining why the change was critical to accomplishing the mission.
Section 3: Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA)

3.1. DSA rates
3.1.1. DSA shall be paid for periods away from the duty station, during which the staff member is
on official travel status. Such periods include authorized travel time and rest stopovers.
3.1.2. DSA shall be paid in accordance with the schedule of rates established and periodically
reviewed by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). The ICSC DSA rates can
be found on the UNOPS intranet.
(a) Notwithstanding the above, in the event that the UN country team in a particular
country has established DSA rates for local travel promulgated through a circular (or
equivalent) signed by the UN Resident Coordinator for that country, the locally
developed DSA rates may be applied for local travel of UNOPS staff provided that
such circular (or equivalent) is kept on file for audit purposes.
3.1.3. DSA is paid at the rate established for the month and year in which the travel occurs.

3.1.4. DSA paid according to length of journey:
Length of Journey involves DSA

journey
Night away from traveler Full DSA is paid
residence
No DSA paid if travel lasts less than 10 hours.
40% of full DSA if travel lasts more than 10 hours.

Less than
24 hours Does not involve a night away
from traveler residence No DSA is payable for a visit to a project site in the
vicinity of the regular duty station or within commuting
distance, i.e. reachable within one hour’ travel by road or
sea.
Full day’s DSA for the day on which the travel begins, at
the rate applicable to the place of arrival where the
traveler spends the night; and
- a full day’s DSA for each successive period of 24 hours

Longer from midnight to midnight (measured by local times and
Night(s) away from traveler’s ignoring time-zone differences); but
than 24
residence
hours
- no DSA is payable for the day on which travel is
concluded.
The rate applicable for each 24-hour period shall be that

for the place at which the traveler spends the night.
3.2. DSA for overnight flights

3.2.1. If the staff member is traveling for all or part of the night, the appropriate DSA rate shall be
the rate established for the place of arrival where he/she spends the night, except for the last
leg of the return journey when the DSA is paid at the rate applicable to the last authorized
place at which the staff member spent the night.
3.2.2. If the staff member travels overnight, arrives in one place and continues on to his/her
destination on the same day, provided that the stopover is four hours or more and the
traveler obtains accommodation at the stopover place, DSA shall be paid at the rate of the
place of the stopover.
3.2.3. If the journey involves two consecutive overnight flights, the same principles as described
in this section shall apply.
3.2.4. Specific examples for establishing the DSA for overnight flights are provided in Appendix
III.
3.3. Reduced DSA rates

3.3.1. When a traveler is provided free overnight accommodation and/or meals by UNOPS, by
government, by related institutions, or by an airline (i.e. stopover paid by carrier), reduced
DSA shall be paid as follows:
(a) 50 %, if overnight accommodation is provided, regardless of the type of overnight
accommodation provided free of charge (50% reduction);

(b) 70 %, if meals are provided (reduction for: breakfast 6%, lunch 12%, dinner 12%, a
total of 30% reduction);
(c) 20 %, if overnight accommodation and meals are provided (80% reduction).
3.3.2. When an STPC (stopover paid by carrier) applies, usually when an immediate or same-day
connection on the same airline is not available, the travel agent issuing the air ticket will
advise the traveler. In such a case, the traveler shall be required to use the STPC and
accordingly receive DSA at the reduced rate.
3.4. Special DSA rates for certain hotels

3.4.1. In some locations, special rates of DSA may apply for certain higher-priced hotels that have
not been used for establishing the regular DSA rate, and are listed as such in the schedule of
DSA rates established by the ICSC.
3.4.2. Special rates of DSA shall be paid only in situations where the staff member has no
alternative but to stay in a hotel for which a special rate has been established. The special
rate shall be paid only upon presentation of receipted hotel bills and a certification from a
senior local UNOPS official (or UNDP Resident Representative if there is no UNOPS
presence in the locality) that accommodation could not be obtained from lower-priced
hotels and that the traveler did not share accommodation.
3.4.3. If a staff member accompanies a senior UNOPS staff member (Executive Director, Deputy
Executive Director, Regional Director or senior director from HQs) and due to the
exigencies of the service is requested to stay in the same hotel which is subject to a special
DSA rate, based on written approval by the senior staff member’s supervisor, the
accompanying staff member shall be reimbursed at the higher DSA rate.
3.5. Ad-hoc DSA

3.5.1. For conferences, meetings, training courses and other events that take place at facilities
where the total cost of meals, accommodation and incidentals differs significantly from the
regular DSA for the location, an ad-hoc DSA rate may be established by the Corporate
Support Group upon request from the organizing business unit well in advance of the event.
The calculation of this special ad-hoc DSA rate shall be based on the actual room and meal
costs at the facility used taking into account any special package arrangements that may
have been offered by the organizers.
3.5.2. Unless the hotel bill is settled directly by UNOPS, the payment of an ad-hoc rate shall be
made only upon presentation of a receipted hotel bill and a copy of the ad-hoc rate approval
with the travel claim.
3.6. Supplementary DSA

3.6.1. Supplementary DSA is a top-up to the established DSA where significantly higher
accommodation costs are incurred with adequate justification. This supplement is not an
automatic entitlement and shall be paid only under exceptional circumstances.
3.6.2. When a traveler is required, due to lack of more economical accommodation, to take
accommodation that costs significantly more than the specified room percentage
(established by ICSC) of the DSA, a supplementary DSA shall be paid to reimburse the
difference between the total cost of accommodation and the applicable room percentage of
the DSA as specified by the ICSC.

3.6.3. Supplementary DSA shall be paid only upon presentation of receipted hotel bills and a
certification from a senior local UNOPS official (or UNDP Resident Representative if there
is no UNOPS presence in the locality) that no other commercial hotel accommodation of
acceptable quality was available and that the traveler did not share accommodation.
3.6.4. The Supplementary DSA shall be calculated in accordance with Appendix IV.
3.6.5. The Authorising Officer is responsible for examination and approval of supplementary
DSA claimed in the travel claim (TEC form), if there has been any departure from the
approved itinerary in the TA and/or additional expenses are claimed. DSA is always paid at
the rate established for the month and year in which the travel occurred and is not subject to
adjustment to the rate established for the month and year in which the claim is settled.
3.7. DSA for travel by automobile, train or boat

3.7.1. When authorized to travel by automobile, staff members shall be expected to travel as far as
possible each day (normally, the daily minimum distance is 500 kilometers). The guidance
in the preceding sentence applies to long-distance trips and should not be construed in such
a way that shorter-than-500kms-trips cannot be undertaken by automobile, train or boat.
DSA for each day shall be payable on the basis of the rate for the location in which the
overnight stopover is made.
3.7.2. When traveling by automobile, train or boat, DSA shall not be reimbursed in excess of the
total amount for travel expenses which would have been payable if the journey had been
made by air by the most direct and economical route. If air services are not available for the
official itinerary (for instance, when the distance is too short), then the Authorising business
unit should use its best judgment in determining the most appropriate mode of travel and
the reasonableness of costs being authorized.
3.8. DSA for official duty while on annual leave (AL)

3.8.1. If a staff member is authorized to carry out official duty while on AL outside the duty
station, he/she shall be entitled to 100 per cent of the applicable DSA rate at the authorized
travel location, and the time spent shall be recorded as official duty.
3.8.2. Except for leave taken at a rate not exceeding one and one-half days for each completed
month on which a staff member is on travel status on official duty, DSA shall not be paid in
respect of any other period of annual leave.
3.8.3. DSA shall not be paid in respect of the leave days taken (referred to above) at the
conclusion of active duty on an assignment, prior to the staff member’s return to his/her
duty station.
3.8.4. Example: If a staff member is on duty from 1 June to 25 July and takes AL from 7 to 8
July, DSA for one and one-half days shall be paid. However, if AL is taken from 26 to 27
July, no DSA will be paid for the period of AL.
3.9. DSA for official duty while on home leave (HL)

3.9.1. If a staff member is required to carry out official duty while on HL, he/she shall normally
be entitled to DSA as follows:
(a) Official business at the officially recognized HL place: 50% of the applicable rate, if
hotel accommodation is not secured; and 100% of the applicable rate, if he/she
provides a receipted hotel bill.

