Letters of Invitation
Letters of Invitation (or Visa Letters) now require the requestor to register first, then have access to the Letter of Invitation application. Navigate to the Registration page to complete your registration. Upon registering, every registrant will receive a registration confirmation email. Within the registration confirmation email is a link to complete the Letter of Invitation request form. To apply for a Letter of Invitation, click the link and complete the Letter of Invitation application. Upon completion, you will receive an email with a link to download a PDF Letter of Invitation. Letters of Invitation are non-transferable. Show Management will not edit or update a completed Letter of Invitation.
Important information regarding Visa Invitation Letters:
- The name of the registrant must be an exact match as it appears on their passport. Any differences between the name on your passport and the name on your invitation letter or other documentation could lead to a delay and/or denial of your visa.
- If you are presenting a paper, include the title and session in which the paper will be presented, or if you are exhibiting, please indicate so in your request.
- Please note that each individual requesting an invitation letter must fill out a separate form. All letters will be sent in PDF form to the email address provided.
If you are not a U.S. citizen and plan to attend the OFC, advance planning is crucial.
Citizens of some foreign countries will need a visa to enter the United States and attend OFC. Due to U.S. State Department regulations, U.S. embassies and consulates typically require a face-to-face interview for most non-immigrant visa applications.
Apply for Your Visa Now
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.
Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel. The visa section of the website in the above link is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States.
Schedule Your Interview
There is no required documentation to schedule your face-to-face visa interview; you do not need to be registered, have a hotel reservation, or have a travel itinerary to make an appointment. Show Management strongly suggests that all international travelers schedule face-to-face interviews as soon as possible.
Please note: While travelers should schedule their appointment as soon as possible, the appointment itself should take place after registering for OFC. Visa letters for OFC are available upon completing a registration.
How Can I Use a Visa to Enter the United States?
Having a U.S. visa allows you to travel to a port of entry, airport or land border crossing, and request permission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector to enter the United States. While having a visa does not guarantee entry to the United States, it does indicate a consular officer at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad has determined you are eligible to seek entry for that specific purpose. DHS/CBP inspectors, guardians of the nation’s borders, are responsible for admission of travelers to the United States, for a specified status and period of time. DHS also has responsibility for immigration matters while you are present in the United States.
What Types of Visas Are There?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying. When you apply at a U.S embassy or consulate, a consular officer will determine based on laws, whether you are eligible to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate.
There are two main categories of U.S. visas:
Nonimmigrant visas – For travel to the United States on a temporary basis. Learn more.
Immigrant visas – For travel to live permanently in the United States. Learn more.
ESTA is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Authorization via ESTA does not determine whether a traveler is admissible to the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers determine admissibility upon travelers’ arrival. The ESTA application collects biographic information and answers to VWP eligibility questions. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel, though it is recommended that travelers apply as soon as they begin preparing travel plans or prior to purchasing airline tickets.
However, the following categories of travelers are no longer eligible to travel or be admitted to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, and will need to apply for, and go through the standard Visa application process:
- Nationals of VWP countries who have traveled or been present in Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria on or after March 1, 2011 (with limited exceptions)
- Nationals of VWP countries who are also nationals of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria. (Travelers who are known to fall into the dual national category noted above should have received notice via email on or about January 21, 2016 that their current ESTA is no longer valid).
Please note: OFC Management is not able to contact any Embassies or government institutions in support of an individual attempting to gain entry into a country to attend OFC, including requests for assistance for visas and passports.