Visa Information

U.S. Department of State Current Visa Update for Internationals Traveling Individually

U.S. Department of State Special Notice on Current Visa Processing Situation.

In planning for NPE 2003, international visitors should allow at least four months to obtain visas for entry into the United States. When applying for a U.S. Visa it is imperative to be specific about your business agenda, providing a complete itinerary of meetings and locations while in the United States. Download the U.S. Visa Application Form (Form DS-0156) (PDF). You may also wish to include a Letter of Invitation from SPI to supplement your U.S. Visa application. Official Letters of Invitation can be requested when you register and sent within several weeks.

To qualify for a U.S. Visa, applications must show the following:

·	Purpose of trip is to enter the U.S. for business, pleasure or medical treatment;
·	Plan to remain for a specific, limited period; and
·	Have a residence outside the U.S. as well as other binding ties which will ensure return abroad at the end of the visit.

U.S. State Department Visa Waiver Program
Visitors from qualified countries, coming to the United States for business or tourism for 90 days or less, may be eligible to enter the United States without a visa.

Currently, twenty-eight countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program:
Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

For more information on obtaining a visitor U.S. Visa to attend NPE 2003, please contact the Consulate Section of the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or visit the Visa Services Web site of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, United States Department of State.