(b) Official business at a place other than the officially recognized HL place: 100% of the
applicable rate. This shall apply to any place in the HL country other than the
officially recognized HL place.
(c) In addition to the above, any time spent on specifically approved official business
while on HL shall be recorded as official duty.
3.10. DSA for official duty while on sick leave (SL)

3.10.1. DSA shall continue to be paid during periods of SL while on Official Duty Travel. SL of
three days or more must be supported by a medical certificate. If the staff member is
hospitalized, however, one-third of the applicable DSA shall be paid.
3.11. DSA for extended periods of Official Duty Travel

3.11.1. When a staff member is assigned to a duty station other than his/her regular duty station for
a period of less than one year, different rates apply for the first 60 days, days 61-120 and
days after 120.
3.11.2. These extended period rates are payable during any one tour of duty away from the regular
duty station. A tour of duty is an assignment at one location, continuous or otherwise, or
which may be interrupted by official travel to other locations not involving the traveler’s
return, at UNOPS expense, to resume duties at the staff member’s regular duty station.
Each tour of duty away from the regular duty station shall be counted separately for the
purposes of determining the applicable rates.
3.11.3. During such extended period of Official Duty Travel, DSA shall be paid as follows:
(a) first 60 days, at the standard DSA rate applicable to the place of assignment;
(b) after 60 days, at a reduced rate as published in the ICSC monthly circular;
(c) after 120 days, normally at 60 percent of the first-60-days’ rate.
3.11.4. In locations where the first-60-days’ rate and the after-60-days’ rate are the same, there
shall be no reduction in the DSA rate after 120 days.
3.11.5. The reduced after-60 and after-120-days’ rates shall apply whether the staff member’s stay
in the place of temporary assignment is continuous or otherwise.
3.11.6. Specific examples for establishing the DSA for extended periods of Official Duty Travel
are provided in Appendix V.
3.11.7. In cases where Official Duty Travel is for an extended duration, it is important that the
administrative/operations or finance officer maintain an accurate record of the staff
member’s travel in and out of the primary duty station to ensure that the correct DSA rate is
applied, as explained above.
3.12. Hotel reservations

3.12.1. When making hotel reservations, travelers should be guided by the DSA rate applicable to
the location, and also by the room percentage rate used in establishing the DSA rate. By
doing so, the traveler will be in a better position to choose an appropriately priced hotel.
Travelers are encouraged to check in advance with the local UNOPS (or if not available –
UNDP) office regarding hotel availability and reasonability of hotel prices.
3.12.2. Travelers who intend to claim special hotel or supplementary DSA should keep the hotel
receipts and obtain from a senior local UNOPS official (or UNDP Resident Representative

if there is no UNOPS presence in the locality) a certification that no other commercial
accommodation of acceptable quality was available (see “Special DSA rates for certain
hotels” under section 3.4 and “Supplementary DSA” under section 3.6 above).
Section 4: Other official travel allowances and expenses

4.1. Terminal expenses
4.1.1. UNOPS shall pay terminal expenses with respect to each authorized journey for each trip
by public transport to and from the airport or other point of arrival or departure to the hotel
or other place of dwelling as indicated:
Rates apply to: New York Rate Rate for any location Government or UN vehicle is
(for each trip) other than New York provided or any other type of
(for each trip) official transport is made
available (for each trip)
Staff member $63 $38 $11
4.1.2. If a traveler incurs costs which are at least $10 more than the terminal expenses levels
shown above, he/she will be reimbursed the actual cost of the journey, based on the
receipted bill.
(a) Example 1. A taxi ride from Rome airport to the hotel costs $43. $38 is payable to the
traveler.
(b) Example 2. A taxi ride from Rome airport to the hotel costs $48. $48 is payable to the
traveler, upon presentation of the receipted bill, attached to a TEC form.
4.1.3. If a traveler has been authorized an overnight stay or stopover during travel, he/she will
receive for each leg of the trip to and from the air terminal the same amounts as indicated
above.
4.1.4. UNOPS shall not pay terminal expenses in respect of:

(a) an intermediate stop which is not authorized; an intermediate stop of less than six
hours, which does not involve leaving the terminal, or is exclusively for the purpose of
making an onward connection; and
(b) an STPC (stopover paid by carrier or airline).
4.1.5. UNOPS shall pay terminal expenses for an authorized intermediate stop which involves
leaving the terminal to change airports or to change the mode of transportation, provided
the change is not solely for the personal convenience of the traveler. Examples: transfer
from airport to train station, seaport or bus terminal; transfer from Gatwick to Heathrow
airport in London, etc.
4.1.6. Terminal expenses shall be calculated in accordance with the travel authorisation and on the
basis of the official stopovers and whether UNOPS or any other institution is providing
transportation. It should be paid as part of the travel advance or of the travel claim
settlement.
4.1.7. No receipts are required for normal terminal expenses.
4.2. Travel Advance

4.2.1. An advance payment of 100 % of the estimated DSA and terminal expenses shall be made
to a staff member authorized to travel on official duty for UNOPS.
4.2.2. The travel advance for Official Duty Travel that extends more than one month shall be paid
on a monthly basis.
4.2.3. If the travel is cancelled, the traveler shall immediately return to the Authorising business
unit the travel advance together with the unused ticket.
4.3. Excess Baggage

4.3.1. Charges for accompanied baggage exceeding the free baggage allowance provided by the
air carrier, shall be reimbursed, upon presentation of receipted bills, in connection with
transportation of official documents, equipment and other special circumstances, subject to
certification by the Authorising business unit.
4.3.2. As of the date of this AI, UNOPS does not offer travel insurance. In the event of loss or
damage to accompanied baggage, the traveler shall take the following steps:
(a) Report the loss or damage, to the airline immediately upon arrival at the passenger
terminal, or as soon as the loss or damage is discovered;
(b) File a claim with the airline immediately and no later than seven days from arrival or
departure, attaching a copy of the relevant ticket stub/s and a list of the contents of the
lost or damaged baggage, indicating the corresponding replacement value of each
item; take pictures of the damaged item/s; If not fully compensated by the airline,
submit a claim for compensation to the UN Compensation and Claims Board through
the appropriate Human Resources Focal Point, together with copies of claims
previously made to the airline. This claim shall be submitted only after the airline has
ruled on the staff member’s claim.
4.4. Miscellaneous travel expenses

4.4.1. Miscellaneous travel expenses are those expenses necessary for carrying out the official
travel, such as:
(a) airport taxes (such as departure tax) for the staff member and, if applicable, eligible
dependants;
(b) cost of issuing or renewing national passports and visas for the staff member and, if
applicable, eligible dependants;
(c) cost of photographs for travel documents for the staff member and, if applicable,
eligible dependants;
(d) necessary inoculations and vaccinations for the staff member and, if applicable,
eligible dependants;
(e) malaria prophylaxis for the staff member and, if applicable, eligible dependants;
(f) official telecommunication (internet and fax charges, etc);
(g) car rental expenses;
(h) taxi fare from one place of business to another;
(i) purchase of office supplies;
(j) hire of room for official use;
(k) rental of equipment for official use;
(l) clerical services for the preparation of official reports or correspondence;
(m) hardship allowance where applicable; and
(n) hazard pay where applicable.

