Visas & Letters of Invitation

Entry Visas

Visa rules and requirements are subject to change. The Emirati embassy in your country is the best source of up-to-date information. The information provided here should be read as a guide. If you choose to stay at the Crowne Plaza, Dubai Festival City, the hotel will assist you with your visa requirements. In the majority of cases, your hotel will provide visa assistance.

Currently, the United Arab Emirates grants visa waivers/exemptions to approximately 46 countries. If you are unsure whether or not you need to apply for a short-term visa to enter the United Arab Emirates in order to attend this conference, please click here.

If your country is not listed, then you will need to contact your nearest Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in your home country or find a visa sponsor to receive guidance on the application process and necessary documents. For more information, please visit the Dubai General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs website.

As part of the visa application process, you may be required to submit a Letter of Invitation from the IICEDubai Conference Programme Committee.


Letters of Invitation

A Letter of Invitation is an official document that confirms payment of registration fees and extends an official invitation to the paid registrant to attend and participate in the upcoming conference. In other words, it provides the holder with an official reason to come to the United Arab Emirates. It may be required by your university for administrative purposes, and will likely form one of the documents required for visa application if you are from a country that does not have a visa exemption agreement with the United Arab Emirates.

In order to qualify for a Letter of Invitation, you must meet both of the following criteria:

  • Be registered as a regular* audience member or an author of an accepted abstract and/or paper (*we are unable to offer this service to student audience)
  • Have paid the conference registration fee in full

IAFOR will not, under any circumstances, provide a Letter of Invitation or visa application paperwork to any interested party who does not meet the two criteria listed above.

If your application for a Letter of Invitation is successful, your Letter of Invitation will be sent to you by email as a PDF attachment. In addition, a hard copy will be mailed to your residence or place of work.

Please ensure you allow sufficient time for your application to be processed.


Letters of Guarantee

Please note that a Letter of Guarantee is different from a Letter of Invitation. Depending on your professional situation, background and nationality, you may be required to submit a Letter of Invitation and/or Letter of Guarantee.

A Letter of Guarantee is a letter in which an individual or body agrees to be legally and financially responsible for you during your stay in the United Arab Emirates. You may know an individual or institution in the United Arab Emirates willing to act as a guarantor, or, if you have no connection with the country, UAE immigration authorities may find that it is acceptable to have your university act as the guarantor. IAFOR cannot provide Letters of Guarantee.


Further Visa Assistance

All questions/concerns regarding the status of your visa should be directed to the United Arab Emirates immigration authorities or UAE Embassy in your home country.

If your visa application is denied, please note that IAFOR will not be able to change the decision of the the United Arab Emirates immigration authorities, nor will IAFOR engage in discussion or correspondence with the UAE immigration authorities or the UAE Embassy on behalf of the applicant.

IAFOR is not authorised to assist with the visa process beyond providing a Letter of Invitation.


Letter of Invitation Application Process

To apply for a Letter of Invitation you must to complete the Letter of Invitation Form. To do this you will require the following:

  • Details of your planned itinerary (all daily activities while staying in the United Arab Emirates)
  • Tentative flight arrival/departure information including flight time, flight number, etc.
  • Your planned hotel name, address, phone number
  • The title and address of the embassy/consulate in your country you are using to secure your visa
  • All passport information
  • An ability to use correct English spelling, punctuation, grammar and capitalisation

Please complete all three pages of the Letter of Invitation form. Replace the red text with your personal information. Please take great care to ensure that this is completed accurately, and is free of typographical and spelling errors, as this will form the basis of an official document used to secure entry into the United Arab Emirates. Providing all the information we receive is correct, the Letter of Invitation process will usually take between 7 and 21 days.

Please allow ample time for the Letter of Invitation application process.