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Foreign Scientists Traveling to the United States
Please read all information below for important information and important web links
As part of security procedures, many applications for visas are sent to the State Department for a security review. The Website for the State Department is http://travel.state.gov/visa. We advise scientists traveling to the United States to apply for a visa as early as possible (at least three months before visa is needed). Please check with your local U.S. consulate or embassy to find out the earliest that you may apply by visiting http://usembassy.state.gov. Because of the number of visas being processed and the need to be thorough with the reviews, this can take as long 8 weeks, especially for those countries that are on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List. Attendees from these countries should start the application process at least 6 months in advance of the meeting. Some foreign participants may not need visas if they are citizens of any of the countries on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). For the list of countries, please visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html. ALL citizens of the Visa Waiver Program are required to have Machine-Readable Passports (MRP) in order to travel to the United States without a visa. Without a MRP, you will be required to apply for a visa. For more information on passport requirements see the Department of Homeland Security website. All foreign visitors (including Visa Waiver Program travelers) will be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival in the United States. For more information see the US-VISIT program website.
To assist you with the Visa application process:
- Ask for a letter of invitation to attend at least four (4) months prior to the meeting (see below for further information).
- Apply for visa at least three (3) months in advance. For countries that are on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List, the State Department suggests applying for a visa six (6) to eight (8) months in advance.
- Provide your entire trip itinerary, including travel to any countries other than the United States, at the time of visa application.
- If completion of travel plans is contingent upon early approval of the visa application, specify this at the time of the application.
- Provide proof of scientific status.
- Provide meeting brochure and letter of invitation.
- Provide evidence that you are intending to return to your country of residence. This includes such things as:
- family ties in current country of residence
- property ownership
- bank account
- an employment contract or statement from employer showing that position will continue after the dates of the meeting
- Requirements vary by passport-issuing country and citizenship (not merely residency).
VISA Problems
For applications waiting more than 30 days after their interview to receive notification, you can complete an on-line questionnaire for assistance. The questionnaire can be found by clicking here.
Requests for Letters of Invitation
For security purposes, letters of invitation can only be sent to individuals who have registered for the meeting. Please contact The Protein Society Symposium Management Office to request a letter of invitation: leftwich@faseb.org. For questions regarding this policy, please contact protein@faseb.org
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