4.4.2. Claims for reimbursement of miscellaneous expenses shall be supported by proper receipts
and approved by the appropriate Authorising Officer. When such expenses are paid with
credit card, the charges pertaining to exchange rate conversion are reimbursable. Credit
card charges relating to late payments or interest payments are not reimbursable by
UNOPS.
4.4.3. Reasonable miscellaneous expenses which are not supported by receipted bills shall only be
reimbursed up to a maximum of $25 per expense.
4.5. Fitness club charges while on Official Duty Travel

4.5.1. In order to support the health and well being of staff whilst on Official Duty Travel,
UNOPS will reimburse costs related to fitness club/exercise charges. This provision is
designed to support the health and well being of staff and to enable them to participate in
fitness and exercise activities whilst on Official Duty Travel. These charges are
reimbursable upon submission of receipts, up to a daily limit of $25, for fitness club
charges either in the hotel or elsewhere at the travel location. . To claim reimbursement,
receipts should be attached to the TEC form.
4.6. Child care while on Official Duty Travel

4.6.1. When a single (not recognized by UNOPS as having a dependant spouse) staff member is
required to undertake Official Duty Travel on a non-work day (week-ends and UN
holidays), the reasonable and customary (for the locality) childcare costs incurred during
the non-work day shall be reimbursable as part of her/his travel claim. For the purpose of
this entitlement, staff members with children who are under thirteen years of age shall be
eligible.
4.6.2. Claims for reimbursement for child care described above shall be reimbursed if
accompanied by:
(a) appropriate receipted bills; and
(b) certification by the staff member that the care provider is not a current or former
family member and that such cost would not have been incurred had the staff member
not been on duty travel.
4.6.3. The cost of childcare while on Official Duty Travel shall be charged to the same COA
against which the travel is charged.
4.6.4. In support of UNOPS’ ongoing effort to improve the work and life balance, a staff member
who is a single parent shall be entitled to the reimbursement of up to 10% of the cost of
his/her ticket, should the staff member in that category choose to take his/her child along on
Official Duty Travel to a family duty station. To claim reimbursement, a copy of the child’s
ticket should be attached to the TEC form.
4.6.5. If a single staff member travels on official duty with the child, the childcare costs may also
be reimbursed at the rate of the authorized duty travel location, in line with the same
principles as outlined above for childcare costs incurred at the staff member’s regular duty
station.
4.7. Breastfeeding or single mothers with infants

4.7.1. UNOPS shall pay a lump sum to help cover the travel costs for infants (children who are
under two years of age and as such normally do not require a separate seat on a plane) and

who accompany the breastfeeding or single mothers on Official Duty Travel to a family
duty station.
4.7.2. The lump sum per infant shall be equivalent to:

(a) 10 % of the cost of the staff member’s ticket; plus
(b) 10 % of the staff member’s DSA.
4.8. Travel claim

4.8.1. If the traveler did not deviate from the originally-approved itinerary nor incurred any
miscellaneous expenses while in travel status (in other words, the amount advanced to the
traveler was 100% correct and the traveler neither owes money to UNOPS nor is owed
money by UNOPS), the traveler does not need to submit a Travel Expense Claim (TEC). In
such instances, the traveler has no obligation to retain travel-related documentation, such as
ticket stubs and boarding passes.
Link to TEC form
4.8.2. In case of deviations from the originally-approved itinerary or if miscellaneous expenses

are incurred while in travel status, the traveler is required to complete a Travel Expense
Claim within two weeks from completion of travel. The travel claim (TEC form) should
then be submitted to the Authorising Officer for verification and approval.
4.8.3. If it has been determined that the staff member has been advanced an amount greater than
his/her entitlements, the difference shall be promptly returned by the staff member to
UNOPS. Failure to do so may lead to the imposition of disciplinary measures.
4.8.4. The staff member shall make sure that any deviations from the approved itinerary, which
have implications for the staff member’s leave records, are made known to the respective
leave monitor.
4.8.5. Reimbursable travel expenses shall be calculated in U.S. dollars.
4.8.6. Amounts claimed in currencies other than the U.S. dollar shall be converted into U.S.
dollars using the UN rate of exchange (ROE) for the month (or date if more than one ROEs
were established during the month) in which the expense was incurred, provided the total
claim settlement is to be paid in U.S. dollars.
4.8.7. Example:
Claim settlement will be paid into a UNFCU account.
Cost of excess baggage incurred in August: Eur100
August ROE for Euro 0.76
Payment to UNFCU: 100/0.76 = US$131.58
4.8.8. An expense claimed in the same currency in which the total claim settlement is to be paid
shall be converted into U.S. dollars using the ROE for the current month.
Example: Claim settlement will be paid into a bank account in France

Cost of excess baggage incurred in August: EUR100
Current ROE for EUR is 0.78
Conversion to USD 100/0.78= US$128.21.
Payment to the bank in France 128.21 x 0.78 = EUR100.

4.8.9. The settlement of a travel claim in connection with local travel shall be paid in local
currency except that in cases where the hotel room costs were paid in U.S. dollars,
reimbursement shall be made in U.S. dollars.
4.8.10. No travel claim reimbursement shall be made to a third party.
4.8.11. Travel claim settlements shall be paid by transfer to the travelers’ personal bank accounts
or, in exceptional cases, by cheque to be mailed to the traveler.
4.8.12. If a traveler owes to or is owed money by UNOPS in connection with two consecutive
travels and fails to submit his/her travel claims using the TEC form, no further advances
would be made to the traveler until all his/her outstanding claims are settled.
4.8.13. While every effort should be made by the staff member to submit a travel claim within two
weeks of completion of travel, such travel claims shall be deemed receivable for the period
of one year following the staff member’s return from travel. Travel claims shall be deemed
time-barred and rejected, if received by the Authorising unit more than one year from
completion of travel. In such cases, no reimbursement shall be made to the traveler.
Section 5: Route, mode of transportation and standards of travel

5.1. Route and mode of official travel
5.1.1. The standard route and mode of transportation for all official travel is by the most direct
and economical route by air. An alternative route and mode of transportation may be
approved when, in the opinion of the Authorising Official it is in the best interests of
UNOPS. To minimize inconvenience to the staff member, UNOPS uses the principle of
“absolute entitlement” which is based on the most direct existing air service without regard
to the actual routing chosen by the traveler.
(a) Example: For travel New York/Bangkok, the absolute entitlement is on Thai Airways,
which is the only non-stop service to Bangkok. If the traveler so chooses, UNOPS
shall allow him/her to use Japan Airlines with a stopover in Tokyo provided the JAL
fare does not exceed the Thai Airways fare.
5.2. Standards of travel

5.2.1. For all Official Duty Travel by air, subject to exceptions as provided in the following table,
the staff member shall be provided with economy class transportation in accordance with
the least costly airfare structure, including discounted fares.
5.2.2. The standard of travel for Official Duty Travel by air is shown below, except when special
fare arrangements are made by UNOPS for group travel.

