International Attendee Information

Environmental Connection, IECA's annual conference and expo, is a gathering place for industry professionals. Over 25 countries were represented at EC11 in Orlando.

We know that today's visa and travel restrictions can make international travel more challenging. We hope the following information will be helpful to ensure a safe and pleasurable trip to the US.

Obtaining a Travel Visa

Most conference attendees from outside the US will find that they should apply for a B-1 visitors visa in addition to the nonimmigrant visa. This type of visa may be used for a variety of business related activies including attending a scientific or professional conference or seminar or giving a lecture.

People using this type of visa may not, in general, receive salaries or money from US sources. If you will receive payment for your services while in the US, please contact your local embassy to find out which temporary visa will suit your needs.

Visa Waiver Program (VWP) - Enables nationals of 27 participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. To see if you are eligible for this program, please read more about the Visa Waiver Program.

Where to apply

You must apply for your visa at your local US Embassy or Consulate. To locate the nearest US Embassy or Consulate visit http://usembassy.state.gov/.

When to apply

The wait for an interview can be many weeks in some countries. Make your appointment as early as possible to allow for any delays that may arise. Since September 11, 2001, visa applications are subject to a greater degree of scrutiny and some applications do require additional security checks.

Note: This information is not intended to be a complete resource. For more information about obtaining a travel visa, please visit the US Department of State's web site at http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/business.html.

Invitation Letters

To assist you with obtaining a travel visa, IECA will issue you a letter of invitation that you may present at your interview. The letter will give IECA background information and state the purpose of the conference.

To obtain a letter of invitation you must first register for EC12 and pay your fees in full. No letters will be issued without a paid conference registration.

After you have registered for the conference, send a request to service@ieca.org. You will be emailed a .pdf of the invitation letter on IECA letterhead.