IASSIST Conference 2004: For International Attendees

To the international attendees of IASSIST 2004, we say not only, "Welcome to Madison!" but also, "Welcome to the United States of America!"

As you are probably aware, security precautions for travel to the US have been substantially tightened in the months since September 11, 2001.

There is still a program in place called the Visa Waiver Program that allows eligible travellers from 27 countries to enter the US without a visa. Travellers from four of those countries are required to have a machine-readable passport to be eligible. Citizens of Canada may also enter the US without a visa, as they are exempt from the visa and passport requirement of Immigration and Nationality Act section 212(a)(7). However, see the following web sites for required documention.

Visa Waiver Program Information:

Documentary Requirements Travelling from Canada or Mexico:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/leavingarrivinginUS/how_do_i/ documentary_requirements.xml

All other international attendees will be required to obtain a non-immigrant visa for business (B-1) or pleasure (B-2). To apply for either kind of visa at a US consulate in your home country, there are generally several requirements:
a) a letter of invitation;
b) a round-trip air ticket;
c) evidence of finite plans, like hotel reservations;
d) some evidence of a continuing domicile in one's home country.

More Information about Visa Services for Travel to the US:

DPLS will be happy to provide a letter of invitation upon request. Inquiries should be sent to:

Cindy Severt, IASSIST 2004
Local Arrangements Chair
1180 Observatory Dr.
Room 3308 Social Science Bldg.
Madison, WI 53706 USA
cdsevert@wisc.edu
608-262-0750

Currency and Currency Exchange for International Visitors

Since Madison is not particularly near an international border and does not have an international airport, currency exchange is not an easy service to obtain in Madison. International visitors should plan to either exchange currency before travelling, or at the international airport before connecting to Madison.

One downtown bank that offers currency exchange services is US Bank Madison, at 1 S. Pinckney on the Capital Square (608-252-4000). Those who are not regular customers of US Bank Madison must use cash, and a service fee is charged.

Another option is Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs), which take most major credit cards, but not all, and the fees may be high. There are ATMs in Memorial Union and at various locations along State Street.

For the latest exchange rates, check out the universal currency converter web site at http://www.xe.com/ucc/.

Sales Tax

Those who shop in Madison will note that for purchases other than groceries, there is a sales tax of 5.5%. There is also a hotel tax that you may discover when you settle accounts for your accommodation. These are both a different flavor of tax than the Value Added Tax encountered, for example, in Canada at last year's conference, and may NOT be reclaimed upon leaving the US.

IASSIST Outreach Committee

The IASSIST Outreach Committee has completed this year's funding process for data professionals from emerging economies to attend IASSIST 2004. More information about the Outreach Committee's work appears online at http://www.iassist.ucdavis.edu/.