Abstract Submission
Abstract submission for the conference is now open (as of June 4, 2008).
Abstract submission closes at 12:00 midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on January 30, 2009.
All presenters must register for the conference. Registration opens on January 15, 2009.
Abstracts should be not more than 250 words in length. Please read the Guidelines for submitting abstracts on the accompanying page carefully before starting the submission process.
Applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa to attend the 13th International Conference on Surface and Colloid Science: If you need to apply for a temporary non-immigrant visa to attend the conference, you are advised to apply for your visa as soon as possible and not later than 3-4 months in advance of your planned departure. If your country is on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List, you should start the application process at least 6 months in advance of the meeting.
Visa Application Guidelines: As part of new security procedures, visa applications are being sent to the U.S. State Department in Washington, DC, to be thoroughly reviewed and this process can take several months before the consulate in your home country will schedule your interview. Check with your local U.S. consulate or embassy to find out how early you should apply and how long the typical wait time is for a visa application within your home country.
- All applicants must be able to qualify for a visa on their own merits under the requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
- The conference organizers cannot intervene with the U.S. State Department or an American embassy in another country on behalf of any meeting participant.
- Investigate whether your country participates in the Visa Waiver Program to bypass the visa process altogether. Beginning October 26, 2004, ALL citizens of the Visa Waiver Program are required to have Machine-Readable Passports (MRP) in order to travel to the United States without a visa. Without a MRP, you will be required to apply for a visa.
- Beginning September 30, 2004, all foreign visitors (including Visa Waiver Program travelers) will be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival in the U.S.
Additional Advice about Securing an U.S. Visa: The International Visitors Office (IVO) of the National Academies has excellent resources on all visa-related issues for the National Academies, Academy members, and the scientific community. The ACS Office of International Activities has prepared an article titled Coming to the USA to assist every international chemical scientist planning to travel to/from the United States (and any accompanying family members) to be well informed and adequately prepared for the U.S. visa application process.
