I'm a career coach, not an immigration, tax or pension professional. This is general information from my own research of public sources, not advice. Please confirm the details that apply to you with your HR office, the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund or a qualified professional before you act.
- Start 60 to 90 days before your last day: Save your documents, your supervisors' contact details and your visa information while you still have access and active status.
- Set up your personal accounts early: Create your personal email, your domain and your LinkedIn profile before your @un.org email and portal access disappear.
- Make the big decisions carefully: Check your pension choices (withdrawal or deferred benefit) and your ASHI eligibility before you sign any separation papers.
Don't wait for your last day. Here are the money, paperwork, visa, personal branding and networking steps to take while you still have access.
Why You Can't Wait Until You Have Left
When UN staff learn that their contract is ending (a post is abolished, the budget is cut, a rotation, a planned exit), the first instinct is to hand over the work properly. It's a good instinct, but it isn't enough. Once your @un.org email expires and your system access is cut, everything gets harder: finding your performance appraisals, finding your supervisors' contact details, even fixing your visa status. (The system is very good at closing doors quickly. It's less good at opening them again.) So, start preparing as soon as you can after learning you will be leaving. Here's a framework to help you think through the steps. The timeframe is up to you.
60 to 30 Days Before You Leave: Save Files and Set Up Your Personal Accounts
Save your files and appraisals: Keep copies of records that are yours to keep, such as your own contract letters, performance evaluations, training certificates and letters of praise. Check your agency's rules before you move anything to personal storage, and don't copy official or confidential work material. You'll lose access to UN portals as soon as you separate, so ask HR what you can download before your last day.
Collect personal contacts: Save the personal email addresses and mobile numbers of your supervisors, close colleagues and key partners. Official UN emails will bounce after you leave.
Create your own space online: Register a domain name (FirstNameLastName.com) and set up a personal email address. Start moving your professional conversations away from your UN inbox now.
Check your visa and residency deadlines: If you live in the host country on official status (for example, a US G-4 visa), ask your HR office exactly what happens when you separate. In the US, G-4 status ends when you separate, and the usual grace period is short (about 30 days). Other countries have their own rules, some shorter. Please talk to an immigration professional early. (See the visa article for the questions to ask.)
30 Days Before You Leave: Paperwork, Pension and Health Insurance
Pension: Read the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) benefit options. If you have 5 or more years of contributory service, compare a withdrawal settlement (a one-time payment based on your own contributions plus interest, without the organization's share) with a deferred retirement benefit (a lifelong monthly pension). A third option lets you delay the choice for up to 36 months if you expect to rejoin the UN system. Think about the long term, not only the cash in front of you. Important: if you choose a withdrawal settlement, you lose your After-Service Health Insurance (ASHI) eligibility in most agencies.
Health insurance: Ask your HR office to confirm the ASHI service rules for your agency. If you aren't eligible, get quotes for private health insurance now, so you have no gap in coverage after you leave.
Money: Work out your basic household costs for at least 6 to 9 months. A move into a new sector can take longer, so build in extra time. Final payments from the UN can also arrive late. And ask whether you'll have any unemployment benefits. In Switzerland, for example, SwissInfo reported in July 2026 that former UN staff usually can't claim unemployment benefits. Rules differ by country and by your status, so check with the official authorities where you'll live.
Days 1 to 30 After You Leave: Tell Your Story and Reach Out
Update your resume and LinkedIn: Turn your P11 duty text into a modern two-page resume that shows results. Change your LinkedIn headline so it describes what you can do next, not your old grade.
Prepare your exit story: Write two simple, unemotional sentences that explain why your contract ended (for example, your post was abolished, or the mandate was completed). Then connect them to the work you want next.
Start talking to people you already know: Contact 20 people: former UN colleagues who left 1 to 3 years ago, partners and donors. Ask each one for a short 20-minute conversation.
If you'll separate within 90 days, export your e-PAS appraisals to a personal drive today, and save the personal contact details of three supervisors.