UNPFII Participation | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

How to register to participate in UNPFII sessions

Participation in the annual session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) is open to Member States, the UN and other intergovernmental organizations, Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations (IPOs), academia accredited to the Permanent Forum and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) in consultative status with ECOSOC. Indigenous parliamentarians and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) may also be invited to attend.

Online registration is mandatory for all participants by the deadlines. Registrations by email cannot be accepted.

For IPOs and academia, there is a two-step accreditation and registration process. While those that have previously participated in UNPFII may already have iCSO accreditation, all organizations are strongly encouraged to review and update their iCSO profiles to ensure the information is correct, up to date and that their accreditation remains active.

NGOs with ECOSOC Status only need to complete STEP 2. NGOs working on Indigenous issues without ECOSOC Status must first apply and obtain ECOSOC status in order to participate.

For Indigenous parliamentarians and NHRIs there is a separate process detailed below.

STEP 1: Accreditation in iCSO | 15 December 2025 – 30 January 2026

Accreditation is mandatory for all Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations (IPOs) and academia to be able to register to participate at UNPFII.

IPOs and academia requesting accreditation for the first time must complete the iCSO System online form following the iCSO Guide (EN | ES) in detail, and include information on:

contact details, affiliation with other organizations, mission statement, organizational structure, address; phone; fax; email; website (for both IPOs and academia)
For IPOs: description of activities and Indigenous Peoples they represent
For academia: description of work related to Indigenous Peoples and relevance to the UNPFII
designation of a focal point and their email address

IPOs and academia that have previously participated in the UNPFII should check that their accreditation remains active in the iCSO system, ensure that the focal point email address is accurate and update any information that may be missing. To ensure updates to profiles without accreditation are reviewed and changes to focal point contacts are notified – make sure to follow all steps outlined in the iCSO guide (EN | ES).

Who: Both IPOs and academia requesting accreditation for the first time as well as those that have previously participated at UNPFII

When: 15 December 2025 – 30 January 2026

Where: iCSO

How: iCSO Guide EN | ES

Note: If your organization has previously participated but upon checking your accreditation status in iCSO you find that it is not accredited to UNPFII, please update the iCSO profile as per the instructions in the iCSO guide here, and send an email to @email with the subject line: “UNPFII IPO/Academia Profile Update – Request for Review” before the deadline for iCSO accreditation (STEP 1). Include the following details in your email: Name of your organization, and any relevant supporting documents.

Check your accreditation status Apply for accreditation (First time)

STEP 2: Registration in INDICO | 9 – 27 February 2026

IPOs and academia that are accredited through the iCSO System (STEP 1), and NGOs with ECOSOC status, can register its individual participants via the United Nations INDICO registration system.

The focal point designated in the iCSO system must approve the registration of their delegation. Delegates will not be registered until this step is completed. Please note that each accredited organization is allowed to register no more than 10 individuals as members of their delegation.

Delegates approved by the focal points of accredited IPOs, academia, and NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC will receive a confirmation letter via the email address registered in INDICO. You must have this approval letter for your registration to be complete. This confirmation letter issued in English only may be used to apply for a United States entry visa.

Focal points are kindly requested to ensure that their profile and contact information in iCSO is up to date to facilitate this step.

Who: Individual participants from IPOs and academia that have been approved for accreditation through iCSO and NGOs with ECOSOC Status

When: 9 – 27 February 2026

Where: INDICO

Note: Only IPOs and academia that were not listed in INDICO in 2025 session, but have an approved profile in iCSO after completing STEP 1, may contact indigenous_un@un.org with the Subject line: "IPO/Academia missing in INDICO system"

STEP 3: In-person registration | Dates to be announced

In-person registration and collection of temporary UN Grounds Passes is only available for those who have already registered, been approved, and received a confirmation letter via INDICO.

Please note that the temporary UN Grounds Passes are issued to approved registrants only and are personal and non-transferable.

Pick-up Location: UN Pass and ID Office, 320 E 45th St, New York, NY 10017

The registration desk with DESA staff will be open during the following times: to be announced

Required Documents:

To collect a UN grounds pass, representatives must present all the below:

Their UNPFII 2026 Confirmation Letter (in its original form, not translated)
A valid passport issued by a UN Member State or Observer State (or a government-issued photo ID if residing in the U.S.)

