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Location
The Conference will be held in Chicago, Illinois, one of the most popular destination cities in the United States. Centrally located in the Midwest, Chicago is easily
accessible by air and major interstate highways.
Hotel and Reservations
Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers
301 North Water Street
Chicago, IL 60611
Reservations: 800/233-4100
The hotel room block and all sessions of the Conference are at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers (Sheraton Chicago). The great location of the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers puts you in the heart of the city and offers views of the river and lake. Directly on the riverfront, it is within walking distance of Navy Pier, Millennium Park and Michigan Avenue. The hotel also has an indoor pool, various restaurants and a fitness center. For more information on the many features of the hotel, please visit
www.sheratonchicago.com.
To reserve a hotel room, you may make your reservations online directly at the Sheraton Chicago Group reservation site. Note that reservations will be accepted only when accompanied by a credit card guarantee or a deposit of the first night’s room and tax.
Deadline for receipt of reservations: February 10, 2012. When contacting the hotel by telephone, identify yourself as an attendee of the 53rd Annual Drosophila Research Conference.
While neither the Sheraton Chicago nor the GSA staff can assist in finding or assigning roommates, individuals looking for roommates may check the online bulletin board at the
Drosophila Conference Website, which opens on November 8, 2011.
The Sheraton Chicago will process reservation requests on a first-come, first-served basis. For general information about the hotel go to the Sheraton Chicago Web site at:
http://www.sheratonchicago.com
Room Types and Rates
Room descriptions and pictures are available at http://www.sheratonchicago.com/accommodations/index.html
ROOM TYPE / ROOM RATE:
Single (1 person) - $209
Double (2 persons) - $229
Club Level Single - $272
Club Level Double - $292
Additional Person in any room - $20
All rates are per room, per night and do not include local room tax (currently 15.94%). Maximum occupancy per room is four people.
Room Reservation Guarantee and Cancellation
Reservation must be guaranteed with one-night’s room deposit by major credit card. It is the hotel’s policy to charge your credit card the one night's room and tax deposit at the time you make your reservation. Cancellations must be made by 6:00 pm one day in advance of the scheduled arrival date to obtain a refund of the deposit.
IMPORTANT Room Reservation Cancellation Policy: to receive a credit or refund of the required first night’s room and tax deposit, cancellation must be made at least 72 HOURS PRIOR TO the scheduled arrival date and time to obtain a refund of the advance deposit.
Though the Sheraton Chicago is handicapped accessible, it is the guest’s responsibility to advise the hotel of special needs as far in advance as possible. Every effort will be made to accommodate special needs.
Ground Transportation
Shuttle van service and taxis are available at both Midway and Chicago O’Hare International Airports. A one-way taxi fare to/from Midway is approximately $33 and to/from O’Hare is approximately $45. One-way shuttle service from O’Hare is currently $30 and $25 from Midway. For more information and coupons go to www.airportexpress.com. Another option is to take the train to/from O’Hare at a cost of $2.50. The train will pick you up at O’Hare and take you to within approximately seven blocks (or a $5 cab ride) from the hotel. For additional information go to www.transitchicago.com.
Parking
Parking is very expensive at the Chicago Sheraton ($49/day for valet and $37/day for self park). Chicago is a very “walkable” city and a car is generally not needed. There are many public lots near the Sheraton, some cost as little as $16/day.
VISA & Passports
As part of security procedures, applications for visas are sent to the U.S. State Department for a security review. For further information, visit the State Department Web site at http://travel.state.gov/visa. You can also visit the "International Visitors Office" Web site at http://www.nationalacademies.org/visas.
Requests for Letters of Invitation
For security purposes, letters of invitation can only be sent to individuals that have registered for the meeting. After you have registered, you will be given a link to generate your letter of invitation. If you have questions, please contact Suzy Brown (sbrown@genetics-gsa.org).
NEW for International Visitors
Visitors traveling to the United States from all countries (including the visa waiver countries) are required to register personal details online at least three (3) days in advance of travel. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), is a free, automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States. It collects the same information as the paper I-94W form you usually complete enroute to the United States. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. An ESTA authorization generally will be valid for up to two years. DHS recommends that travelers submit an ESTA application as soon as they begin travel plans. Click here for further details.
VISAS
Meeting attendees are advised to apply for a visa as early as possible (at least three months before visa is needed). Registration refunds will not be issued for denied visas. As part of security procedures, applications for visas are sent to the U.S. State Department for a security review. For further information, visit the
State Department Web site. We advise scientists traveling to the United States to apply for a visa as early as possible (at least six months before the visa is needed). Please check with your local U.S. consulate or embassy to find out the earliest that you may apply for a visa. For further information and a list of your local US embassy (or consulate), please click
here.
To assist you with the Visa application process:
- Apply for visa at least six (6) months in advance. For countries that are on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List, the State Department suggests applying for a visa six (6) to eight (8) months in advance.
- Provide your entire trip itinerary, including travel to any countries other than the United States, at the time of visa application.
- If completion of travel plans is contingent upon early approval of the visa application, specify this at the time of the application.
- Provide proof of scientific status. For example, proof that you submitted an abstract for the meeting. Do not wait until you receive notification that your abstract has been accepted before applying for a visa. It is very rare that an abstract is denied. If your abstract followed the rules and guidelines, it will be programmed.
- Provide meeting Web site (http://www.drosophila-conf.org/2012) and copy of your letter of invitation.
- Provide evidence that you are intending to return to your country of residence. This includes such things as:
- family ties in current country of residence
- property ownership
- bank account
- an employment contract or statement from employer showing that position will continue after the dates of the meeting
- Requirements vary by passport-issuing country and citizenship (not merely residency).
- Click HERE to download a “step by step” outline of today’s U.S. visa procedures.
NOTE: Some consulates may have backlogs in scheduling visa interviews so applicants should first contact the consulate to determine what wait times for interviews are. Click
herefor visa wait times.
VISA Problems
For applications that have not been approved 30 days after the interview you should complete an
online questionnaire. You will be asked to name the meeting (53rd Annual Drosophila Research Conference) and explain the purpose of your visit. Click
herefor visa wait times.
Visa Waiver Program (VWP): The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of 36 participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business (visitor [B] visa purposes only) for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. To learn more about the VISA Waiver Program,
click here
USA Visa Policy Resources – click here.
PASSPORT INFORMATION
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