Public Channel

For all those dealing with visa issues (denials and delays):

The ICA team has done everything within our power for all our potential attendees, including writing more specific letters with detailed, personal 'vouching statements' for those who were initially denied. Many of those are successful, some are not. ICA headquarters has expressed its displeasure (multiple times and to multiple stakeholders) to the appropriate authorities with the way in which many of these applications have been handled, but the fact remains that ICA is merely a nonprofit organization that wields very little international influence in terms of pressuring government entities to approve any application, nor do we have the power to "speed things up" for anyone, we simply are not that powerful. We do not have the ability to influence immigration timelines or acceptances beyond sending the letters, emails, and voice messages we have already sent, and sending the very emphatically worded emails our Executive Director has sent to the immigration office that gave us our "approved event code."

As an FYI, this is our policy for refunds for visa issues:

In-person registrants who either 1) are denied a visa, or 2) receive a visa approval letter that arrives too late (following the start of the conference) are eligible for a full refund. If this applies to you, your registration will be refunded but not cancelled, allowing you to access the remote conference content free of charge. To request a refund, please complete the form [on the refund request page] and upload a copy of your visa decision letter (either your denial letter OR a visa acceptance letter dated after the start of the conference). Refunds will be granted, in full, for requests submitted within 30 days of the decision letter date.

Regardless of the outcome of your visa application, and potential refund request, we will not cancel your ability to access the conference. That means even as an in-person registrant, you will be able to access the remote conference content (what's included remotely is outlined on the FAQ page). If you are denied, or do not receive an approval in time, we will refund you in full even though you will retain the ability to access remote content. We recognize that you may not hear back until after the conference; even if the conference is over, please upload your decision letter whenever it is received, and that will trigger Member Services to process your refund. Attendees are still getting their visas approved each day and sending us happy "I thought I wasn't coming but now I am!" emails, so you might still end up receiving good news and being able to come, but I know a lot of things have to be arranged AFTER you get that notice and time is running out to make arrangements, so at least you'll have the online access if all else fails.

If you have any questions about our refund process, please email us: membership@icahdq.org.

------------------------------
Julie M. Arnold
She/Her/Hers
Director of Governance & Member Services
International Communication Association
jarnold@icahdq.org
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-10-2023 06:59
From: Ubadire Agua
Subject: Awaiting response on visa application still.

For all those dealing with visa issues (denials and delays):

The ICA team has done everything within our power for all our potential attendees, including writing more specific letters with detailed, personal 'vouching statements' for those who were initially denied. Many of those are successful, some are not. ICA headquarters has expressed its displeasure (multiple times and to multiple stakeholders) to the appropriate authorities with the way in which many of these applications have been handled, but the fact remains that ICA is merely a nonprofit organization that wields very little international influence in terms of pressuring government entities to approve any application, nor do we have the power to "speed things up" for anyone, we simply are not that powerful. We do not have the ability to influence immigration timelines or acceptances beyond sending the letters, emails, and voice messages we have already sent, and sending the very emphatically worded emails our Executive Director has sent to the immigration office that gave us our "approved event code."

As an FYI, this is our policy for refunds for visa issues:

In-person registrants who either 1) are denied a visa, or 2) receive a visa approval letter that arrives too late (following the start of the conference) are eligible for a full refund. If this applies to you, your registration will be refunded but not cancelled, allowing you to access the remote conference content free of charge. To request a refund, please complete the form [on the refund request page] and upload a copy of your visa decision letter (either your denial letter OR a visa acceptance letter dated after the start of the conference). Refunds will be granted, in full, for requests submitted within 30 days of the decision letter date.

Regardless of the outcome of your visa application, and potential refund request, we will not cancel your ability to access the conference. That means even as an in-person registrant, you will be able to access the remote conference content (what's included remotely is outlined on the FAQ page). If you are denied, or do not receive an approval in time, we will refund you in full even though you will retain the ability to access remote content. We recognize that you may not hear back until after the conference; even if the conference is over, please upload your decision letter whenever it is received, and that will trigger Member Services to process your refund. Attendees are still getting their visas approved each day and sending us happy "I thought I wasn't coming but now I am!" emails, so you might still end up receiving good news and being able to come, but I know a lot of things have to be arranged AFTER you get that notice and time is running out to make arrangements, so at least you'll have the online access if all else fails.

If you have any questions about our refund process, please email us: membership@icahdq.org.

------------------------------
Julie M. Arnold
She/Her/Hers
Director of Governance & Member Services
International Communication Association
jarnold@icahdq.org

Original Message:
Sent: 05-10-2023 06:59
From: Ubadire Agua
Subject: Awaiting response on visa application still.

For all those dealing with visa issues (denials and delays):

The ICA team has done everything within our power for all our potential attendees, including writing more specific letters with detailed, personal 'vouching statements' for those who were initially denied. Many of those are successful, some are not. ICA headquarters has expressed its displeasure (multiple times and to multiple stakeholders) to the appropriate authorities with the way in which many of these applications have been handled, but the fact remains that ICA is merely a nonprofit organization that wields very little international influence in terms of pressuring government entities to approve any application, nor do we have the power to "speed things up" for anyone, we simply are not that powerful. We do not have the ability to influence immigration timelines or acceptances beyond sending the letters, emails, and voice messages we have already sent, and sending the very emphatically worded emails our Executive Director has sent to the immigration office that gave us our "approved event code."

As an FYI, this is our policy for refunds for visa issues:

In-person registrants who either 1) are denied a visa, or 2) receive a visa approval letter that arrives too late (following the start of the conference) are eligible for a full refund. If this applies to you, your registration will be refunded but not cancelled, allowing you to access the remote conference content free of charge. To request a refund, please complete the form [on the refund request page] and upload a copy of your visa decision letter (either your denial letter OR a visa acceptance letter dated after the start of the conference). Refunds will be granted, in full, for requests submitted within 30 days of the decision letter date.

Regardless of the outcome of your visa application, and potential refund request, we will not cancel your ability to access the conference. That means even as an in-person registrant, you will be able to access the remote conference content (what's included remotely is outlined on the FAQ page). If you are denied, or do not receive an approval in time, we will refund you in full even though you will retain the ability to access remote content. We recognize that you may not hear back until after the conference; even if the conference is over, please upload your decision letter whenever it is received, and that will trigger Member Services to process your refund. Attendees are still getting their visas approved each day and sending us happy "I thought I wasn't coming but now I am!" emails, so you might still end up receiving good news and being able to come, but I know a lot of things have to be arranged AFTER you get that notice and time is running out to make arrangements, so at least you'll have the online access if all else fails.

If you have any questions about our refund process, please email us: membership@icahdq.org.

------------------------------
Julie M. Arnold
She/Her/Hers
Director of Governance & Member Services
International Communication Association
jarnold@icahdq.org

Original Message:
Sent: 05-10-2023 06:59
From: Ubadire Agua
Subject: Awaiting response on visa application still.