International Attendees
We welcome attendees from all over the world. Here’s some information to help you research any visa and travel requirements.
66th Annual Drosophila Research Conference
66th Annual Drosophila Research Conference
We welcome attendees from all over the world. Here’s some information to help you research any visa and travel requirements.
If you are traveling to the U.S. from another country, you will need a passport and should verify whether you will also need to apply for a visa. If so, you should apply as early as possible—at least six months before your intended arrival. If you need a visa, we strongly encourage you to register as soon as possible for the conference to receive your letter of invitation, which is helpful and even required for some visa applications.
Citizens of certain countries do not need to apply for a visa to travel to the U.S. These are known as Visa Waiver Program countries.
All visitors traveling to the U.S. (including from Visa Waiver Program countries) must register their details online at least three days in advance of travel. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is a free, automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States. It collects the same information as the paper I-94W form you usually complete when traveling to the U.S. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel, provided it is three days in advance of travel. An ESTA authorization generally will be valid for up to two years. DHS recommends that travelers submit an ESTA application as soon as they begin travel plans.
If you are NOT eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program, please visit the US State Department website for up-to-date information on applying for a U.S. visa, visa categories, wait times, and FAQs.
Visa questions should be directed to the National Academies International Visitors Office: visas@nas.edu.
Letters of invitation are available to those who submitted an abstract or registered for the conference. A link to your letter of invitation is located in your abstract submission portal.
If you need a letter of invitation for visa purposes indicating that your abstract will be programmed before the author notification date of January 13, 2025, please email gsaconferences@genetics-gsa.org with “VISA Request” in the subject line.
If you registered but did not submit an abstract, please contact gsaconferences@genetics-gsa.org for your letter of invitation.
For security purposes, letters of invitation can only be sent to individuals that have registered or submitted an abstract for the meeting.