Do you need a visa?
Attendees from many countries will be eligible for the Visa Waiver Program.Visiting under VWP
To take advantage of VWP, you need to register with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before your trip.ESTA is free. US Customs and Border Protection says that third parties who charge money for a related "service" are not capable of expediting approval. The link shown above takes you directly to the official US Government site, which explains the process and allows you to enroll online for free if you are from a Visa Waiver Program country.
In general you will need a "machine readable" passport in order to visit the US without a visa. Most countries have been issuing them for the last several years. Here is the US Department of Homeland Security's illustrated guide to the eligible generations of passports and when they came into use.
Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda
The US has special arrangements with adjoining nations and Bermuda.- Most Canadian citizens will not need a visa; they may enter the US using their passport, along with their Conference Registration Notice. (A passport is not the only acceptable document for Canadian citizens but we recommend it as the surest and smoothest means of entry and return.) Please request, at the port of entry, status as a Visitor for Business (B-1).
- Mexican citizens would usually apply for a Border Crossing Card, commonly known as a "laser visa," along with their passport and Conference Registration Notice. Please request, at the port of entry, status as a Visitor for Business (B-1).
How do you get a visa?
Citizens of countries not participating in the Visa Waiver Program will need to request a Business (B-1) visa at the nearest U.S. Consulate. Call them them to set up an appointment. When you go to the Consulate, take a copy of your Conference Registration Notice, along with your valid passport. We urge you to apply as soon as you can, because the process can take time.Usually you would apply for a B-1 visa as a nonsponsored attendee of an international scientific workshop, or a B-2 visa for tourism.
The Travel site at the U.S. Department of State is the official source for information on visas and everything else you should know about visiting the US. Be sure to apply early!
Visa Letters and Other Helpful Documentation
If you are giving a talk or poster, you may find that your acceptance notice will suffice as a visa letter. Additionally, we will send official visa letters, upon request, to those who have registered. If non-presenting co-authors of your paper wish to attend (remember, only submitting and presenting authors get an acceptance letter), they too may desire a visa letter. These letters do not imply financial support by the Workshop.Copies of your itinerary, a printout of registration for the Workshop, evidence of your stature as a scholar (such as your curriculum vitae, including publications list), and evidence of your binding ties to your home country are also known to be helpful in obtaining a visa. Apply as soon as you can.
Further helpful advice may be found on the National Academies website.
If you need an official letter from us as part of your visa application, please email us at MHCondon@lbl.gov.
 | The meeting organizers gratefully acknowledge the support of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which in turn is supported principally by the Office of Science of the US Department of Energy. |  |