2025Q3 Reports: Visa Chairs
Overview
This report details the main tasks and duties of the Visa chairs, who in this ACL 2025 edition were Rexhina Blloshmi (Amazon AGI) and Eleni Ilkou (TIB). The responsibility of Visa chairs includes supporting attendees who require a visa to enter in the country hosting the conference, which in this edition is Austria (Vienna), before and after the visa application. Visa chairs worked in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Austrian embassies across the world for allowing and expediting the increasing number of visa applications, especially after the ACL paper notification period. Additionally, visa chairs have worked together with other conference chairs and the conference organizer.
Main challenges:
- No guideline on how to do this role and a map of potential challenges,
- No strict role description
- Restrictions from Vienna Convention Bureau which restricted the time available for acquiring a visa to ACL 2025 participants
- Flux of emails post paper notification and registration (Phase II and Phase III)
Most difficult parts in acquiring a visa:
- Getting a visa appointment on time
- Failing to submit the requested information on time via application form we provided, and therefore, not being included in the internal channel of communication with the Austrian embassies
While Visa Chair tasks had a stretch during almost the whole serving period in the role, we identify 3 main phases and list the tasks taking most of the effort for each of the phases.
Phase I: Before notifications are out from the main track
This phase included most of the tasks elaborated below, such as:
- Task I. setting up the plan and schedule,
- Task II. coordinating with other ACL organizing roles
- Task III. researching and updating the ACL 2024 visa page
- Task IV. outreaching to Visa Chairs from Related Conferences (NAACL)
- Task V. designing invitation letter templates
- Task VI. starting communication with the representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
- Task VII. published the visa application form to collect the information of applicants as requested by MFA
- Task IX. Media and announcements communication
- Task XII. Participation in OC meetings
Phase II: After notifications until the registration opens
This phase has been the shortest in duration, but one of the most demanding period due to the intensity of the following tasks:
- Task VII. Submitted first round of collected information to the embassies
- Task VIII. Manually compiled invitation letters
- Task XI. Responding to Visa Inquiries and Urgent Requests
- Task XII. Participation in OC meetings
Phase III: After registration opens
- Task VII. Submitted second and third round of collected information to the embassies
- Task IX. Media and announcements communication
- Task X. Direct Communication with Austrian embassies
- Task XI. Responding to Visa Inquiries and Urgent Requests
- Task XII. Participation in OC meetings
- Task XIII. Large-Scale Email Dissemination
- Task XIV. Collaborative Decision-Making for Non-Standard Visa Cases
- Task XV. Setting Up Best Practices for Embassies Data Collection from Conferences and International Events
- Task XVI. Gathering statistics and formulate Opening Ceremony slides
- Task XVII. Deliverables: Report and Documentation
Timeline and Deliverables
Description | Due Dates |
---|---|
Committing to role | June 15th, 2024 |
Phase I - completed with main track paper notifications | May 15th, 2025 |
Phase II - completed with registration opening | May 21st, 2025 |
Phase III - to be completed on the 1st day of ACL 2025 | July 27th, 2025 |
Deliverables | |
Report Q3 | July 5th, 2025 |
Documentation initial report | March 10th, 2025 |
Documentation final report | July 27th, 2025 |
Communication with Ministry of Foreign Affairs | |
Establish channel of communication | March 26th, 2025 |
Round 1 applicant list | May 19th, 2025 |
Round 2 applicant list | June 1st, 2025 |
Round 3 applicant list | June 20th, 2025 |
Description of ACL 2025 Visa Chair Tasks
Task I: Set up the plan with expectations and deadlines
After initial communication with the general chair and any information we could gather from past years we set up a plan with tasks, expectations, dependencies and timelines in order to meet all the necessary deadlines and accommodate the international participants in ACL 2025. The initial plan needed to be updated, once we were introduced to the strict requirements from the Vienna Convention Bureau and we decided to aim for a channel of communication with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Task II: Coordination with Other Chairs and the ACL Organizer
Effective visa processing required close coordination with multiple chairs and the ACL main organizer to ensure alignment, accuracy, and timely action. We coordinated with:
- Local chairs for official recommendations offered by the hosting country related to visa applicants
- Website chairs to merge our changes in the webpage of ACL 2025 Visa
- Workshop chairs to identify the last date of papers’ notifications and the best way to accommodate workshop participants
- Publicity and Social Media chairs to share our round 2 and 3 of filling out the list
- ACL organizer on how to handle requests on Phase II
- ACL Director of Events to coordinate on the registration dates and set the expectations.