Class of Flying time of Flying time of Flying time of Flying time of Regardless of
service 9 hours or 8 hours or less than 9 but less than 6 flying time
more (1) more more than 6 hours
hours
Class All staff Regional Deputy Executive
immediately members Directors and Executive Director, all staff
below First Senior Director (if at ASG level or
Class (normally Directors at personal grade is above, “eminent
called Business HQs (HR, below ASG persons” traveled
Class) Finance and level) by UNOPS
Procurement)
Class All staff DED, Regional
immediately members Directors and
below Business Senior Directors
Class, when at HQs (HR,
available Finance and
(normally Procurement)
Called
Economy
Premium or
Economy Plus
or Economy
Extra, etc)
Least cost/ All staff JPOs, UNVs and
economy class, members interns (it is
including recognized that
discount UNVs and interns
airfares are not staff
members)
Note (1):
• For round-trip travel, when the duration of either outbound or inbound journey is
nine hours or longer, the staff member is entitled to business class on the entire
journey.
Example: if an outbound flight(s) from A to B takes 9 hours and 10 minutes
while the inbound flight from B to A takes 8 hours and 50 minutes, the staff
member is entitled to business class on all the flights, including the return
leg(s).
• The staff member is entitled to business class when his/her travel from A to B by
the most direct route involves several flights, provided the traveler does not spend
the night at an intermediary location (between A and B) which would “break” the
travel time calculation.
Example: if the most direct route from A to B involves a stopover at location
C where the flight from A to C takes 3 hours, the stopover at C is 3 hours
and the flight from C to B is another 3 hours, then both legs of the trip will
be in business class (since the total duration of the trip is 9 hours).
However, if the traveler overnights in C, then both legs of the trip will be in
economy class.
5.2.3. If a UNOPS staff member is accompanying a senior UNOPS official entitled to a higher
class of service as per the table above, the staff member may be entitled, upon request by

and approval of the senior UNOPS official’s supervisor, to be upgraded to the same class of
service as the travelling senior UNOPS official in order to facilitate business work during
the flight.
5.2.4. Request for upgrades to higher standard of travel
(a) For upgrades due to medical reasons, the traveler shall obtain a medical certificate
from his/her doctor and submit this directly to the UN Medical Director (UNMD) well
in advance of the proposed travel, using form TTS.3. The UNMD will then review the
case and forward the form to UNOPS with a recommendation.
Link to TTS.3 form
(b) Other typical situations where upgrades to a higher standard of travel may be
considered are as follows:
i. The normal standard of travel is not available and, owing to the exigencies of
the service, the traveler is required to travel on a particular date. Cases also arise
where accommodation at the normal entitlement is not available and the cost of
daily subsistence allowance, while waiting for the next available seat, would be
greater than the higher standard of travel;
ii. The traveler is considered an eminent person, such as a former Head of State, or
a prominent figure in political, humanitarian or cultural areas;
iii. The traveler is a prominent person who is donating his or her services free of
charge to UNOPS, and, in some cases, at a loss of personal income.
iv. The traveler, after completing a full day of work, is required to travel through
the night in order to resume work, attend meetings or present a paper at another
location on the following morning or immediately upon arrival. Where such
cases involve arduous journeys, the standard of travel accorded to the traveler
should provide the best rest possible while travelling or provide the conditions
most conducive to work while flying, or both. The need for such special
accommodation should be confirmed in writing by the supervisor.
5.2.5. Exceptional requests for upgrade to travel by first class can only be approved by the
Executive Director. Exceptional requests for upgrade to travel by business class can only
be approved by the Deputy Executive Director or Director, Corporate Support Group. The
following information shall be provided in the request: name and title of the traveler,
itinerary, sector to be upgraded, cost of the entitlement and cost of upgrade (both costs
obtained from the authorized travel agency), and the reason/justification for the requested
upgrade. The request and approval must be kept on file.
5.3. Ticketing and flight bookings

5.3.1. UNOPS shall provide air tickets through an authorized travel agency. However, if the staff
member can demonstrate that he/she can purchase a ticket elsewhere that is at least 10%
cheaper than the price quoted by the authorized travel agency, the agency shall be asked to
match it and if they fail to do so, the staff member may be authorized to purchase the ticket
from the outside source. The fare comparison shall be based on exactly the same itinerary,
class of accommodation and other terms and conditions. The procedure for authorizing
Official Duty Travel under section 2 of this AI must be followed.

5.3.2. The staff member shall be consulted before bookings are made for flights departing before
9 a.m. and after 9 p.m. This rule shall not apply to locations where flight availability is very
scarce.
5.4. Airline travel safety

5.4.1. UNOPS staff members shall not be booked to fly on airlines which are classified as unsafe
either by UNDSS or another reputable source, such as European Commission. UNOPS staff
member has the right to refuse bookings on a particular airline which he/she considers
unsafe or has other valid reasons to avoid.
5.5. Limitation to travel on the same aircraft

5.5.1. For safety and security purposes, a maximum of twenty (20) UNOPS personnel may travel
on the same aircraft. In the event there is a need for more than twenty (20) UNOPS
personnel to travel together, the Deputy Executive Director may be requested to consider
approving an exception.
5.5.2. As a general principle and to the extent possible, not more than five senior managers
(regional directors/senior directors at HQs or above) should travel on the same aircraft.
5.6. Discounted airfares

5.6.1. Whenever discounted airfares apply, the travel arrangements shall be limited to those fares
unless such fares would prevent the traveler from making an authorized rest stopover, or if
it is not in the best interests of UNOPS.
5.6.2. UNOPS shall assume responsibility for the surcharge that may be imposed after discounted
tickets have been issued, if changes in the original travel plans are necessitated by UNOPS
or made for other compelling reasons.
5.7. Deviation from official route, mode and standard of travel

5.7.1. When staff members are permitted to travel for reasons of personal convenience by a route,
mode of transportation or standard of travel other than the official one, their entitlement in
respect of a particular journey shall be limited to the maximum travel time to which they
would have been entitled had the travel been undertaken by the official route, mode of
transportation and standard of travel.
5.7.2. Use of a more economical fare shall not entitle the staff member to further transportation or
to purchase another ticket. However, if the staff member chooses to downgrade from
business to economy class, the entitlement shall remain business class and a personal
stopover may be undertaken within that fare entitlement. The staff member shall be
responsible for any delays, penalties or additional expenses incurred as a result of taking a
lower fare or making special arrangements.
5.7.3. If the difference between the fare for the preferred itinerary and the fare for the official
itinerary is less than 10% of the official itinerary fare but not more than $350, UNOPS shall
pay for the preferred itinerary fare. If the difference is even one dollar more than the
amounts allowed for above, the traveler shall pay the full difference in fare directly to the
travel agency. This 10% window shall be provided for the sole purpose of allowing the
traveler some flexibility in the choice of airports, carriers and/or rest stop.
5.7.4. Example:

