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Visa Information

It is imperative that authors and delegates allow sufficient time to obtain visas.

Information on United States visas can be found here and here. It is advisable to begin the application process as early as possible to avoid last minute problems. The time to obtain a visa can vary widely and has taken over three months for some individuals in the past. An interview at a consulate may also be required. Authors who wait until notification of the acceptance of their papers before applying for visas risk not receiving visas in time to present their work.

The US Department of Homeland Security has implementated the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). ESTA is a new fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel to the United States, and VWP travelers are encouraged to apply for authorization as soon as they begin to plan a trip to the United States. ESTA has become mandatory for all travelers from current Visa Waiver Program member countries. Frequently asked questions available here.

Invitation Letters

Conference attendees who require a visa will typically require an invitation letter from the CRYPTO general chair. To expedite the process, please provide as many of the following pieces of information as possible in your request:
  • An up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV) that includes, if applicable, a list of publications.
  • A brief statement explaining your interests in the conference.
  • A list of any recent IACR conferences you have attended.
  • A reference in crypto community who has attended past IACR conferences.
While you do not need to provide all the pieces of information above to get an invitation letter, the more information you provide, the faster the processing, especially in cases where you have not attended many previous IACR events.
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