united states visa requirements – attendee information

Due to new rules regarding the entrance of international visitors into the United States, it is important that you understand the following:

If you require a visa to enter the United States and would like to receive an invitation letter from the International Home & Housewares Show to assist in this process, please follow the steps below:

1. Register to attend the Show by selecting, “Register for Badges” found in the navigation menu at left.
2. At the end of the registration process, select the "Visa Invitation Letter Request" link and complete the brief online request form. This link will also appear in your badge registration confirmation email after you register.
3. A personalized invitation letter will then be automatically sent to the e-mail address supplied.

If you do not require a visa and plan to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Program* (VWP), please note the following:

Starting October 1, 2004, travelers entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program must have a machine-readable passport. A machine-readable passport contains bar coded biographical information on the individual. The bar code allows U.S. immigration inspectors to “swipe” the passport through a reader and have the information automatically appear on their computer screen.

NOTE: Any traveler without a machine-readable passport will be required to obtain a visa before coming to the United States.

In addition, depending on when VWP travelers’ passports were issued, other passport requirements will apply:

    Machine-readable passports issued before 10/26/05 – no further requirements

    Machine-readable passports issued between 10/26/05 and 10/25/06 – require digital photograph printed on the data page or integrated chip with information from the data page (e-passport)

    Machine-readable passports issued on or after 10/26/06 – require integrated chip with information from the data page (e-passport)

If a traveler cannot meet the requirements explained above, he/she cannot travel without a visa on VWP and must obtain a visa for entry into the United States.

*As of September 2005, the 27 Visa Waiver Program countries are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Additional information about United States Visa Requirements can be found on the US Department of State website at:
http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/