Passport & Visas

Most travelers to the United States must hold a valid visa and a passport that is valid six months beyond the intended visit. Visitors planning to attend a meeting will most likely apply for a B-1 visa. Sponsored visitors, such as students and researchers, will most likely apply for F-1 or J-1 visa. The university’s or sponsor’s international office is their best resource. Pleased be advised that you will want to apply as early as possible for your visa when you are planning a trip to the United States. It is recommended that international travelers apply for their visa as early as 3–4 months prior to their visit.

Please note that many visa applications are being forwarded to the State Department in Washington, DC for review by various federal agencies. Due to the number of visas being processed and the heightened security concerns, this review can take as long as six to eight weeks, or longer, depending upon the applicant’s country of origin. Therefore, we encourage scientists intending to come to the 9th ICEM to apply for their visa AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE and to pay careful attention to U.S. State Department guidance on this matter.

Web sites with information about visas:

• national-academies.org/visas
• www.aau.edu/homeland/JointVisaStatement.pdf