(a) If the entitlement is $1,500, UNOPS pays the preferred fare if it is no more than
$1,650 (10% of $1,500 = $150 + $1,500 = $1,650)
(b) If the entitlement is $3,500, and the preferred fare is $3,900, the traveler pays the total
difference of $400; as this is more than 10% of $3,500
(c) If the official fare is $5,000, and the preferred fare is $5,350 or less ,the traveler does
not pay for over-entitlement, as the difference is both less than 10% and not over $350
5.7.5. If a staff member combines private and Official Duty Travel, the addition of private
segments shall be made at least seven days prior to commencing travel. In the event that the
official portion of the trip is cancelled or postponed, UNOPS shall not be responsible for
any expenses/losses that may have been incurred by the staff member in connection with
the private portion of the itinerary.
5.7.6. Staff members traveling by an indirect route who are otherwise eligible for a stopover shall
be entitled to such stopover with appropriate DSA (not to exceed the DSA at the stopover
by the most direct route) provided that the stopover actually made complies with section 5.9
of this AI.
5.7.7. A staff member who deviates from the most direct travel route for his/her personal
convenience shall not be covered under Appendix D to the Staff Rules, during the legs of
the journey which although approved are nevertheless taken for personal convenience.
5.8. “Gain-sharing”
5.8.1. Staff members may offer to use their “personal miles” accumulated on frequent mileage
programmes run by airlines, towards purchasing a ticket for Official Duty Travel. Should
this result in savings to UNOPS of at least $350, the staff member will be reimbursed 50%
of the actual amount of savings to UNOPS.
(a) Example: A staff member’s ticket by the most direct and most economical route in the
authorized class of travel will cost $1,000. If the staff member is authorized by the
Authorising Officer to use his/her accumulated miles to purchase the ticket (including
payment of airport taxes), he/she will be reimbursed $500 which will result in savings
of $500 to UNOPS.
5.9. Travel time and rest stopovers

5.9.1. Travel time shall be determined on the basis of the most direct and economical route, either
by air or by the fastest available surface mode of transportation when air travel is not
feasible. If it is necessary to specify the “hour of departure” and the “hour of arrival”, these
shall be considered as the time when the airplane, train, vessel or vehicle used by the
traveler actually leaves from the departure terminal or arrives at the destination terminal.
5.9.2. The duration of a particular journey shall be determined on the basis of the combined flying
time of all legs of the journey to a given destination by the most direct and economical
route available, provided the journey is not interrupted for official stops of more than one
day. If a journey is interrupted en route for official duty of more than one day, the
entitlement shall be based on the duration of the travel to that stopover location. The flying
time shall include scheduled stops for change of planes or other purposes, but shall exclude
travel time to and from airports. Up to four hours for connection between flights shall be
included in the flying time for the particular journey.

5.9.3. In computing travel time for the purpose of determining rest periods and stopovers, a
maximum of four hours shall be allowed for each necessary waiting period between
connecting flights, subject to the condition that travel has been undertaken by the most
direct and economical route.
5.9.4. Actual travel time spent by a staff member during a normal working day shall not be
charged to annual leave.
5.9.5. A staff member shall be granted a compensatory day off if required to travel on a non-
working day from the duty station to the destination. Subject to the supervisor’s approval,
this compensatory day off may be exercised immediately after that non-working day or
within four months of return to the duty station. If it is necessary for the return travel to also
take place on a non-working day, the staff member shall be allowed another compensatory
day off. If the compensatory day off on the outbound travel was not taken immediately
after the non-working day, it can be taken separately or together with the compensatory day
off for the return travel in which case the two compensatory days off can be taken on two
consecutive days upon completion of the entire journey.
5.9.6. Staff members traveling by air, or mostly by air, shall be entitled to rest periods before
commencing duties, or a stopover for rest purposes.
5.9.7. A rest stopover is normally taken in the course of an air journey. However, when there are
two different modes of transportation involved, and the total travel time is at least 16 hours,
a stopover for rest purposes may be taken at the end of the air portion of the journey while
awaiting onward travel by another mode of transportation.
5.9.8. UNOPS liability under Appendix D to the UN Staff Rules shall cover only authorized
stopovers for the authorized duration and waiting periods for connecting flights. If the staff
member chooses to stay for a longer period for his/her personal convenience, UNOPS shall
cease to have any liability beyond the authorized period of that stopover.
5.9.9. A summary of travel time and rest stopovers is provided in Appendix VI.
5.10. Travel by train

5.10.1. If authorized to travel by train, the traveler shall be entitled to accommodation in first class,
including sleeper, where appropriate.
5.11. Travel by boat

5.11.1. When authorized to travel by boat, the traveler shall be entitled to the standard of travel, the
cost of which does not exceed the amount that would have been paid for air travel.
5.12. Travel by automobile: using privately-owned vehicles

5.12.1. A staff member authorized to travel by privately-owned automobile shall be entitled to
reimbursement at the flat rate of $0.25 per kilometer, irrespective of the geographical area.
This rate replaces the current multi-tier system which varies depending on location, and
may be subject to periodic reviews and adjustments. Reimbursement for travel within a
radius of 100 kilometers of the official duty station shall be based on actual mileage and,
for travel beyond a 100 kilometers radius, on the mileage as shown on official road guides.
The cost of commute between private residence and place of business shall not be
reimbursable. If the traveler can demonstrate that he/she incurred fuel purchase-related

costs that exceed $0.25 per kilometer, then actually-incurred reasonable costs will be
reimbursed.
5.12.2. In addition to the mileage-based vehicle operating costs, other expenses such as DSA,
road/bridge/tunnel tolls shall be reimbursable. The total reimbursement shall, however, be
limited to the maximum travel expenses to which the staff member would have been
entitled had he/she traveled by air by the most direct and economical route.
5.12.3. Where the journey requires that a portion of travel be by train, ferry, ship or a combination
thereof, reimbursable expenses shall include port charges and the cost of passage for both
the traveler and the automobile, subject to the maximum amount indicated in the preceding
paragraph.
5.12.4. The time spent on train, ferry or ship shall be included in the computation for purposes of
determining DSA entitlement, unless the cost of passage includes either food and/or
accommodation.
5.12.5. A traveler who is authorized to travel by automobile shall be entitled to travel time, not
chargeable to annual leave, equal to the time which would have been required had he/she
traveled by air by the most direct route.
5.12.6. All running costs, depreciation, repair, and other automobile expenses shall be the traveler's
responsibility.
5.12.7. When there is more than one traveler, reimbursement of vehicle operating costs shall be
made to one traveler only. For reasons of safety and well-being of staff, only in exceptional
circumstances may more than four staff members travel in one vehicle.
5.12.8. UNOPS shall not provide automobile insurance for travelers using their own vehicles for
official travel.
5.12.9. The provisions of Appendix D to the UN Staff Rules shall not apply for privately-owned
vehicle transportation sanctioned or authorized by UNOPS solely at the request of, or for
the convenience of, the staff member.
5.13. Travel by automobile: using UNOPS-owned vehicles

5.13.1. Travelers using UNOPS vehicles shall not be entitled to reimbursement of operating costs.
The duty station Authorising the use of the vehicles underwrites these costs.
5.14. Car rentals

