All non-US persons wishing to travel to the United States must have a valid visa or be a citizen from a country participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Travel to attend an academic conference is generally done on a B-1 visa (short stay for business purposes). Travel may also be allowed on a B-2 visa (short stay for tourism purposes).
Information on applying for a B-1 visa can be found here and through your local US Embassy website. You may use your abstract acceptance as documentation that you will be attending an academic conference. Please schedule your interview as soon as you have been accepted, as wait times can be long for visa interviews at some embassies.
The key to obtaining a visa to the US is successfully demonstrating ties to your home country that are sufficiently strong that you will return after your stay in the US.
In order to participate in the VWP, you must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to enter the US (you can apply online). You also need a valid E-Passport with embedded security chip in order to participate in the VWP. The following countries participate in the VWP:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Chile
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan*
- United Kingdom**