Getting to the USA
Citizens of Canada and Bermuda can travel to the US without a visa.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of 37 countries to travel to the US without a visa for 90 days. You must however obtain authorization from ESTA prior to boarding. ESTA is the automated web-based system to determine eligibility of to travel to the US without a visa.
All other visitors to the US require a non-immigrant visa. For more information please visit the US Visas page from the Department of State.
Visa Support Letters
If required, a support letter for obtaining a visa to attend ISSTA, SPIN, or another collocated satellite event can be requested from the ACM.
The ACM does not issue formal invitation letters for visas to attend ISSTA or SPIN, but can issue a visa support letter. After registering, once payment is processed you will receive a confirmation e-mail. You can then send your request of a visa support letter to the ACM Office of SIG Services via e-mail to supportletters@acm.org with the following information:
- Proof of registration (the attachment from the registration confirmation e-mail).
- Your name as it appears on your passport.
- Your current postal mailing address.
- The name of the conference you wish to attend (ISSTA, specifying SPIN as collocated event).
- If you have a paper accepted to SPIN, provide the title and indicate if you are ‘sole’ or ‘co-’ author.
Visa support letters are issued via e-mail, and the original is mailed to your postal address.
See the ACM Visa Support Letters page for updates to this policy.
Information to Authors Who May be Affected by US Travel Restrictions
Authors who are affected by a travel ban to the USA will be accommodated by SPIN organizers via alternative means of presentation. Note, however, that the travel ban has currently been voided by the courts.
See also: ACM statement on the US travel ban.