Terms
and Conditions of Volunteering with the "New Choice" Mongolian
Volunteer Organization
Please read our terms and conditions carefully as they are provided for
your protection as well as ours. We set out in these terms and conditions
the terms on which you contract with us and our mutual obligations.
Where the volunteer is under 16 years of age, this form must be signed
by both the individual and their parent or legal guardian.
These terms and conditions shall apply to all volunteer placements made
with the New Choice, save where they are specifically varied in writing
by the New Choice, up to the date of written confirmation of your volunteer
placement.
Placement
Costs
Volunteers directly volunteering with New Choice for will need to pay
a program fee of US$495-1950. The programme fee covers only for accommodation
and food fees. Also it is covers the fee of airport pick-up and take to
the airport.
Volunteers joining New Choice programs from an introducer/partner organization
are required to adhere to the fee policies of the relevant organizations.
As a non-profit organization, the New Choice does not receive any government
or private funding for our operations. All placement costs, which Volunteers
pay, are used solely to cover administrative and development costs, as
well as individual volunteer program expenses. Our organization strives
to keep the costs of our programs to an absolute minimum.
Depending upon each individual program, certain placements may require
a special contribution for accommodation, food, or living condition arrangements.
The additional money is collected by New Choice on behalf of the host
organization or associate partner who the volunteer is working for.
The relevant placement costs are outlined to volunteers in a description
of suggested programs presented after registering with the New Choice.
Accommodation
Depending on the program, accommodation whilst in Mongolia could either be at the volunteer's own expense or provided at no extra charge. Volunteers are advised to check with the relevant introducer / partner organizations. Arrangements for accommodation will be made by the New Choice. Depending on preference and budget, it may be one of the following:
• One room sharing the bathroom, toilet, and kitchen with a Mongolian family
• Youth hostel or student dormitory
Food
Volunteers are responsible for all food-related expenses incurred during
the placement. If Volunteers are participating in a work camp, they are
expected to contribute, either in kind or in monetary terms.
If you are vegetarian, eating without some problems will be not easy for
you because Mongolian people always eat with meat. So you should mention
that you do not eat meat beforehand.
Travel Expenses Within Mongolia
Volunteers are responsible for internal traveling costs during their volunteer
program (i.e., taxis, buses, trolleybuses, private cars), including traveling
expenses for any personal tours or vacations taken during their stay in
Mongolia. Excluded are those costs necessary for project activities.
Travel
expenses to and from Mongolia and Airport Pick-up
Flying is the main form of transport into Mongolia. Most people fly into
Ulaanbaatar from Beijing, Berlin, Moscow, Osaka, or Seoul on MIAT (Mongolian
Airlines), Air China, Korean Air, or Aeroflot. The only other way to enter
and leave Mongolia is on the Trans-Mongolian Railway linking Beijing and
Moscow.
Volunteers are responsible for flight and travel costs to and from Mongolia (typically in/out of Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia). New Choice will provide airport transportation (arrival/departure) for Volunteers. To facilitate this, Volunteers are requested to provide us with his/her flight information within 14 days of intended arrival.
In some circumstances for reasons beyond our control it may not be possible for Volunteers to be collected from the airport. If our representative has not arrived to collect the Volunteer from the airport within four hours of the time the Volunteer was due to be collected it is the Volunteer's responsibility to arrange his/her own transport to your accommodation. In such circumstances we will refund the reasonable travel costs incurred in traveling to the location of accommodation.
Other
Expenses
Volunteers are responsible for all personal expenses incurred during their
Volunteer programme. Volunteers should ensure that they bring sufficient
funds for general spending money (i.e., snack foods and souvenirs) as
well as reserve funds in cases of emergency.
Health
and Travel Insurance
It is strongly suggested that volunteers purchase adequate travel insurance
covering at least illness; accidents; medical costs; emergency evacuation
in event of accident and illness; legal liability; lost baggage; cancelled
flights; kidnapping; liability arising due to personal injury to volunteer
or a third party; cancellation of volunteer's placement due to reasons
beyond our control.
Please provide us with a copy of certificate of insurance at least 14 days before arrival. We accept no responsibility for the extent of such cover.
Visas
and Travel Documents
It is the Volunteer's responsibility to ensure that he/she has a valid
passport that will remain valid for the duration of the placement and
the necessary visas.
Entry and exit visas are required of all non-Mongolian citizens, although due to bilateral agreements made with some countries, this is not always the case (please check the Mongolian Embassy or Consulate nearest to you). Please note that it is possible to buy visas at Mongolian borders at the airport upon arrival-but visas should be obtained in advance. Currently, a 30-day tourist visa can be obtained from the Visa and Passport Division of the Ministry of External Relations in Ulaanbaatar, or at any Mongolian Embassy, Consulate, Consulate-general, Honorary Consulates, or Trade and Permanent Mission abroad.
Visas for
longer than 30 days require a letter of invitation or sponsorship from
a Mongolian company, organization, and resident or organized tour company.
A valid passport, a completed application form, and one passport-size
photograph must accompany all visa applications. New Choice will provide
a letter of invitation for all Volunteers after a work program has been
confirmed.
Please note that Volunteers who are coming for more than one month should
get a visa for full 3 months. A visa extension will be much more expensive
in Mongolia (approximately US$ 80 for each month) and will take a long
time to process.
In addition, all Volunteers must register at the Civil Registration and Information Department of the Mongolian Police Department 7 days after arrival and check out of the registry upon departure for a small fee. Registration requires a valid passport and one passport-size photo. New Choice will process registrations for all Volunteers, although Volunteers are responsible for supplying the registration fee and photograph.
Cancellation
Policy
In order to maximize the value of our programs to our participants, "New
Choice" Mongolian Volunteer Organization makes financial commitments
on your behalf prior to the program start date. In order to maximize the
value of our programs to our participants, New Choice makes financial
commitments on your behalf prior to the program start date. Accordingly,
we have instituted this limited refund policy for which we can make no
exceptions. All cancellations must be signed and sent in writing via fax
or mail. Phone calls and emails are not acceptable. No refunds will be
made other than those specified below:
• The $350 registration fee is non-refundable.
• If a participant withdraws after the payment due date, but prior to the actual start date of the program, the New Choice refund policy is as follows:
• If the participant withdraws 8 or more weeks prior to the program start date, New Choice will retain 50% of the program fees and refund the rest.
• If the participant withdraws 6 weeks prior to the program start date, New Choice will retain 80% of the program fees and refund the rest.
• If the participant withdraws 4 weeks prior to the program start date, New Choice can’t refund the rest.
Security and Safety
Ultimately, while New Choice strives to take preventive care, personal
safety is the responsibility of each individual volunteer.
Prior to entering Mongolia, it is the volunteer's responsibility to clarify information relating to country security with his/her own embassy. On arrival in Mongolia, New Choice is making it a mandatory policy for volunteers to register at their respective embassy, where there is one, in Ulaanbaatar.
The New Choice will also provide safety warnings and advise the volunteer on precautionary measures. Volunteers are also encouraged to keep the New Choice informed of their movements, e.g. when taking trips or outings beyond normal scope of volunteer activities.
Duration
of Placement
This contract will begin on the date of volunteer's first day of placement
and will expire on the agreed placement period, subject to cancellation
or termination. This term does not include independent travel outside
of placement obligations before, during or after the placement.