Reminder

Over the course of the year, NATO organizes meetings at different levels (defence ministers, foreign ministers, heads of state and government, etc.), which are held either at the Alliance’s Headquarters in Brussels or outside the Headquarters. The press is often invited to cover such events.

If the meeting is held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels

• journalists with permanent NATO accreditation do not have to make a specific accreditation request whenever the meeting is held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
  
• all other press representatives must make an ad hoc accreditation request in the usual way (described below).

If the meeting is held outside NATO Headquarters, all media representatives without exception must make an ad hoc accreditation request in the usual way.

AD HOC ACCREDITATION

There are several steps in the ad hoc accreditation request. First, the NATO Press Service issues a media advisory announcing the meeting on the NATO Website – http://www.nato.int/. Once that announcement has been made, the journalist requests accreditation by accessing his or her personal account on the NATO accreditation interface or by setting up a personal account as appropriate (https://my.hq.nato.int/). If the accreditation candidate is not in possession of a valid national press pass, he or she is invited, regardless of nationality, to send the NATO Press Service a signed letter from his or her editorial staff (fax: +32.2.707.1399).

NATO then examines the request and contacts the journalist for more information, if need be. No confirmation is sent out. For ease of reference, however, it is recommended that journalists print the request confirmation page.

PERMANENT ACCREDITATION

Who can request permanent accreditation?

Journalists with their official residence in Belgium who are accredited by the Belgian Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs or the Interior may request a permanent NATO press pass. Photographers, producers, sound technicians and cameramen are not eligible for permanent NATO accreditation.

What are the advantages of permanent accreditation?

Beyond Headquarters access, permanent accreditation gives journalists access to the press conferences regularly held by the NATO Spokesman at the Headquarters or at the Résidence Palace in Brussels and the possibility of receiving e-mail and SMS alerts.

Permanently accredited journalists are also allowed to use the Carrington Room at NATO Headquarters, which is reserved for them and equipped with televisions, fax machines, international telephone lines and internet connections (wi-fi).

They also act as NATO’s main point of contact for their editorial staff.

How to request permanent accreditation

1. Enter your personal data via internet
   • Go to https://my.hq.nato.int/.
   • Log in with your user name and password.
     (If you do not have either of these, click on "new user" and follow the instructions.)
   • Fill in the sections of the information sheet that pertain to you.
     (In the press pass section, please give the number of the press pass issued by the Belgian authorities – Foreign Affairs or the Interior.)
   • Attach a 3.5 x 4.5 cm digital identity photograph in JPEG format.
     
     
2. Submit an attestation from your editorial staff Please mail or fax an attestation from your senior editor confirming that you are the designated press representative for regular coverage of NATO’s activities.
   
   Mail:
   
   Mr Damien Arnaud
   Public Diplomacy Division/NATO Press Service
   NATO Headquarters, Boulevard Léopold III
   1110 Evere, Belgium
   
   Fax: + 32 2 707 13 99
   
   
3. Please note that the procedure can take several weeks. When you come to the pass office to collect your permanent accreditation pass, you will be asked to provide a copy of your Belgian press pass.