International Attendees

Visa Information

The process of obtaining a visa to attend meetings in the U.S. takes much longer than in the past. You are strongly urged to apply for a visa as early as possible.

If you would like to request an invitation letter from the Society of Surgical Oncology for your visa application, you must first register and pay in full for the meeting. To obtain a visa invitation letter, have your registration confirmation number available and visit the visa link in your registration confirmation email. Please contact ssoregistration@spargoinc.com for any questions regarding visa invitation letters.

For detailed information regarding obtaining a visa, please visit the U.S. Department of State Visa website. For information regarding the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), please visit the U.S Department of State website. It is recommended that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection International Visitors website is reviewed prior to your travel.

Weather

The weather in Boston, Massachusetts in March ranges between 31 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit (-0.55 to 7.77 degrees Celsius.) Make sure to check Weather in Boston as you pack for your trip and don't forget to bring a coat!

To and From Logan Airport

Passengers have many options getting to/from Logan and making connections between terminals.

For a list of transportation options, plese visit the Logan Airport transportation page.

Tourism

Check out the Visting Boston page to plan your sightseeing, activities, and dining.

Calendar of Dates

Calendar dates are expressed in the month-day-year order in the United States. This is contrary to the system used in many other countries. For instance, the 27th of March 2019, would be listed as 3-27-2019 rather than 27-3-2019.

Electricity

Electronics in the United States operate with a voltage of 110-120 volts, 60 cycles. If your equipment requires 220 volts, you will need to bring a transformer and plug adapter; converters can be difficult to find once in the United States.

Emergency Information

In general, one can dial 911 from any phone for emergency services, including police, ambulance and fire department.

Tipping

Tips or gratuities are optional payments given in addition to a required payment, usually to express appreciation for excellent service. How much to tip is a personal judgment; the information below serves only as a guideline to typical amounts. One should never offer a tip to police officers or government employees; such an offer might be considered a bribe.

  • Waiters and waitresses normally receive 20% of the amount of the food bill for good service.
  • Porters receive $1 or $2 per bag.
  • Taxi drivers receive 15-20% of the amount of the fare.
  • Barbers and hair dressers, as well as spa personnel, normally receive 15-20% of the bill.
  • Room service personnel often receive an automatic gratuity that is listed on the food bill after the subtotal. Otherwise, $2 per meal is acceptable.
  • Hotel maids normally receive $1 to $2 per night for cleaning the room.
  • Any other visits from hotel personnel (for more towels or pillows, for instance) can be appropriately tipped with $1 to $2.
  • Tour guides for organized tours utilizing transportation can receive tips for excellent service. The size of such a tip depends on the number of persons touring, the length of the tour, etc. For a half-day bus tour with a good guide, an average tip might be $5 per attendee.