Information about Visa Applications

ALAW Invitation Letter Request Form

All foreign participants must apply for their visas as early as possible--we are recommending at least 3 months before the meeting. However, some consulates may have backlogs in scheduling visa interviews so they should first contact the consulate to find out how long the wait is for an interview.
http://www.nationalacademies.org/visas

Some foreign participants may not need visas if they are citizens of any of the countries on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). However, after October 26, 2006, all citizens of VWP countries must have a Machine-Readable Passport (MRP) in order to travel to the United States without a visa. If they do not have an MRP, they will need to apply for a visa. For further information on the Visa Waiver Program and for the list of countries see:

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html

In addition, all foreign visitors (including Visa Waiver Program travelers starting September 29, 2006) will be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival in the United States.