For International Travelers to NAVBO Meetings

NAVBO is happy to help you in acquiring a Visa in order to facilitate your attendance at one of our meetings by issuing a letter of invitation, however, the following is required:

Prior to receiving a letter of invitation, each individual requesting an invitation letter must first register and pay for the conference. Conference registration fees are refundable (less the designated processing fee) if the visa application is denied. The refund request must be received in writing.

Once the payment has been received, requests for Letters of Invitation should be addressed by email directly to Bernadette Englert at bernadette@navbo.org. Please note that each individual requesting an invitation letter must email a separate request.

A letter of invitation is issued solely for the purpose of assisting participants with visa applications. Such a letter does not imply any financial obligation on the part of NAVBO. All expenses incurred in relation to the meeting are the sole responsibility of the attendee(s).

Please note that we cannot guarantee that you will receive a visa. The decision to grant visas is at the sole discretion of the Embassy or Consulate offices. NAVBO will not be able to contact or intervene with Embassy or Consulate offices on your behalf. NAVBO cannot change the decision of the Embassy or Consulate offices should your application be denied.

The following information is required before a letter of invitation can be issued:

Your CV (curriculum vitae or resume)
Name as it appears on your passport
Title/Position (Professor, graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, etc.)
-- if you are a trainee, please provide the name of your Principal Investigator
Institutional address
City, Province, Country, Postal Code
Personal Street Address
City, Province, Country, Postal Code
Email
Passport number
Date of issuance
Date of expiration
Place of issue
Date of Birth
Place of birth
Nationality

You should also indicate briefly why you want to attend the conference.

All letters of invitation are generic in nature and will be signed and sent in PDF format that can be printed by the requester(s). No mailed (postal) letters of invitation will be sent. Due to the costs involved, we cannot send letters of invitation via express mail services.

It is the traveler's responsibility to check and confirm current visa requirements to enter the United States. To see if you require a visa, please visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wizard.html.

NAVBO cannot be held responsible for travelers who do not confirm their visa requirements or who do not obtain the appropriate paperwork for travel to the conference.

For additional information regarding traveling in the United States, consult https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html or http://www.dhs.gov/how-do-i/visit-united-states.

Another helpful page is https://www.insuremytrip.com/research/us-travel-visa-information/ - please note we are NOT endorsing the services of Insure My Trip.

This procedure is intended to assist participants who need to obtain a visa to attend the conference and is not an official invitation covering fees and/or any other expenses or financial support for attendance. NAVBO does not assume responsibility for the outcome of your visa application.

Photography within sessions is STRICTLY PROHIBITED

You may not record, photograph or capture in anyway, slides projected on screens or posters on display.

Anti‐Harassment and Code of Conduct Policy

The North American Vascular Biology Organization and the Lymphatic Education & Research Network are dedicated to providing a harassment‐free conference experience for everyone, regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, physical appearance, body size, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate for any conference venue. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund at the discretion of the conference organizers.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to:

• Verbal comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion or other areas of intimidation
• Sexual images in public spaces
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
• Harassing photography or recording
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events
• Inappropriate physical contact
• Unwelcome sexual attention
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, event organizers retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the conference with no refund.

Event organizers may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants. We expect participants to follow these rules at all event venues and event‐related social activities.

If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible to any NAVBO staff person. Harassment and other code of conduct violations reduce the value of our event for everyone. You can make a report either personally or anonymously.

Safety Plan

The organizers of the Lymphatic Forum are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment to all participants.  All attendees, speakers, organizers, session chairs and staff are required to read and agree to our Code of Conduct, which addresses the prohibition of harassment of any kind at the Lymphatic Forum.

REPORTING AND RESOLUTION
Any violation of this policy should be reported. If you experience or witness discrimination, harassment, or bullying, you are encouraged to make your unease or disapproval known to the individual at the time the incident occurs, but only if you are comfortable doing so. You are also urged to report any incident by:

• Filing a complaint with Bernadette Englert, the NAVBO Executive Officer (bernadette@navbo.org); William Repicci, the LE&RN Chief Executive Officer (wrepicci@lymphaticnetwork.org); or Pierre-Yves von der Weid, the Conference Organizer (vonderwe@ucalgary.ca).
• You may also file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) by visiting their web site: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/index.html

Complaints should be filed as soon as possible after an incident. To ensure the prompt and thorough investigation of the complaint, the complainant should provide as much information as is possible, such as names, dates, locations, and steps taken.  The Executive Officer will investigate the alleged violation.

Please note that filing a complaint with the conference organizer(s) is not required before filing a complaint of discrimination with HHS OCR, and that seeking assistance from the conference organizer in no way prohibits filing complaints with HHS OCR as well.  If a participant has concerns of harassment, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and other forms of inappropriate conduct at NIH-supported conferences, you can also notify NIH.  See the information on this web page: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/harassment/find-help.htm 

If an investigation results in a finding that an individual has committed a violation, the organizers will take the actions necessary to protect those involved in its activities from any future discrimination, harassment, or bullying, including in appropriate circumstances the removal of an individual from the current activity and a ban on participation in future activities.