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The QFD Institute
Symposia and
training programs have
welcomed attendees from overseas for many years and we continue to do so for
all of our QFD events. In this page, we have summarized the basic travel
information to make your preparation easy.
Due to frequent changes in immigration laws,
however, we
recommend you verify the latest passport and visa information with your local U.S. embassy or
consulate. To contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in your country, please
see
http://usembassy.state.gov/
Additionally, to aid our international
attendees, the QFD Institute may issue an official letter of invitation,
upon request, to pre-registered attendees. Please indicate this need at the
time of your registration.
Travel Documents
PASSPORT
A valid passport is required to enter the
U.S., regardless of your nationality and method of travel. The expiration
date on your passport should be at least 6 months later from the last day of the
QFD event which you plan to attend.
If you need to apply for a new
passport or renew one, we recommend you begin the
application process as soon as possible, so you will not
have to miss the QFDI event you wish to attend.
VISA
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New
Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
If your passport was issued by one of the 27
Visa Waiver Program countries listed above, you do not need a visa to enter
the U.S. However, you must present the following type
of Passport at the U.S. port of entry; otherwise, a U.S. visa is required.
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Machine-readable
passport (MRP) with a bar-code zone if your passport was issued before
October 26, 2005; or
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Machine-readable passport with a digital photograph if your passport was
issued between October 26, 2005 and October 25, 2006; or
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'e-Passport' if your
passport was issued after October 2006.
[Japanese]
For
the latest information concerning the Visa Waiver Program, please visit:
http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/programs/content_multi_image_0021.shtm
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Attendees from Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda:
Citizens of the Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda are
now required to present a valid passport to enter the United States when arriving by
air from any part of the Western Hemisphere. For the latest information about
specific requirements that apply to you, please contact your local U.S.
embassies and consulates:
http://usembassy.state.gov/
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Attendees from All Other Countries:
Please consult your local U.S. embassy or consulate early to find out what
type of a visa and travel
documents you will need in order to enter the U.S. to attend a QFD program.
We recommend you begin the
application process as soon as possible, so you will not
have to miss the QFDI event you wish to attend.
For those who are applying for a visa or having an embassy interview, QFD
Institute may issue an official letter of invitation, upon request, when your
registration is complete. Please indicate this need at the time of
registration. To contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in your country, please
see
http://usembassy.state.gov/
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Travel Tips for QFD Attendees
Electricity:
The U.S. uses 110-120 volts AC, 60
cycles.
If your laptop runs on 220-240 volts,
you will need a 110-volt transformer and a plug adapter which
fits into two flat parallel pins (photo below).
 We recommend you bring them with you because
it is sometimes difficult to find them in the United States.
If your laptop runs on 100 volts, it
will probably work fine in the U.S. without a voltage converter, but you may
still need a plug adapter.
Internet:
The symposium and training venues which QFD Institute selects always
have access to high-speed Internet. Some of them offer free access.
Cell Phone:
We suggest you check with your mobile phone company whether their
service is available in the U.S. cities you plan to visit.
Money & ATM:
It is best to exchange foreign money for U.S. dollars before arriving in the
U.S., although most businesses in U.S. cities accept credit cards such as
Visa, MasterCard, American Express. (Exceptions may be small shops and
taxis.) Most U.S. banks are open 9 am - 4 pm on weekdays.
ATMs (automated teller machines) are
easy to find in most cities and they are typically available for 24 hours.
Two most popular networks are Cirrus
(www.mastercard.com)
and PLUS (www.visa.com).
If you are not sure, check with your card bank for ATM locations at your
destinations.
Tap Water: Tap water is generally safe
to drink in the U.S. The venue hotels which QFD Institute selects for our
symposium and training always have potable tap water.
Safety: We make every effort to select
hotel venues in a neighborhood that is usually safe for our attendees to
walk and enjoy. It is advised, however, you use common sense and precautions
as you would in any city. When venturing out in the evening, consult
the hotel front desk about safe areas and avoid wandering alone late in the
evening.
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