International Guests
We realize that international travel can be a lot of work and sometimes a confusing experience. To make things easier for you, we've tried to answer many of the questions asked by international guests.
Visas
Most international participants must obtain visas prior to entering the United States. Allow as much time as possible to obtain the visa, as the U.S. embassy can take months to issue the appropriate documents. To locate the nearest U.S. embassy and for questions about the application process, please visit the U.S. Department of State online.
Important: Neither the Conference on Volunteering and Service nor its conveners act as a sponsoring organization for any individual or organization attending the Conference. A letter of invitation from Conference is not enough for the U.S. embassy to issue a visa. Please work with NGOs or governmental organizations in your home country for sponsorship, as this has shown to be the most helpful. Once you have local sponsorship, we will be happy to furnish a letter of invitation.
Registering for the Conference
The best way for international participants to register for the Conference is by using the Conference's online registration system.
Online registration will open in late January.
Hotel reservations
The Conference offers discounted hotel rates. To receive these rates, you must book your rooms through the hotel registration website, which will open in late January. Learn about our Conference hotels.
Currency
We recommend arriving in the United States with some cash in U.S. dollars.
Credit cards and travelers checks
Major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) are accepted at most places in the United States. When paying with a credit card, you will often be asked to show a form of identification, so please have your passport available. The hotels in Washington, D.C., may accept travelers checks and/or cash payments in foreign currencies. Please contact the hotel directly to inquire about their individual policies. (Please note: Some hotels limit the dollar value of checks cashed and charge check-cashing fees.)