5.14.1. When it is in the best interests of UNOPS, staff members may be authorized in the TA by
the Authorising Officer to rent a car with or without a driver. The rental rate should not
exceed a maximum of $250 a day (all inclusive) and the staff members should make every
effort to avoid using vehicle models that may be perceived locally as being luxurious or
ostentatious. As a rule of thumb, mid-sized cars for up to four passengers should be used.
The applicable local laws with regard to insurance and safety and security should be strictly
complied with.
5.15. Procedures
5.15.1. The staff member shall make travel arrangements as early as possible. As soon as the travel
plan is approved, and before the TA is created, flight reservations shall be made with the

travel agency in order to obtain the lowest applicable airfare for the trip. The booked
itinerary will then be used for obtaining the estimated airfare and the stopovers for purposes
of determining the terminal allowance and estimated airfare needed for creating the TA.
5.15.2. In making flight reservations when the TA is not yet available, the travel agency shall be
informed of both the official itinerary and preferred itinerary (if applicable) so that the
travel agency can provide quotes for the official itinerary (so that the official route, travel
time and rest stopovers can be determined) and the preferred itinerary (if any).
5.15.3. Certain flight reservations and airfares are subject to ticketing deadlines. It is therefore
important that the administrative/operations officer arranging the travel receive the
approved TA as early as possible. Late receipt of TAs by the administrative/operations
officer could result in flight reservations being cancelled and/or much higher air ticket
costs.
5.15.4. Purchase orders in ATLAS shall be prepared by the administrative/operations officer for
payment to the travel agency (for the tickets) and the traveler (for DSA and terminal
expenses).
Section 6: Medical requirements

6.1. Inoculations
6.1.1. Completing an immunization schedule before departure is the first and most important step
staff can take to prevent travel-related disease. The protective effects of vaccination take
some time to develop and for this reason travelers are advised to allow four to six weeks
before departure to start receiving vaccination shots, particularly if the travel destination is
one where exposure to vaccine-preventable diseases may occur and one or more doses are
necessary. Failure to allow sufficient time for immunizations may delay a traveler’s
departure, or result in causing discomfort from multiple vaccines given simultaneously.
6.2. Malaria prevention

6.2.1. Malaria is a common and serious disease in many tropical and subtropical areas.
Medications called anti-malarial are used both to prevent and treat malaria. If UNOPS staff
member is travelling to areas where malaria is present, they are required to take preventive
drug therapy and to follow the correct schedule for taking them in order to reduce the risk
of infection. UNOPS shall reimburse the cost of inoculations and malaria prophylaxis for
the staff member and eligible dependants, including the cost of the visit to a doctor who
will administer/prescribe the required medicaments.
Section 7: UN travel documents

7.1. UN Laissez-Passer (UNLP)
7.1.1. The UNLP is issued to staff members of the United Nations under the authority of the
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations of 1946 and the
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies of 1947.
7.1.2. The UNLP is a travel document for use only in connection with official travel, i.e. travel
paid for or authorized by the organization. As such, the issuance of a UNLP will be
authorized only for staff members with certain travel plans.
7.1.3. While the UNLP is recognized by most member states of the United Nations as an official
travel document, the UNLP should be used in conjunction with the staff member’s national
passport. The UNLP does not replace a national passport.

7.1.4. The UNLP is the property of the United Nations and is not to be used for identification
purposes.
7.1.5. Authority to issue a Laissez-Passer

(a) The United Nations Travel and Transportation Sections (UNTTS) at New York,
Geneva and Vienna are authorized to issue UNLPs. Amendments, corrections or
additions may only be made by these offices.
(b) Any alteration or mutilation will render the UNLP invalid.
7.1.6. The two types of UNLPs are defined by the color of their cover: Red or Blue.
(a) Red UNLPs: for staff members at the D-2 level and above.
(b) Blue UNLPs: for staff members up to and including D-1 level.
7.1.7. Procedure for application and renewal of UNLPs

Staff members may request for the issuance of a UNLP or renewal of his/her UNLP by
completing form TTS.2 and return the same to their respective HR Focal Point.
7.1.8. Please refer to the “Guide to the Issuance of United Nations Travel Documents” of 13
January 2006 issued by the Department of Management, United Nations for more details.
7.2. UN Family Certificate

7.2.1. The UN Family Certificate identifies the bearer as being a family member of the UN
official named therein. It is not a legal travel document.
7.2.2. A UN Family Certificate is issued for a maximum period of five years or up to the
expiration of the staff member’s contract, whichever is earlier. There is no need to return an
expired UN Family Certificate.
7.2.3. A staff member may request a UN Family Certificate by using form PT.39 when all of the
following conditions are met:
(a) the travel is authorized at UNOPS’ expense;
(b) separate travel from that of the staff member has been authorized (unless it is a child
travelling on education grant); and
(c) there is cause to believe that the absence of the Certificate may give rise to significant
hardship on the part of the traveler.
7.2.4. UN Family Certificates may be renewed up to one month beyond the expiry of the staff
member’s contract, provided the maximum five-year period from date of original issue is
not exceeded.
7.2.5. If a staff member is separated from service before the expiry date on a UN Family
Certificate issued to a family member, the certificate must be returned for cancellation or
for adjustment of the validity date if it is required for separation travel.
7.2.6. Procedure for application and renewal of UN Family Certificates

Staff members shall return the completed form PT.39 to their respective HR Focal Point.
Section 8: Entry visa

8.1. Description

8.1.1. An entry visa may be required by many countries for staff members entering for UN
business purposes even though he/she carries a valid UNLP. In such cases, the
administrative/operations officer will provide assistance in obtaining those visas by
advising the traveler, upon request, of the visa requirements as well as providing the
application forms.
8.1.2. It is the traveler’s responsibility to complete the application form and provide the required
supporting documents (for example, photos, official invitation letter to participate in
meetings, conference (if applicable), photocopy of passport etc.)
8.1.3. Any required visa fees are reimbursable.
Section 9: Airlines compensations for denied boarding

9.1. Denied boarding - involuntarily
9.1.1. In the event a staff member with confirmed reservation is involuntarily denied boarding
(also known as getting off-loaded from the flight), he/she must declare to the Authorising
Officer upon return, such occurrence as well any compensations received (for example free
lodging, phone calls, vouchers, coupons etc.). Any offerings of this nature (such as
vouchers, coupons or airlines dollars) must be surrendered to the administrative/operations
officer.
9.1.2. Upon receipt of the vouchers/coupons or equivalent, the administrative/operations officer

should first contact the travel agency or the airline to seek a monetary refund and if this is
not possible, to contact the Director, Office of Central Support, for guidance on how to
proceed.
9.2. Denied boarding - voluntarily

9.2.1. Notwithstanding section 9.1 above, staff members shall not voluntarily give up their seats
in exchange for compensations as this may negate insurance coverage under Appendix D of
the UN Staff Rules.
Section 10: Hazard pay while on Official Duty Travel

10.1. Description
10.1.1. Hazard pay (HP) is an exceptional measure established for staff members required to work
in hazardous conditions, which are defined as follows:
(a) Duty stations where very hazardous conditions such as war or active hostilities prevail
and where the evacuation of families and non-essential staff has taken place;
(b) Duty stations where no evacuation has taken place but in which staff are required to
work in hazardous conditions such as war where active hostilities prevail, including
situations where staff are required to work on hazardous cross-border missions; and
(c) The performance of functional medical requirements that directly expose staff to life-
threatening diseases.
10.1.2. The International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) is responsible for approving the
locations where the special allowance is payable. In designating locations for purposes of
the allowance, the ICSC takes into consideration the recommendations of the United
Nations Department for Safety and Security (or, for medical cases, the Director-General of
WHO).
10.2. Duration

