Contents

1. Hotel reservations now available online
2. Airline discounts
3. Important visa information (repeated from Advisory 1)
4. Press Registration Information (see important note if you already pre-registered)
5. Press Registration Form
6. Who's Coming

Press registrants may take advantage of the special rates negotiated at Montreal hotels for Joint Assembly. The list of hotels, with rates and information on their distance from the Palais des Congrès, is available at www.agu.org/meetings/sm04/hotellist.shtml. Rates range from C$89 to C$205 (approximately US$67 to US$155) per night.

A map showing the relationship of these hotels to the meeting site is at www.agu.org/meetings/sm04/pdf/Montreal_hotelmap.pdf.

The online room reservation form is at https://www.agu.org/meetings/sm04/housing_reg.php (along with access to a printable form for faxing).

2. Airline discounts

Air travel discounts of five or ten percent are available on United Airlines and its code share partners, US Airways and Air Canada. For information, see www.agu.org/meetings/sm04/hoteltravel.shtml.

Montreal is also easily accessible from eastern Canada and northeastern United States by train (Amtrak and VIA) or car.

For Canada:

Canada requires citizens of many countries to obtain visas to attend a scientific meeting. For a complete list of countries whose citizens must obtain a visa and a list of those whose citizens are exempt from visa requirements, see www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.html.

Individuals who require a visa can either apply in person at a visa office of the Canadian government (see www.cic.gc.ca/english/offices/missions.html for a list) or they can apply by mail. For a complete set of requirements and directions, as well as a downloadable application in PDF format, see www.cic.gc.ca./english/applications/index.html.

Applicants applying by mail in the U.S. are advised to allow 3-4 weeks for processing; those applying from other countries are advised to allow 8 weeks for processing. There is a processing fee of Can$75.

AGU advises anyone requiring a Canadian visa to attend the 2004 Joint Assembly to apply early. Because of security-related policies, some applicants may be asked to present themselves for an interview by consular officers as part of the application process.

For the United States:

The following information applies to persons from outside the United States and Canada who may be visiting or transiting the United States before or after Joint Assembly:

General information about U.S. visas is available at www7.nationalacademies.org/visas.

The U.S. State Department requires citizens of many countries to obtain visas to attend a scientific meeting. In addition, the State Department requires citizens from visa waiver program (VWP) countries to obtain visas if they do not have machine-readable passports and they wish to visit the U.S. Enforcement of this new rule has been delayed from 1 October 2003 to 26 October 2004 for all but five VWP countries--Andorra, Brunei, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Slovenia. Most passports held by nationals of these countries are already machine-readable. AGU advises anyone who may need a U.S. visa to apply at least three months in advance. Security-related policies have greatly increased the processing time for visa applications. U.S. consular officers will now be interviewing most applicants as part of the application process.

Information on the procedures to follow to obtain a visa or a machine-readable passport and suggested actions in the event of a visa delay or denial are provided at the site listed below: www7.nationalacademies.org/visas/Traveling_to_US.html.

4. Press Registration Information (see important note if you already pre-registered)

Press registrants receive a badge that provides access to any of the scientific sessions of the meeting, as well as to the Press Room and Briefing Room. No one will be admitted without a valid badge.

Eligibility for press registration is limited to the following persons:

• Working press employed by bona fide news media: must present a press card, business card, or letter of introduction from an editor of the publication.
• Freelance science writers: must present a current membership card from NASW (or other regional affiliate of NASW), CSWA, ISWA, or SEJ, or evidence of by-lined work pertaining to science intended for the general public and published in 2003 or 2004.
• Public information officers of scientific societies, educational institutions, and government agencies: must present a business card.

Note: Representatives of publishing houses, for-profit corporations, and the business side of news media must register at the main registration desk at the meeting and pay the appropriate fees.

5. Press Registration Form

The Press Registration Form is set up for online submission, but includes a link to a version that can be printed out and faxed or mailed. Go to: www.agu.org/meetings/sm04/sm04pressreg_cgi.shtml.

The last day for advance press registration is May 10. You may also register onsite in the Press Room.

6. Who's Coming

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