Personal letters of invitation are not necessary to attend this conference; however, they are available upon request to those that may need them. If you submitted an abstract that was accepted for a presentation, you can obtain a letter of invitation through the online Meeting Abstracts Programming Service (MAPS). Visa letters can be found under Messages. If you are not submitting an abstract but require a letter of invitation for visa purposes, send us your request via e-mail. You must provide your full legal name, institution/business with complete address, and date of birth. A letter of invitation will be sent to you via email. If you need a hard copy letter (and printing the letter sent to you via email will not suffice), we will invoice you for applicable international mailing costs. Once your payment is received, the letter will be posted to you.

For information on applying for a visa

ACS GCI recommends that you start this process as soon as possible. If you are submitting an abstract, you will notified of its acceptance by the end of March 2025.

IMPORTANT: All applicants must be able to qualify for a visa on their own merits under the requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The American Chemical Society cannot intervene with the U.S. State Department or an American embassy in another country on behalf of any meeting participant. We are unable to call or generate personal letters to the embassy or consulate on your behalf.

ACS GCI does not provide financial support to conference participants. All registration fees, airfares, ground transportation, hotel, meals, travel insurance, and any other expenses are the sole responsibility of each conference attendee.

Yes, all attendees, including speakers and poster presenters, are REQUIRED to register for the conference to allow them to participate in the technical sessions and/or attend the exposition. The early registration deadline is April 30, 2025.

Inbound travelers to the United States from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries may be denied boarding by the airlines if they haven’t complied with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization program. ESTA, introduced in January 2009, requires all international travelers from VWP countries to register in an online database. Previously, international travelers had to fill out an I-94W form before each trip, but ESTA seeks to streamline and update the process. Now, international travelers to the United States must go to the ESTA Web site and fill out an application before entering the country by air or sea. If approved, the authorization is good for two years and can be renewed. Travelers no longer have to fill out an I-94W form before each trip. U.S. officials say ESTA will speed up the process for travelers, enable customs officials to screen passengers in advance, and improve security.

ACS GCI will follow the CDC COVID-19 travel recommendations and any local mandates that may be in effect in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There are currently no vaccination or masking requirements for attending the meeting.