10.2.1. HP is authorized for a limited period, normally for up to three months at a time, subject to
ongoing review in the light of prevailing conditions (i.e. it may be withdrawn at any time if
the situation improves).
10.3. Eligibility
10.3.1. UNOPS staff members on Official Duty Travel status at duty stations included in the list of
designated locations where HP is payable. The list is updated quarterly and may be
accessed at: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/allowances/hazard.htm
In case of doubt, please contact your HR focal point.
10.3.2. It is the responsibility of the staff member to ascertain whether HP is payable for his/her
travel.
10.4. Amount of HP
10.4.1. For UNOPS staff members on Official Duty Travel status to designated locations, the rate
established by the ICSC shall apply.
10.5. Payment authority and conditions

10.5.1. The payment of HP shall be charged to the same funding source as all other travel
expenses. Payment of HP is made at the monthly and/or daily rate, as applicable. HP is paid
in US Dollars. HP is a non-pensionable allowance and does not affect any other elements of
salary, benefits or allowances.
Section 11: Safety and security

11.1. UNOPS policies
11.1.1. UNOPS staff members must strictly adhere to UNOPS’ policies on safety and security
(Organizational Directive No. 7, “Safety and Security Policy” and AI/EO/2009/02,
“Safety and Security Management”), as may be revised from time to time.
11.2. Security Clearance

11.2.1. In accordance with AI/EO/2009/02, staff members on Official Duty Travel to locations
with a declared security phase (I-V) must obtain security clearance from the Designated
Official prior to travel in accordance with UN security policy. Further, staff members are
required to notify the Designated Officials via travel notification of their arrival and
departure times for travel to countries where no security phase is in effect. Security
clearance/travel notification is a requirement to ensure validation/coverage under the
Malicious Acts Insurance Policy (MAIP).
11.2.2. Integrated Security Clearance and Tracking (ISECT) system allows staff members to
process security clearances and travel notifications. Links to ISECT can be found on the
UNOPS Safety and Security intranet site and on the UNDSS extranet site.
11.3. Security training

11.3.1. In accordance with AI/EO/2009/02, mandatory on-line training courses are required as
part of the UN Security Management System (UNSMS).
11.3.2. Successful completion of the Basic Security in the Field (BSITF) course is a pre-requisite
for appointment of staff members regardless if travel is undertaken.

(a) Advanced Security in the Field (ASITF) is the follow up to the BSITF and is also
mandatory for all staff members undertaking Official Duty Travel regardless of the
respective country phase level.
11.3.3. Official Duty Travel is subject to successful completion of the course and obtaining prior
official security clearance/travel notification through ISECT from the UN Designated
Official for Security in the country of destination.
11.3.4. Certificates for both BSITF and ASITF expire three (3) years after certification and will
therefore require recertification for validity for necessary security clearance/travel
notification.
Section 12: Reporting on UNOPS’s carbon footprint

12.1. Requirement of Organizational Directive No. 11 (“Travel Policy”)
12.1.1. The designated Administrative/Operations Officers must record the approved travel route
using the three letters IATA (International Air Transport Association) airport codes and the
class of travel in the summary of approved Travel Authorisation table referred to in section
2.1.3 of this AI. This information will be used for reporting of UNOPS’s carbon footprint
to the Sustainable UN (SUN) initiative.

PART B: provisions for non-UNOPS personnel traveled by UNOPS
Section 13: Scope, purpose and definitions
13.1. Scope and purpose
13.1.1. This part of the AI shall apply to travel on official duty (or “Official Duty Travel”) of non-
UNOPS personnel whom UNOPS organize/finance the travel.
13.2. Definition
13.2.1. For the purposes of this part of the AI, “non-UNOPS personnel” means individuals (who
does not have specific contractual arrangements to perform services for UNOPS) whom
UNOPS organize/finance their travel in accordance with written instructions received from
the client or funding source. For example, travel of government officials, personnel of
other United Nations agencies and personnel of non-governmental organizations to
participate in meetings, conferences or workshops.
13.2.2. All other definitions as stated in section 1 of this AI equally apply.
Section 14: Official Duty Travel of non-UNOPS personnel

14.1. Provisions in the project agreement and/or written instructions
14.1.1. Official Duty Travel of non-UNOPS personnel shall be authorized and arranged in
accordance with the provisions of the relevant project agreement (i.e. the project that will
fund the travel of non- UNOPS personnel) and/or written instructions from the client or
funding source.
14.2. No provisions in the project agreement and/or written instructions

14.2.1. In the absent of specific/detailed provisions in the project agreement and/or written
instructions from the client or funding source with regards to the travel of non-UNOPS
personnel, the provisions in Part A of this AI shall be applicable, mutatis mutandis.

APPENDIX I: Official Duty Travel authorisation
Travel by Authorising Officer
Headquarters (General) Head of the business unit sponsoring or funding the travel
HQs directors Executive Director or Deputy Executive Director
Deputy Executive Director Executive Director or in his/her absence the senior-most
UNOPS official present at HQs
Executive Director Deputy Executive Director or Officer-in-charge
Regional Offices (RO) Head of the business unit sponsoring or funding the travel
(General)
Regional Directors Deputy Executive Director
Operations Centers (OC) Head of the business unit sponsoring or funding the travel
(General)
Operations Centers Directors Regional Director
Project Centers (PC) Head of the business unit sponsoring or funding the travel
(General)
Project Centers Managers Regional Director

APPENDIX II: Roles and responsibilities
ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES
Administrative/Operations • Complete: the TA form, including designating the sequential TA
Officer number
• Maintain: a summary of all travel authorised in the business unit/duty

station for the year (using the template provided on the intranet)
Staff members/traveler • Obtains approvals & justifications required for upgrade of standard of
travel, as and when required
• Checks that: personal data is correct
• Checks that: the official itinerary and preferred itinerary (if
applicable) are correct
• Checks that: the entitlements (e.g. DSA and terminal expenses) are
correct
• Confirm that: he/she is in compliance with section 7 of OD 11 (Travel
Policy) i.e. staff member must ensure that he/she has the following:
(a) valid United Nations laissez-passer;
(b) national passport (with at least six months’ validity beyond the
date of scheduled departure from the destination country);
(c) signed travel authorisation (TA) indicating approved itinerary and
chargeable chart of accounts (COA);
(d) valid visa (if required) to the destination country, transit visa (if
required); and valid visa to re-enter the country of the staff
member’s duty station;
(e) security clearance from UN Department of Safety and Security
and/or the UN Designated Official (for security) in the country in
which the phased area is located, if applicable;
(f) the certificate(s) from the security training course(s) referred to in
paragraph 6.2.1 of OD 11; and
(g) travel insurance (when applicable). Personal travel insurance must
be obtained by the staff member for all legs of travel made for
personal convenience and in all cases involving the use of personal
automobile for official travel.
(h) medical clearance to travel (if applicable). Staff must ensure that
he/she is medically fit to travel, has received such inoculations as
may be required for the destination country(ies).
• Notify the Designated Officials in the destination country of their
arrival and departure times for travel even to countries with no security
phase in effect.
Staff member’s direct Approves the release of the staff member for the purpose of the travel.
supervisor

ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES
Authorising Officer • Checks and confirms that: Chart of Accounts (COA) is correct;
• Checks and confirms that: Sufficient funds are available in the budget
• Checks and approve that: Travel entitlements are correct
• Approves the validity of the travel as official.

