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International exhibitors and attendees to MINExpo INTERNATIONAL^® 2012 should be mindful that they may need a visa to enter the United States. And visas can’t be obtained in a day—they take time.

As a reminder visas may be needed for staff members working at your booth, and with the show less than four months away, time is now of the essence.

There is lots of information about visas on the MINExpo^® website, including how to apply, the Visa Waiver Program and visa requirements for members of the press covering MINExpo. So checking the website is a good place to get started.

Here are tips to maximize the chances of obtaining a U.S. visa:

1. Register for MINExpo.
2. During the registration process, visitors will be asked if they need a letter of invitation. They should be prepared to provide date of birth and passport number. The letter of invitation will be emailed to them following their registration for the show.
3. They should print their letter of invitation in color and submit it with their visa application to the appropriate U.S. Embassy / Consulate.

Many exhibitors have international customers attending MINExpo 2012. A good way for international attendees to attend the show is to join a delegation. A number of delegations are being formed by the U.S. Commercial Service to attend MINExpo.

So far, delegations from the following countries are being formed to attend MINExpo: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, India, Mexico, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovak Republic, Sweden, and Ukraine. Check out the delegation page on the MINExpo website for the contacts and their information.

There are benefits to being a member of a delegation. First of all, the registration fee for MINExpo is waived, and delegation members will travel and network with other professionals from their country.

Each delegation receives a briefing on how members can optimize their time at the show. And the Commercial Foreign Service will facilitate travel, registration, hotel accommodations and meetings with exhibitors at MINExpo.

Joining a delegation is a way for international visitors to make their visit to MINExpo more productive and more enjoyable.