Delegates to IROS 2017 qualify as business visitors to Canada. Firstly, one should find out if one needs a visa to enter Canada.  Visa exemptions are provided to citizens of many countries and territories such as Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Korea,Singapore, Switzerland, the United States, etc. Visa-exempt foreign nationals except for citizens of the United States who fly to or transit through Canada will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). More details about ETA can be found here. However, citizens of a few other countries such as China, India, Philippines, South Africa, etc. require a visa to enter Canada. For most updated and further information on visa exemptions and requirements, refer here. 

 Visa applications can be made online or through a paper application. To apply on paper, the application package can be obtained from here. There are two types of fees: an application processing fee and a biometric fee. The application fee per person is $100 (CAD). The biometric fee of $85 (CAD) is applicable to citizens of certain countries, details of which can be found here. In most countries, application fees must be paid in Canadian dollars. The nearest visa office can provide more information on fees and also assist in submitting the application. The processing time varies depending on the visa office applied to. For exact processing times, refer here.

To obtain a letter of invitation for visa applicaiton, please register for the conference as either an author or non-author and the letter will be issued automatically.