Travel

Travel to the United States

North American Young Generation in Nuclear expects many international young professionals to attend IYNC2012 in Charlotte, N.C. This guide is a quick reference to help prospective attendees determine if they will need a visa to attend the conference.

 A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States (U.S.) generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler's passport. Certain international travelers may be eligible to enter to the U.S. without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel.

Visa requirements are subject to change. Travelers should check the U.S. State Department website that explains the visa application process.

Individuals Not Needing a U.S. Visa

U.S. visa policy permits citizens of certain countries to travel to the U.S. without a visa, when they meet certain requirements. The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of 36 participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. The following 36 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program.

Andorra	Hungary	New Zealand
Australia	Iceland	Norway
Austria	Ireland	Portugal
Belgium	Italy	San Marino
Brunei	Japan	Singapore
Czech Republic	Latvia	Slovakia
Denmark	Liechtenstein	Slovenia
Estonia	Lithuania	South Korea
Finland	Luxembourg	Spain
France	Malta	Sweden
Germany	Monaco	Switzerland
Greece	the Netherlands	United Kingdom

 

Citizens of these countries should not need to obtain a U.S. visa provided that they have a valid passport and have received an authorization to travel under the VWP through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization

Individuals Needing a U.S. Visa

Any individual traveling from a country not a part of the VWP will need to obtain a U.S. visa. The business visitor visa (B-1) is the appropriate visa for individuals traveling to attend a scientific, educational, professional or business convention, or conference on specific dates.

When do I apply for my visa?

Visa applications are now subject to a greater degree of review than in the past so it is important to apply for your visa well in advance of your travel departure date. As a general planning guideline, if the conference is scientific in nature, or the applicant has a scientific background, the visa application should be made no later than 90 days in advance of the travel.

How do I apply for a B-1 visa?

Visa applicants will need to schedule an interview appointment as a first step in the visa process. Visa interview wait times vary by embassy and time of year. The U.S. State Department strongly encourages travelers to review their website, as it is updated weekly for estimated visa interview wait times. http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/wait_4638.html

Each applicant for a visitor visa must submit these forms anddocumentation as explained below:

• Online Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application, Form DS-160. Visit the DS-160 website to learn more about the DS-160 online process. http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/forms_4230.html
• A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond the applicant's intended period of stay in the United States.
• One (1) 2x2 photograph.

Additionally, visa applicants must demonstrate that they are properly classifiableas visitors under U.S. law by providing evidence which shows the purpose of the trip, intent to depart the United States, and arrangements made to cover the costs of the trip. If needed, the Nuclear Energy Institute will issue a Letter of Invitation to international participants to submit with their visa applications once they have registered and paid for theconference.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

Air service in and out of Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) Airport is exceptional and affordable. It is the 31st largest airport worldwide based on passenger totals. CLT Airport is considered the “gateway to the world.” Between the Charlotte airport and nearby Philadelphia (PHL), Miami (MIA), and Atlanta (ATL) airports, one can find direct flights to any country in the World!

The Charlotte airport averages 655 flights daily on 11 major airlines and 14 regional carriers. These flights provide non-stop service to 179 cities. Over 34 million passengers traveled through CLT Airport in 2008.

Charlotte Douglas is US Airways' largest hub.

Intercity Passenger Rail

The Charlotte region is at the center of the largest consolidated rail system in the country. Amtrak in Charlotte provides passenger lines traveling north and south connections to east/west lines, providing access to most of the United States. State-supported North Carolina’s Amtrak is a fleet of two trains, the Piedmont and Carolinian, which offer daily service to Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, nine other North Carolina cities and cities in the northeast.

Amtrak is the state’s operating partner. Annually, nearly 580,000 rail passengers begin or end their trips at one of North Carolina's Amtrak stations.