Requests for visas to enter the United States for purposes of attending or presenting at SIGIR 2009 are handled by ACM. The site http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html has information about obtaining a visa for those traveling to the United States. Both sites have links to websites for U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. The embassy and consulate websites have very helpful information about procedures, timelines, communities served, required documentation, and fees. International registrants should be particularly aware and careful about visa requirements, and should plan travel well in advance. All visa inquiries must be handled by ACM headquarters. Please send your request for a letter in support of a visa application to supportletters@acm.org. You must include:
- Your name;
- Your mailing address;
- Your fax number;
- The name of the conference you are attending (i.e., SIGIR 2009); and,
- If you are an author of an accepted paper or poster, please provide the title.
You should receive confirmation in about three business days. If you do not, you can contact Lauren Thompson (thompson.lauren at acm.org) directly. Please use the supportletters address for all other communication. Once the information is sent, ACM expects to issue the letter within a week. Please note that ACM does not issue formal "letters of invitation" to any of its conferences.
If your application process requires contact information of SIGIR, please have them contact:
Brooke Hardy
2 Penn Plaza, suite 701
New York, NY 10121
212-626-0602
