Conference participants should familiarize themselves with visa requirements well in advance of the conferences. The 2013 Cryogenic Engineering Conference & International Cryogenic Materials Conference (CEC/ICMC 2013) organizers encourage you to apply for your visa as early as possible, at least 3 to 4 months prior to this conference.
Some consulates may have backlogs in scheduling visa interviews so applicants should first contact the consulate to find out how long the wait is for an interview. Visa wait times are available at: http://travel.his.com/visa/temp/wait/wait_4638.html.
CEC/ICMC 2013 CANNOT INTERVENE with U.S. Embassies abroad or the State Department in Anchorage, Alaska, on behalf of any participant. However, if you need a personal letter of invitation to attend the Conference, please contact Centennial Conferences (email: pubs-cecicmc@centennialconferences.com or fax: (001) 303-499-2599) and provide the following information:
Full Name
Complete Mailing Address
Valid Email Address
Phone and Fax Number
Your letter will be EMAILED TO YOU. A hard copy will be faxed and mailed to you via regular airmail only if requested. Any fees for sending letters via express mail must be paid for by the requester.
PASSPORTS & VISAS
The U.S. State Department allows Canadian citizens to enter the United States without visas; they will need to show passports and proof of residence, however.
The most common way of visiting the U.S. without a visa is through the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The 36 participating VWP countries can be found online at http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html.
Citizens of all other countries not participating in the Visa Waiver Program must have (1) a valid passport that expires at least 6 months later than the scheduled end of their visit to the United States, and (2) a tourist visa, which may be obtained from any U.S. consulate. A charge may apply. For more information about travel requiring Visas, please click here for the U.S. Department of State website.
For an up-to-date, country-by-country listing of passport requirements around the world, go to the “Foreign Entry Requirement” website of the U.S. State Department at http://travel.state.gov. International visitors can obtain a visa application at the same website.
IMPORTANT WEBSITES
- What to expect when visiting the U.S.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Electronic System for Travel Authorization
- U.S. Visa Policies
- US Embassies
- Temporary Visitors to U.S.
- Business Visa Center
- http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/usv.shtm
- Visa Guidelines
- State Department Visa Site
- International Visitors Office
US-VISIT
These notes presume that non-U.S. citizens/residents traveling to the U.S. for attendance at the CEC/ICMC 2013 do so for this reason only. The guidance offered may not be appropriate for plans, which include visits to other institutions, vacations or other objectives.
INTERVIEW PREPARATION
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Applicants should be able to answer specific and detailed questions related to their purpose of travel, business dealings with the inviter, and their general business relations (as appropriate, depending on their job responsibilities).
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Applicants should be able to provide complete travel itineraries and (if appropriate) training schedules.
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Applicants who claim to have existing relationships with their inviters, or other U.S. entities, should provide clear proof of these relationships, for instance through purchase orders, correspondence, etc.
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Applicants should be able to explain how the applicant’s visit will be funded.
NOTE: Proof of purchase of an airline ticket is not an item requested by the embassy to document your itinerary for your trip. No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore, final travel plans or the purchase of non-refundable ticket should not be made until a visa has been issued and you are in receipt of the passport.
PROBLEMS?
Any problems encountered in visa applications or in the admission process should be reported to the International Visitors Office by completing the questionnaire on their website. To help the Int’l Visitors Office to identify you as a participant, please be sure to include the name of our meeting (2013 Cryogenic Engineering Conference & International Cryogenic Materials Conference (CEC/ICMC 2013) in the “Purpose of Visit” field on the questionnaire. The International Visitors Office can inquire at the Department of State about the status of visa applications that have been pending for more than 21 days. Additional information can be found here.
DISCLAIMER
Please note that this information is given in good faith but that the regulations may change and the only authoritative sources of information are the U.S. Government websites.
