Antigua & Barbuda (202) 362-5122
Minimum passport validity of 6 months; proof of sufficient funds and return/onward ticket required.
Aruba Royal Netherlands Embassy (202) 244-5300; www.netherlands-embassy.org
No
Australia Visa Information Service (888) 990-8888; www.austemb.org
An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is required. The visa is free ($20 service charge for applying online), stored electronically, and valid for a stay of up to 3 months; proof of sufficient funds and return/onward ticket required.
Bahamas (202) 319-2660; www.bahamas.gov.bs
Departure tax of $15 payable at the airport; proof of sufficient funds and return/onward ticket required.
Bermuda British Embassy (202) 588-7800; www.immigra tion.gov.bm
Departure tax of $10 payable at the airport; return/onward ticket required.
Brazil (202) 238-2828; www.brasilemb.org
$100 for tourist visa for U.S. citizens; cost of business visas may vary. Minimum passport validity of 6 months.
Britain incl. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, & Wales
(202) 588-7800; www.britainusa.com/embassy
No
Canada (202) 682-1740; www.canadianembassy.org
No, but travelers convicted of a crime, including a DUI, may be denied entry. Attendees with a criminal record should contact the consulate or immigration office to apply for a Minister's Permit (crimes committed within the last 5 years) or an Approval of Rehabilitation (crimes committed 5+ years ago) to ensure they are granted entry.
China (202) 338-6688; www.china-embassy.org
Visa costs $50 for U.S. citizens ($40 if booking group tourist visas). Minimum passport validity of 6 months; at least 1 blank passport page required. Anyone suffering from a mental disorder, leprosy, AIDS, venereal diseases, contagious tuberculosis, or other infectious diseases will be denied entry.
Croatia (202) 588-8933; www.croatiaemb.org
Return/onward ticket required.
Ecuador incl. Galapagos Islands (202) 234-7166
Minimum passport validity of 6 months.
Egypt (202) 895-5400; www.egyptembassy.us
Yes, visa required, but it can usually be obtained at your point of entry into Egypt.
Fiji (202) 337-8320; www.fijiembassy.org
Minimum passport validity of 3 months; proof of funds and return/onward ticket required.
Hong Kong Embassy of the People's Republic of China (202) 328-2500; www.china-embassy.org
Return/onward ticket required.
India (202) 939-9806; www.indianembassy.org
For U.S. citizens tourist visa costs $60; business visa $150. Minimum passport validity of 6 months; at least 2 blank passport pages required.
Ireland (202) 462-3939; www.irelandemb.org
No
Jamaica (202) 452-0660; www.congenjamaica-ny.org
Departure tax of $17 payable at the airport; proof of funds and return/onward ticket required.
Japan (202) 238-6800; www.us.emb-japan.go.jp
Return/onward ticket required.
Korea (202) 939-5663; www.koreaembassyusa.org
Return/onward ticket required.
Malta (202) 462-3611
Minimum passport validity of 3 months, 6 months preferred.
Mexico (202) 736-1000 www.embassyofmexico.org
No (tourist card and departure tax generally included in the cost of airfare).
Russia (202) 939-8907; www.russianembassy.org
$100 for a tourist or business visa for U.S. citizens; at least 2 blank passport pages required.
Schengen Countries *
Austria (202) 895-6711, www.austria.org; Belgium (202) 333-6900, www.diplobel.us; Denmark (incl. Greenland) (202) 234-4300, www.denmark.org; Finland (202) 298-5800, www.fin land.org; France (202) 944-6200, www.info-france-usa.org; Germany (202) 298-4393, www.germany-info.org; Greece (202) 939-1333, www.greekembassy.org; Iceland (202) 265-6653, www.iceland.org/us; Italy (202) 328-5500 www.italyemb.org; Luxembourg (202) 265-4171; Netherlands (202) 244-5300, www.netherlands-embassy.org; Norway (202) 333-6000, www.norway.org; Portugal (202) 332-3007, www. portu galemb.org; Spain (202) 452-0100, www.spainemb.org; Sweden (202) 467-2600, www.swedenny.com
No visa required for stays of up to 90 days. The 90-day period begins when a visitor enters any of the Schengen countries.
In Denmark, passport must be valid for 3 months beyond the last day of your stay in the Schengen countries.
In the Netherlands, visitors must show proof of sufficient funds (generally acceptable to simply show credit or debit cards) and medical insurance (consulate recommends calling insurance provider and receiving a letter stating that coverage extends to international destinations).
Singapore (202) 537-3100;www.mfa.gov.sg/washington
Minimum passport validity of 6 months; return/onward ticket and sufficient funds for the duration of stay required.
South Africa (202) 232-4400; www.saembassy.org
Minimum of 2 blank passport pages required; return/onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds required.
Switzerland (202) 745-7900; www.swissemb.org
Minimum passport validity of 3 months.
Taiwan (202) 895-1800; www.taipei.orgor www.boca.gov.tw
Return/onward ticket required.
Turkey (202) 612-6740; www.turkishembassy.org
Visa can usually be obtained at border crossings into Turkey or through consulates in the U.S. Cost varies. Minimum passport validity of 3 months.
United Arab Emirates (202) 243-2400; www.uaeembassy.org
No
SIDEBAR
According to the U.S. State Department, between 68 and 70 million Americans currently hold passports—roughly 27 percent of the population. That figure is set to spike as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) kicks in, beginning in January of next year, at which time Americans will need a passport to move freely around the continent.
January 8, 2007, is the implementation date for air border passport requirements. At that time, any American reentering the United States from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to hold a valid U.S. passport. Passports will not be required for travel to and from U.S. territories Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. The original implementation date of January 1 was changed to accommodate holiday travel.
In September, Congress passed legislation delaying the implementation date for land and sea borders to as late as June 2009, instead of January 1, 2008. The date change would allow additional time to create an ID card for use by Americans crossing borders by land or sea. The date could be moved up if the U.S. government meets certain guidelines regarding lower-cost options.
Also, remember that attendees may live in the United States but travel on a foreign passport. Be sure to check with consulates, or have attendees do so, to determine the requirements specific to the country from which they obtained a passport. Visit the State Department's website (http://travel.state.gov) for information if you are planning a meeting in the United States with international attendees and for additional information on the WHTI and other visa- and passport-related concerns.