It depends on the country, but the general rule is that if you are getting any sort of remuneration, even an honorarium, you may need a business visa, or someone may decide you need a business visa once you get to immigration. Business visas are now frequently required by many countries if you are attending a scientific conference, even if you are not receiving anything.
SO you can either research the situation and hope you get it right and get the visa in time (the U.S. is notoriously fickle and slow) or come in as a tourist and answer accordingly. There may be UNESCO guidelines on receiving support for conferences and on visas, but if so, no one seems to be following them. David Duffy University of Hawaii ----- Original Message ----- From: Amartya Saha <[email protected]> Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 8:21 am Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] A WARNING FOR PROFESSIONALS GOING TO THE UNITED KINGDOM To: [email protected] > Arturo, may I add that Latin America is not much different -- > I've had > similar problems three times, once in Mexico, once in Peru and > once in > Argentina. Needless to say, I lost my tickets all three times. > And > being a student these were from my own pocket. > > Come to think of it, India can be just as bad even for > Indian > nationals. I was refused entry at Bombay immigration on a > flimsy > pretext that i did not have my old passport showing departure > from > India 7 years prior. I had to grease palms to enter my old hometown. > > I am lucky to have never encountered problems in more than > thirty > entries to the US or UK. Just luck. > > In the end, immigration rules are getting ever more convoluted, > and no > two agents know the same, and to beat the chances of bad luck, > one has > to prepare ahead. There is a good website run by Delta > > http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/plan_flight/international_travel_information/visa_passport_information/index.jsp > > but again, this won't have the lowdown on special things > like > researcher visas and voluntary sponsorship certificates; that > one has > to get from the concerned embassy or high comission, failing > which, > one has to offer white lies (like being a tourist instead > of > researcher or volunteer) to beat the inane system. > > happy travels > cheers > Amartya > > > > > > Quoting Arturo Restrepo <[email protected]>: > > > David: No worries, if this make you feel better, the high > likelihood of this > > happening to any Latinamerican professional when enter to the > United States > > borders is very common. Hard to believe when they ask > you what is your > > profession I used to respond Environmental scientist or > ecologist, it looks > > to me that they associate drugs with environmentalist movements. > > > > Take it easy and enjoy travelling the world ! > > > > Arturo Restrepo > > > > On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 8:25 PM, David R. Anderson < > > [email protected]> wrote: > > > >> I flew to London-Heathrow a week ago on my way to Glasgow, > Scotland where > >> I was to give a 2-dayworkshop, a day of consultation and a > seminar. The > >> University of Glasgow was to pay for my expenses and services > and 41 grad > >> students, post docs, and faculty were registered for the > workshop. I was > >> detained at Heathrow by the UK Border Agency for nearly 5 > hours. During > >> this time I was searched, questioned, fingerprinted, > photograhped and > >> moved from one secure room to the next -- like a > criminal. My carry-on > >> suitcase and leather bag with my workshop materials were > emptied and > >> searched, along with my wallet. I asked on 7 different > occasions to be > >> able to call the US Embassy -- these requests were > denied! At the end of > >> this long process the agent announced that I was to be > deported the next > >> day! They claimed that I did not have a special > visa or a "certificate > >> of sponsorship." Indeed, I had neither; I had never > heard of such > >> requirements for a US citizen. I have spent 42 years > working in > >> academic/science and have travelled to many foreign > countries. I have > >> never experienced such detention and deportation. > >> > >> UK universities, travel agents, immigration attorneys, my US > Senator's>> office and others are now trying to unravel exactly > what papers are > >> actually required. This search has proven to be > difficult for a number of > >> reasons. This matter is important as all the UK > universities have > >> academic visitors arriving daily for conferences, symposia, > workshops, and > >> seminars, etc., etc. with countless agreements concerning > reimbursments>> and honoraria. It seems that special > documents are now required or one > >> faces deportation and all the related expenses. I will > post agian if I > >> learn more; in the meantime, professionals going to the UK > should make > >> every effort to obtain the "required" documents. > >> > > > > > > www.bio.miami.edu/asaha
