Hawai’i Visa Information

Visa Invitation Letter

Due to long U.S. Embassy and Consulate appointment wait times, attendees who require visas to travel to the United States are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Please use this fillable and downloadable 2025 ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting invitation letter form to assist with attaining a visa to travel to Honolulu, Hawai’i. Fill out the blank fields using information listed on your passport.

Make sure all the fillable fields listed below are completed so that the invitation letter remains valid:

• Date
• Full name as listed on passport and credentials (if applicable)
• Name of institution
• Address
• Passport number
• Country of issuance
• Expiration date of passport

Once completed, bring a copy of the letter with you along with your passport and visa application confirmation to your interview appointment at your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

PLEASE NOTE: ISMRM & ISMRT do not have any influence over the visa application process and cannot contact the embassy or government agency on your behalf.

Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Eligibility

International attendees should review the U.S. State Department’s Travel.State.Gov page to see if their country qualifies for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). This program allows citizens of qualified countries to travel to the U.S. for business and stay 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Find more information about the VWP and its requirements here.

Canadian and Bermudan attendees can find information about entering the United States here.

Visa Waiver Program applicants are still required to submit and get an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to boarding their departing flight. If an ESTA application is denied, applicants will be encouraged to apply for a visa. More information about ESTA and the VWP can be found here.

There are some exceptions for VWP eligibility. Under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, nationals of VWP countries who have traveled to specific countries after 01 March 2011 (with limited exceptions for travel for diplomatic or military purposes in the service of a VWP country) will not be eligible to travel under the VWP and will need to apply for a nonimmigrant visa. Please visit the Travel.State.Gov website for the most up-to-date list of countries.

Nonimmigrant Visa Application Process

Attendees residing in countries not eligible for the VWP or have traveled to the listed countries specified under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 need to apply for a nonimmigrant visa (DS-160 form), specifically a Business (B-1) visa. If planning to stay in Hawai’i or travel to another U.S. state, attendees must also apply for a Tourism (B-2) visa.  Attendees who require visas to travel to the United States are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible due to lengthy appointment wait times. Waiting times per U.S. Embassy or Consulate varies; Please click here to learn more about estimated appointment wait times for each U.S. Embassy and Consulate location and plan accordingly.

The visa application process varies with each U.S. Embassy or Consulate location. Attendees can look up their nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate here. After completing the form, a copy needs to be printed and brought to the interview appointment. Attendees will need to upload a photo on the DS-160 form that must meet these requirements. A valid passport and application receipt also must be brought to the interview. It costs US$185.00 for the non-refundable visa application fee. Depending on attendees’ nationalities, an issuance fee may also be applied once the visa is approved.