An international conference on

Rebuilding sustainable communities in Iraq: policies, programs and projects

July 23-26, 2007

College of Public and Community Service
University of Massachusetts at Boston

Visas & Passports

There have been a number of inquires received regarding visas for attending the upcoming conference, Rebuilding Sustainable Communities in Iraq, to be held in Boston, Massachusetts, USA in July 2007. This information is being sent to all participants and interested parties for your information.

Visas

Many international participants of the Rebuilding Sustainable Communities in Iraq conference will require visas to enter the United States. We recommend that you begin the process of applying for a U.S. visa as soon as possible. Iraqi Nationals may apply for visas at the following locations: the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, the U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca, Morocco, the U.S. Consulate General in Ankara, Turkey and the U.S. Consulate General in Cairo, Egypt. Individuals from other countries who require a U.S. visa should apply at an embassy or consulate closest to where you live. Information on obtaining visas may be found here: http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/obtainingvisa/index.html.

Should you require a formal letter of invitation in order to apply for a visa or to attend the conference, one will be sent to you after your paper has been accepted and your conference registration fee has been paid.

Please note that the invitation letter does not imply that RSCI conference will be able to financially support your attendance and that our conference organizers do not have influence to gain approval or rush the process for visa applications.

Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

Citizens of 27 countries do not need a U.S. visa for business or tourism visits of less than 90 days. However, if you will be receiving any compensation for your services or activities (i.e. lectures, presentations, etc.), you may need to apply for a visa. Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate: http://usembassy.state.gov/ for more information.

In order to enter to the United States without a visa, VWP travelers must meet these passport requirements by the following deadlines:

• June 26, 2005, all VWP travelers must have a machine-readable passport;
• October 26, 2005, all new passports issued by VWP countries must include a digital photo;
• October 26, 2006, all new passports issued by VWP countries must be e-Passports (includes a computer chip that stores biographic and biometric data).