Be sure to make your visa appointment as far in advance as possible.

Because of the shifting global economic and political realities, visa requirements are also in flux. Please check for your country on: VisaHQ.com , and/or Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Republic of China

For some embassies it can take quite a bit of time before you can receive an appointment for an interview. It will assist you to bring proof of airplane ticket reservations (contact your local embassy to see about the specifics—some do not require you to show actual purchase of a ticket). Be sure also to budget funds for this interview and process (contact your local embassy for costs).

It may also help if you bring along a letter of invitation. To receive a letter of invitation please let us know in your registration information and we will contact you. If you cannot register until you know you have a visa, please contact us directly (below) to ask for a visa invitation letter.

We are happy to create these letters for you to give to your embassies until about September 1 —after which it may be too short a time-frame for us to be able to send these letters to you and for you to secure a visa application appointment in time. Again: the earlier the better.

Please send to both Ms. Gail West and Ms. Jessie Hsiao (members of the WOSonOS 2009 Host Team) the following information and they will create this letter for you:

• Your full name
• Date of birth
• Passport number
• Your postal address
• Your telephone, fax, email
• Full contact information for the Taiwan embassy in your country (official name, postal address, telephone number(s), fax number with country code)

Please include with that information:

• A paragraph about your experience in Open Space and facilitation, why you wish to come, and how you will use the experience you gain at this conference

We think that information will help your interview and we shall include it in the invitation letter.

Please send all the information above to both Gail and Jessie at:

icataiw@ms69.hinet.net and jessie9.hsiao@gmail.com

NOTE that we cannot offer letters of invitation after September 1, 2009—it is also likely that if you are applying for a visa at this late date there will not be enough advance time for your visa interview plus travel arrangements.