Important: Please keep your Temporary Ground Pass with you at all times during the event, as it is the only valid pass for Non-UN Ground Pass holders to access UN buildings and conference rooms.

Visa and travel information

Travel arrangements, including visa procedures, are the responsibility of participating organizations.

The United Nations will send a confirmation letter to registered and approved representatives to the email address registered in the INDICO system (STEP 2). This letter, in its original form in English, can be used to apply for a visa to the United States to attend the UNPFII session.

The confirmation letter should have the following subject title: “[Indico] Confirmation Letter - 25th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII2026)”.

Please note that upon registering in INDICO you will receive an automatic email stating “25th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII2026): Your request for registration is pending approval by your organization.” This is not a confirmation letter.

Questions?: If you have any questions, please consult the FAQ or contact @email.

Important Note

The United Nations does not charge any fees for participation in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The UN does not cover any expenses related to participation, including travel, accommodation, or other costs. All arrangements and expenses are the sole responsibility of the participants.

For further details specific to each type of organisation, please click on the relevant organisation below.

Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations (IPOs) from the seven socio-cultural regions, may be accredited as observers to attend sessions of the UNPFII. All IPOs must* apply for accreditation through iCSO (STEP 1) and register in INDICO (STEP 2). * Africa; the Arctic; Asia; Central and South America and the Caribbean; Eastern Europe, Russian Federation, Central Asia and Transcaucasia; North America; and the Pacific	Academia Based on past practice at the Working Group on Indigenous Populations, academic institutions may be permitted to attend. Academic institutions’ work must be related to Indigenous Peoples and relevant to the UNPFII. Think tanks are not considered to be academic institutions. Academic institutions must apply for accreditation through iCSO (STEP 1) and register in INDICO (STEP 2).	Non-Governmental Organizations All non-governmental organizations (NGOs) wishing to attend UNPFII sessions must have ECOSOC Status. NGOs with ECOSOC Status only need to complete STEP 2 of the registration process outlined above. NGOs working on Indigenous issues without ECOSOC Status must first apply and obtain ECOSOC status in order to participate.
Member States Official delegations of participating Member States of the United Nations, and observers of the General Assembly must register with the United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service (Protocol Office) through the online “eRegistration system”, which is available on the e-deleGATE portal at https://e-delegate.un.org/.	National Human Rights Institutions National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) should contact @email with Subject line "UNPFII Registration Indigenous Parliamentarians/NHRIs". Once approved, participants can register using the INDICO registration system.	Indigenous Parliamentarians Indigenous Parliamentarians should contact @email with Subject line "UNPFII Registration Indigenous Parliamentarians/NHRIs". Once approved, participants can register using the INDICO registration system.
UN & other intergovernmental organizations United Nations system organizations and intergovernmental organizations with observer status are welcome to attend UNPFII sessions. Please notify the Secretary of the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues, Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM) of your delegation in advance of the session.	Media Journalists and media professionals with professional equipment are required to have media accreditation in order to attend UNPFII sessions. Journalists and media professionals without UN media accreditation credentials who wish to attend UNPFII sessions with professional equipment should submit an online application on the website of the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit here. They will need to upload a letter of assignment on official letterhead from a bona fide media organization, signed by the publisher, assignment editor or bureau chief, noting that the journalist is assigned to cover the specific UNPFII session. Approved applicants will receive an email confirmation with instructions for picking up their credentials. Individuals with NGO accreditation will not be issued media accreditation credentials, and letters of assignment from NGOs will not be accepted for media accreditation credentials. Please note that without media accreditation, Indigenous community media will not be able to bring professional cameras and equipment into the United Nations. Please visit the UN Media accreditation page for more information. Important note: Please note that it is not possible to bring professional cameras and media equipment (e.g. microphones, tripods, and cameras with professional lenses) into the United Nations without media accreditation.	Indigenous youth/minors (under 18) Indigenous youth and minors that are under 18 years old cannot register via INDICO. Instead, accredited IPOs to the UNPFII must request a “Youth Participant Pass” for minors between 9 – 27 February 2026 by contacting @email with the Subject line: "UNPFII Indigenous Youth Participant." The request must include the name of the chaperone, who must already be accredited to the UNPFII 2026.