Upon registration and payment, you can request an invitation letter
through the CMT
Paper Management System. Please print this invitation letter
as this will serve as your official letter to present when applying for
a visa.
Please allow yourself plenty of time to get through airport security and
customs when visiting Puerto Rico. The suggested time for international
travelers to complete customs inspections is at least 2 hours.
The following information is provided to aid you in applying for
appropriate documents for travel to the United States.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
•http://www.nationalacademies.org/visas
U.S. Department of State
•http://www.dhs.gov/us-visit
•http://www.travel.state.gov
It is recommended that you visit your country’s government-sponsored web
site which provides updated passport information with specific regard to
travel to the U.S.
Persons planning to attend the 2016 Construction Research Conference
should begin visa and passport applications or upgrading at least three
to four months ahead of the conference date. Individual travelers who
require special clearance or special administrative processing may need
to make an earlier request for travel documents. Some consulates may
have backlogs in scheduling visa interviews so applicants should first
contact the consulate to find out how long the wait is for an interview.
Visa wait times are available at http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/wait-times.html
It is important to note the expiration date of your current passport, as
a renewal may require additional passport features that may take extra
time to process. Even if your passport was issued by a Visa Waiver
Program (VWP) country, you may still need to obtain a visa as the visa
may override a passport that does not meet new or newly enforced U.S.
government security requirements.
To be sure that you are in compliance, research travel document
requirements with the passport issuing authority in your country well in
advance of planning your travel to the conference.
The process for applying for a visa is outlined in this step-by-step guide "Obtaining a US Visa" provided by the U.S. Department of State. The process for foreign nationals entering the U.S. to attend a meeting or conference has grown longer, more involved, and more restrictive. The process will certainly require paying a fee and undergoing a background check and may take several months to process, so please plan ahead. Upon registration and payment, you can request an invitation letter through the CMT Paper Management System. Please print this invitation letter as this will serve as your official letter to present when applying for a visa.