APPENDIX III: Examples for establishing the DSA for overnight flights
Example 1:
Official itinerary: Copenhagen/New York/Copenhagen
Depart Copenhagen: 1 June, arrives New York: same day
Depart New York: 4 June, arrives Copenhagen: 5 June
The night of 4 June (overnight flight) shall be paid at the New York rate, as the New York/Copenhagen
leg is the return to the duty station. Had the overnight flight been on the Copenhagen/New York leg
portion of the journey, the DSA would be at the New York rate.
Example 2:
If the traveler departs from New York on 1 July, arrives in Paris at 8:00 a.m. on 2 July, checks into a hotel
in Paris and continues on to Antananarivo at 6:00 p.m. on the same day, DSA for 1 July will be paid at the
Paris (stop-over) rate. However, if the traveler does not check into a hotel in Paris, DSA for 1 July will be
paid at the Antananarivo (arrival/final destination) rate.
Example 3:
Using the previous example, if the traveler flies overnight from Paris and arrives in Antananarivo on 3
July without obtaining accommodation in Paris, the DSA for both 1 and 2 July will be paid at the
Antananarivo rate. However, if the traveler obtained accommodation in Paris, the DSA for 1 July will be
at the Paris rate, and 2 July at the Antananarivo rate.

APPENDIX IV: Calculation of supplementary DSA
Take the difference between the daily actual room cost (including tax and service charge) and the room
percentage (see Schedule of DSA Rates) of DSA for the location; if the daily difference is less than 10
percent of the DSA, no supplementary DSA is payable;
Multiply the number of days of room charges by the daily difference; if the total is $25 or more,
supplementary DSA is payable; otherwise it is not, unless the period of stay is three days or less and the
difference per day is at least 10 percent of the DSA.
Example:
Actual room cost: $120;
DSA rate: $150
Room percentage: 65% of $150 = $97.50
Daily difference: $120 – $97.50 = $22.50

APPENDIX V: Establishing DSA for extended periods of Official Duty Travel
Example:
If a staff member whose regular duty station is Apia, is assigned to Suva for 45 days, visits Solomon
Islands for 15 days, New Caledonia for 20 days, returns to Suva for 25 days, goes back to New Caledonia
for another 5 days and returns to Suva for 75 days, the DSA will be paid as follows:
Location Days DSA Rate

Suva 45 first-60-days
Solomon Islands 15 first-60-days
New Caledonia 20 first-60-days
Suva 15 first-60-days
Suva 10 after-60-days
New Caledonia 5 first-60-days

APPENDIX VI: Summary of travel time and rest stopovers
Duration of journey 6-10 hour journey 10-16 hour journey 16-24 hour journey
Number of rest stops No rest stop No rest stop permitted. 1 rest stop permitted
permitted.
The staff member is not Option 1: If no rest
The staff member is required to commence stop taken, the staff
not required to duty within 24 hours of member is not
commence duty arrival at the duty required to
within 12 hours of station commence duty
arrival at the duty within 24 hrs of
station. arrival at the duty
station.
Option 2: If the rest

stop is taken and the
final stage of the
journey exceeds 6
hours but is less than
12 hours, the staff
member is not
required to
commence duty
within 12 hours of
arrival at the duty
station; if the final
stage of the journey
exceeds 12 hours, the
staff member is not
required to
commence duty
within 24 hours of
arrival at the duty
station.
Travel time 1 day 2 days 3 days

BUSINESS PROCESS MAP:
https://intra.unops.org/ToolsResources/ODT/Pages/default.aspx
FORMS, TEMPLATES AND USEFUL LINKS
Templates and forms:
Travel Authorisation Form
Summary table of approved Travel Authorisation template
Quarterly Travel Plan Form
Request for travel claim reimbursement (TEC Form)
Request for upgrades to higher standard of travel due to medical reasons (TTS.3 Form)
Application and renewal of UN Laissez-Passer (TTS.2 Form)
Application and renewal of UN Family Certificate (PT.39 Form)
Useful links:
Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rates:

https://intra.unops.org/Practices/DHRM/Salaries%20and%20Allowances/Lists/Salary%20Scale
s%20Allowances%20etc/AllItems.aspx
UNOPS Safety and Security:

https://intra.unops.org/ToolsResources/SafetySecurity/Pages/default.aspx
Security Clearance and Travel Notification: UNDSS website

https://dss.un.org/dssweb/

Ai CSG 2010 02

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Ai CSG 2010 02

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Administrative Instruction

To: All UNOPS Personnel

Subject: Official Duty Travel: UNOPS staff and non-UNOPS personnel

OFFICIAL DUTY TRAVEL:

Section 1: Scope, purpose and definitions .................................................................................. 5

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 2

PART B: provisions for non-UNOPS personnel traveled by UNOPS ................................... 29

Section 13: Scope, purpose and definitions .............................................................................. 29

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 3

BUSINESS PROCESS MAP........................................................................................................ 37

FORMS, TEMPLATES AND USEFUL LINKS ......................................................................... 37

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 4

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 5

1.3. Travel expenses

Section 2: Authorising Official Duty Travel

Link to Travel Authorisation Form

Link to Summary table of approved Travel Authorisation template

2.1.4. The TA must be signed by:

(c) the Authorising Officer to:

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 6

See Appendix II for further details on the roles and responsibilities.

Link to Quarterly Travel Plan form

2.2. Approval of Official Duty Travel

2.2.2. Copy of the approved TA should be provided to the traveler.

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 7

Section 3: Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA)

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 8

Length of Journey involves DSA

40% of full DSA if travel lasts more than 10 hours.

- a full day’s DSA for each successive period of 24 hours

The rate applicable for each 24-hour period shall be that

3.2. DSA for overnight flights

3.3. Reduced DSA rates

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 9

3.4. Special DSA rates for certain hotels

3.5. Ad-hoc DSA

3.6. Supplementary DSA

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 10

3.7. DSA for travel by automobile, train or boat

3.8. DSA for official duty while on annual leave (AL)

3.9. DSA for official duty while on home leave (HL)

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 11

3.10. DSA for official duty while on sick leave (SL)

3.11. DSA for extended periods of Official Duty Travel

3.12. Hotel reservations

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 12

Section 4: Other official travel allowances and expenses

4.1.4. UNOPS shall not pay terminal expenses in respect of:

4.1.7. No receipts are required for normal terminal expenses.

4.2. Travel Advance

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 13

4.3. Excess Baggage

4.4. Miscellaneous travel expenses

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 14

4.5. Fitness club charges while on Official Duty Travel

4.6. Child care while on Official Duty Travel

4.7. Breastfeeding or single mothers with infants

AI/CSG/2010/02: Official Duty Travel – staff members and non-UNOPS personnel 15

4.7.2. The lump sum per infant shall be equivalent to:

4.8. Travel claim

Link to TEC form

4.8.2. In case of deviations from the originally-approved itinerary or if miscellaneous expenses

4.8.5. Reimbursable travel expenses shall be calculated in U.S. dollars.