Preparing to Attend the 16th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference
To register for the conference, it is vitally important that you plan your travel, reserve your hotel room, and obtain program information. Visit the other sections of this website to review conference requirements and details. To save money and ensure you receive proper accommodations, we strongly recommend that you complete your hotel reservations and register for the conference before the stated deadlines.
International Registrants
The 16th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference will be open to all who are interested, pay the appropriate registration fees, and otherwise conform to all ACS Bylaws for its meetings. Personal letters of invitation are not necessary to attend this conference; however, they are available upon request to those that may need them. NOTE: If a hardcopy letter of invitation is needed, you are responsible for all mail/delivery costs. Contact the ACS Green Chemistry Institute® for additional information.
The ACS Green Chemistry Institute® does not provide financial support to conference participants. Requests for financial assistance will not be honored. All registration fees, airfares, ground transportation, hotel, meals, travel insurance, and any other expenses are the sole responsibility of each conference attendee.
All attendees, including speakers and poster presenters, are REQUIRED to register for the conference to allow them to participate in the technical sessions and/or attend the exposition. Attendees must display their conference badge at all times to be admitted to all official conference sessions and events.
For additional resources and about ACS worldwide initiatives, visit International Activities or email intlacts@acs.org.
Applying for a Visa to the United States
For information on applying for a visa, visit:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1304.html.
ACS GCI recommends that you start this process six months before the conference but not later than three months before the conference. If you are planning on submitting an abstract you will not be notified of its acceptance until late March which does not allow enough time to obtain a visa before the conference. For more information, visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/wait_4638.html.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS FROM VISA WAIVER PROGRAM COUNTRIES
Inbound travelers to the United States from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries may be denied boarding by the airlines if they haven't complied with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Electronic System for Travel Authorization program. ESTA, introduced in January 2009, requires all international travelers from VWP countries to register in an online database. Previously, international travelers had to fill out an I-94W form before each trip, but ESTA seeks to streamline and update the process. Now, international travelers to the United States must go to the ESTA Web site and fill out an application before entering the country by air or sea. If approved, the authorization is good for two years and can be renewed. Travelers no longer have to fill out an I-94W form before each trip. U.S. officials say ESTA will speed up the process for travelers, enable customs officials to screen passengers in advance, and improve security. For more information about the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html.
Requesting a Letter of Invitation
If you submitted an abstract that was accepted for a presentation, you can obtain a letter of invitation through the online abstract submission system (PACS).
If you are not submitting an abstract but require a letter of invitation for visa purposes, send us your request via e-mail to greenchem2012@acs.org with subject "Request for Letter of Invitation". You must provide your full legal name, institution/business with complete address, and date of birth. A letter of invitation will be sent to you via email. If you need a hardcopy letter (and printing the letter sent to you via email will not suffice), we will invoice you for applicable international mailing costs. Once your payment is received, the letter will be forwarded to you.
IMPORTANT: All applicants must be able to qualify for a visa on their own merits under the requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The American Chemical Society cannot intervene with the U.S. State Department or an American embassy in another country on behalf of any meeting participant. We are unable to call or generate personal letters to the embassy or consulate on your behalf. A separate, personalized letter can be generated for meeting presenters through the Program and Abstract Creation System (PACS) verifying that a scientific paper has been accepted for presentation at the national meeting.
