What is the Visa Request process for IEEE Conferences?

There are many different requirements to obtain a Visa to enter the U.S. or other countries. Some embassies may request a conference attendee to present a letter from the IEEE Conference to verify their intentions to attend that specific conference. It may also be necessary to verify that the requester has paid the registration fee in full.

Visa applications are currently subject to a greater degree of scrutiny than in the past. Many applicants may be required to appear in person for an interview as a part of the visa process. Applicants affected by these procedures are informed of the need for additional screening at the time they submit their application and are being advised to expect delays. Therefore, attendees should be advised to apply no later than 3 months prior to the conference.

IEEE’s guidelines for providing visa letters are as follows:

• Visa letters should only be issued to
  • People the committee knows
  • Speakers/Presenters
  • Committee members
  • Attendees who have paid their registration fee in full and are not from one of the countries embargoed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
• Visa letters should state only the facts
  • Conference title, dates and location
  • That the requester has paid the required registration fee in full
    • Verify that the credit card clears before providing letter
  • If they are either a committee member, speaker or presenter

Additional information can be found on the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Visa Services Web Site - http://travel.state.gov/visa/index.html

To simplify the request process for the attendees and organizers you may want to post a request for visa letters on your conference website near the web registration form.