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| World Congress of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies at Boston University - June 2-5, 2010 Immigration Intructions for Entry to the United States(B-1 "Visitor for Business" or WB "Visa Waiver for Business") Introduction We are pleased to assist you in entering the U.S. in the near future for a visit to Boston University and to attend the World Congress of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (WCBCT). Boston University is a renowned educational and research destination in the U.S., enrolling more than 5,000 international students and hosting over 1,000 international professors, researchers, employees and visitors each year. We hope you will find your upcoming visit to be a rewarding personal and professional experience. The WCBCT will be preparing
an invitation letter to facilitate your entry to the U.S. Please
bear in mind that you will need to take the following steps in order
to apply for a visa (if necessary) and request admission to the
U.S. as a business visitor in either Step 1: Read your invitation letter prepared by WCBCT staff Please read the invitation letter prepared in your name. Make certain your name and date of birth appear correctly on the letter. The name on this letter should exactly match the spelling and order of your full legal name as reflected in your passport. Step 2: Make sure your passport is valid In order to avoid possible problems in applying for a visa or entering the U.S. it is recommended that your passport be valid for at least 6 months beyond your date of entry to the U.S. Step 3: Prepare for admission to U.S. under Visa Waiver Program (if eligible) Citizens of certain countries may be eligible to enter the U.S. for 90 days or less for the purpose of tourism or business without applying for a B-1/B-2 visitor's visa. The Visa Waiver Progams (VWP) currently includes 35 participating countries, as follows: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belguim, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Citizens of countries eligible for Visa Waiver Program participation must (1) possess a biometric passport and (2) register on-line through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before traveling to the U.S. to request admission as WB “Visitor for Business” and (3) meet individual eligibility requirements. Individuals from participating countries who do not meet the requirements for admission under the Visa Waiver Program, or who wish to remain in the U.S. more than 90 days, must apply for a B-1/B-2 visa (see Alternate Step 3 below). Please refer to the US Department of State website for further information on the Visa Waiver Program, including recent additions or changes to the list of participating countries: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#vwp To complete ESTA registration: • Open the website US Customs and Border Protection: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/ • Select “Apply for an Authorization to Travel to the United States ” and complete and submit your ESTA application. • After submiting your ESTA application, you will receive an electronic response with an Application Number. Please record this number for your records. • If you receive preliminary clearance for travel to the U.S. you will receive an electronic Approval of your application. Please print proof of ESTA approval to present upon arrival in the U.S. More detailed information about VWP machine-readable passport and e-Passport requirements can be found at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#mrprequirements Alternate Step 3: Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for a B-1/B-2 Visitor's visa (if required) If you do not qualify for admission to the U.S. under the Visa Wiver Program (see above), you will need to apply for and obtain a B-1/B-2 visa prior to travel to the U.S. (The B-1/B-2 visa is required in order to enter the U.S. as B-1 “Visitor for Business” or B-2 “Visitors for Tourism.”) If you already have an unexpired B-1/B-2 visa stamp in your passport, it is not required to apply for another one. Citizens from countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program may also need to apply for a B-1/B-2 visa if they do not meet the requirements for admission under the Visa Waiver Program, or if they wish to remain in the U.S. longer than 90 days. In order to schedule a visa appointment, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate directly. For a list visa application posts, see: http://usembassy.state.gov/ When applying for the visa, you will need to submit the following documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate: • Nonimmigrant Visa Application (May be Form DS-156 or Form DS-160. See note below.*): http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/forms/forms_1342.html • Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-157*), generally required of all male applicants between the ages of 16 and 45, which can be obtained from the U.S. consulate. • Contact Information and Work History for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant (Form DS-158*), which can be obtained from the U.S. consulate or at http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/79965.pdf Note: This form is not always required. Please check with the consular office where you will apply for your visa. * Note: The new electronic form DS-160 will be introduced to U.S. Embassies and Consulates in phases throughout the calendar year 2010. Once implemented, it will take the place of forms DS-156, DS-157 and DS-158. Most U.S. Embassies and Consulates are expected to be using the electronic DS-160 by April 2010. For information on which forms are being used at the consulate closest to you, please refer to: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/forms/forms_4230.html • Visa application fee – check with the U.S. consulate for the exact fee amount and how it must be paid • One photograph (2 inches square [51 x 51 mm], showing full face, without head covering, against a light background • A passport valid for at least six months after your date of entry to the U.S. • Your invitation letter from Boston University to document the purpose of your visit • Original financial documentation showing your support during your trip to the U.S. • Documents which demonstrate that you intend to return home after this trip (for example: a return plane ticket, proof of employment). Please also refer to the website for the consulate at which you will apply for other documents that may be required: http://usembassy.state.gov/ Step 4: Travel to the U.S. Once you have obtained a B-1/B-2 visa stamp or registered through ESTA for admission through the Visa Waiver Program, you are ready to travel to the U.S. Please be certain to bring your WCBCT invitation letter with you along with your passport, visa and other important documents. During your flight, you will be given a form called Arrival Record/Departure Record (Form I-94). Using a pen, print the information requested on this form, making certain to spell your name exactly as it is spelled in your passport. Step 5: Apply for admission to the U.S. in B-1 “Visitor for Business” or WB “Visa Waiver for Business” Classification Although the B-1/B-2 visa stamp or ESTA registration serves as preliminary clearance for travel to the U.S., you must also request “admission” to the U.S. upon landing. This occurs when you are inspected by a customs and border official from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The ISSO advises visitors to the university to request admission to the U.S. in B-1 “Visitor for Business” or WB “Visa Waiver for Business” category if your principal objective in the U.S. is to attend the WCBCT conference.
Individuals attending the WCBCT conference who need additional time in the U.S. for vacation or other personal reasons, may be granted admission to the U.S. in B-2 “Visitor for Tourism” or WT “Visa Waiver for Tourism” classification. For admission to the U.S. you will need to present: • Passport with valid B-1/B-2 visa or proof of ESTA registration • Completed Form I-94 • Letter of invitation from Boston University It is also recommended that you have the following documents ready to present, should the inspector ask for them: • Round-trip plane ticket showing your dates of travel • Documents showing funding for your time in the U.S.
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