The IETF is going to Thailand for the first time this November, and we've received a number of requests to provide guidance on visa requirements for IETF attendees.
A representative of the Thailand Convention and Exhibitions Bureau (TCEB) informed us that if an attendee does not require a tourist visa to come to Thailand, that attendee does not require a visa to attend a conference. However we are also aware that there is information online that indicates that a visa is required to attend a conference, regardless of tourist visa requirements. In short: the information available is difficult to parse, and is confusing. We also know that many companies and organizations have their own internal requirements and processes; sometimes these processes may seem at odds with published or anecdotal information. As always, please take the initiative to determine if you require a visa to attend a particular IETF Meeting. Many attendees need visas to attend IETF meetings and the requirements change from time to time. Because of this, we strongly urge all attendees to review the visa requirements for traveling to each IETF meeting location and determine for themselves, or in collaboration with their employer, if a visa is required. If you require a letter of invitation to obtain a visa, you can obtain one directly after registering for the meeting. You can register for IETF 103 here: https://www.ietf.org/registration/ietf103/ietfreg.py. In addition, if you've attended an IETF meeting in the past, you are able to obtain a letter of invitation prior to registering for the meeting at https://www.ietf.org/registration/letterofinvite/singleletter.py. Regards, Portia Wenze-Danley Interim IETF Administrative Director on behalf the IAOC
