NeurIPS 2026 · Visas and entry
Visas and entry
What each country asks for, how to get a NeurIPS invitation letter, and what happens if a visa does not come through.
The short answer
Entry rules depend on your passport and your site, so check the official page for your nationality. NeurIPS issues invitation letters only to people with an in-person registration, and advises applying for Australia 6 to 8 weeks before you travel.
Checked against official pages on Mon 2 Nov 2026.
This page summarises official pages for planning. It is not immigration advice, so confirm your own case on the official site.
Entering Australia
Rules depend on your passport. Check your own nationality on the Home Affairs pages below, and do not rely on this summary.
- ETA (601)
- Apply from outside Australia in the Australian ETA App, for stays of up to 3 months at a time. There is a service charge of AUD 20. It covers some business visitor activities. Home Affairs
- eVisitor (651)
- For passport holders of particular countries, including many European ones. Free, for stays of up to 3 months at a time, and allows business visitor activities. Home Affairs
- Visitor (600)
- For tourists, business visitors or family visits. NeurIPS names the Business stream. Check the current fee on the page. Home Affairs
- Invitation letter
- Register in person first, then generate the letter on neurips.cc. NeurIPS advises applying 6 to 8 weeks before travel. Visa
Entering the United States
Rules depend on your passport. Check your own nationality on the official pages below, and do not rely on this summary.
- ESTA
- For Visa Waiver Program travellers. The fee rose to USD 40.62, with collection scheduled from 16 October 2026. An approved ESTA is usually valid for two years or until the passport expires, and it is not a visa. CBP ESTA
- Admission
- CBP says an approved ESTA does not decide whether you are admitted: officers decide on arrival. It recommends applying as soon as you start planning. CBP
- Possible changes
- A December 2025 CBP notice proposed mandatory social media details and app-only ESTA applications. QRS could not confirm whether this is final, so check when you apply. Federal Register notice
- Visas
- QRS could not read the State Department pages when checking this guide, so go there directly for visa types and wait times. State Department
- Invitation letter
- Register in person, generate the letter, apply, then return to the letter page and enter your legal name, passport country and US visa application number. Carry a printed copy. Visa
Entering France
Rules depend on your passport. Check your own nationality on France-Visas, and do not rely on this summary.
- Do you need a visa?
- France-Visas has a first step for this, and warns about fraudulent sites offering visa help. France-Visas
- Short-stay visa
- Covers business trips including conferences, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. France-Visas
- EES
- The Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. Non-EU short-stay travellers give fingerprints and a facial image at the border, so allow time on arrival. European Commission
- ETIAS
- The EU's official site says ETIAS is not yet in operation and no applications are being collected. Some other sites say otherwise. European Union
- Invitation letter
- Request it during Paris registration. There is no letter without full registration and payment. NeurIPS Paris
If your visa does not arrive
- Visa refused
- After 4 November a registration can be converted to virtual and the difference refunded only if you applied for your visa by 20 October and it was refused or unanswered. Requests close on 20 December. Pricing