Meeting Organizers

Plan Ahead!

If you are organizing an international physics meeting in the United States, you will need to plan ahead to ensure the attendance of international participants. Non-US citizens need to apply for their visas at least three to four months in advance. Thus, organizers should send invitation letters to these participants as early as possible.

Register Meetings with the U.S. Department of State
The International Visitors Office (IVO) encourages conference organizers to register their meeting online.
IVO Meeting Organizer Resources

Provide Personalized Letters of Invitation
Applicants may submit a letter of invitation when applying for a visa.
Tips on Letters of Invitation from IVO

Free Circulation & Travel of Scientists

IUPAP-Sponsored Meetings
For meetings sponsored by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), organizers must:

• Implement IUPAP Policy on the Free Circulation of Scientists 
• Adhere to the International Council for Science’s (ICSU) resolutions on the free circulation of scientists as stated in ICSU’s Principle of the Universality of Science

APS Commitment to Free Circulation and Travel of Scientists
The APS statement on Free Circulation at IUPAP-Sponsored Meetings (APS Statement 92.2b) advises organizers of all international meetings held in the United States to conduct their meetings in accordance with IUPAP-ICSU guidelines. Organizers are encouraged to include a statement to this effect in their meeting announcements.