Task III: ACL 2025 Visa Webpage: Publish and Constant Updates
We gathered information about 1/ who needs a visa, 2/ who doesn’t need a visa, 3/ visa categories, and 4/ Austrian embassies locations across the world. The first version of the website was pushed to github by us on March 10th, 2025. On March 26th, we updated the webpage with recommendations we received from the Vienna Convention Bureau and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding the representative Austrian embassies per country around the world. Since then, we have updated the website regularly to address the updates for ACL 2025 visa, such as the different rounds for filling out the form and instructions on how to obtain an invitation letter for visa purposes before and after registration was open. To reduce repetitive inquiries and improve communication efficiency, we developed a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section in the ACL 2025 Visa webpage. The content was based on common inquiries received with questions grouped by frequency and relevance.
Task IV: Outreach to Visa Chairs from Related Conferences
To better understand the scope and expectations of our role, we proactively reached out to the NAACL 2025 Visa Chairs to seek advice, best practices, and any documentation they could share. In addition, we reviewed calls and materials from previous ACL and related conferences to gather relevant insights. This outreach helped us clarify a few of the expectations and responsibilities of our role.
Task V: Design Invitation Letter Templates
We developed a standardized invitation letter template based on the past requirements for invitation letters offered by similar conferences. In designing the template, we prioritized both clarity and security to ensure the document would be accepted by Austrian authorities while minimizing the risk of misuse or forgery. Key considerations included consistent formatting, inclusion of essential details, and incorporating features that enhance the authenticity of the letters issued by Visa Chairs on behalf of ACL 2025. We crafted several invitation letter templates for different roles, 1/ for organizing committee members, 2/ for tutorial presenters, 3/ for authors prior to registration, 4/ others, based on customization requests.
Task VI: Communication with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
We initiated and established a direct communication channel with a representative from the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is important to highlight that this practice is not typically a standard process for ACL conferences. This outreach was led proactively by the ACL 2025 Visa Chairs, and we are especially grateful for the cooperation of the Austrian official who facilitated communication with over 350 Austrian embassies worldwide. The primary objective was to highlight the significance of international participation at ACL 2025 and explore ways embassies could support and accommodate the expected increase in visa applications. This collaboration played a key role in prioritising the ACL 2025 participants in the Austrian embassies, and having their visa applications on a fast track for approval. As part of this effort, we:
- Collected and consolidated specific visa requirements as requested by the Ministry.
- Submitted a detailed report of the conference’s importance and description of the financial coverage for each participant (the ACL 2025 covers the coffee breaks and meals during the days and hours of the conference, while the participants are responsible to sponsor their travel, accommodation and any additional expense)
- Submitted the invitation letter templates to the relevant national bureau for review and validation.
- Conducted three rounds of forms to collect accurate participants’ data (see Task VII) to prioritise their visa application procedure.
Task VII: Run Three Rounds of Visa Request Forms
As guided by contacts in the embassy, we created a form to collect personal information of the visa applicant to be shared with the embassies. The form was published on March 31st. The necessary for the visa application was name, family name, date of birth, sex, nationality, passport number, embassy location in which they will apply for a visa, email, phone number. We shared the information with the embassy in 3 rounds, 1/ after the main conference notification (May 19th), 2/ after workshop paper notification (for majority of them by June 3rd), and 3/ final round to accommodate late requests (June 20th). Our initial arrangement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was for only two rounds, but they were kind enough to understand the difficult situation of accommodating the late paper notifications and reaching out to all ACL 2025 participants. The collected information was used to validate and expedite the applications across Austrian embassies in the world.
Task VIII: Manually Compiled Invitation Letters
We generated plenty of invitation letters manually, mainly prior to May 21st. From May 21st, applicants were redirected to obtain a visa letter via registration automatically. The invitation letter via registration was managed by Yes Events.
Task IX: Media and Announcements Communication
We coordinated closely with the Social Media Chairs to disseminate key visa-related updates through official conference channels. Our goal was to ensure timely, clear, and consistent messaging to support ACL 2025 participants requiring visa assistance. This included the promotion of critical deadlines, reminders for form submissions, and announcements regarding each round of visa processing.
Task X: Direct Communication with Austrian Embassies
We were directly contacted by Austrian embassies worldwide that faced issues while processing the visa applications of ACL 2025 participants. In several cases, embassies reached out to us regarding individuals who were not included on the official fast-track list, prompting us to verify their details and provide additional documentation. We also shared participant information upon request, including the data submitted through our visa form. We clarified ACL 2025’s financial responsibility where it was requested.
Task XI: Responding to Visa Inquiries and Urgent Requests
As Visa Chairs, we managed a high volume of questions and urgent requests from ACL 2025 participants. Our responses focused on clarifying the scope of our role, addressing misinformation, and offering timely guidance. Common inquiries included:
- whether we could influence embassy decisions (we could not),
- whether we could directly affect an embassy’s visa priority list (participants included in the official list were processed faster, while others followed standard procedures),
- whether we could extend invitation letters to include partners or family members (we could not).
We also frequently redirected participants to specific sections of the ACL 2025 Visa webpage for detailed information, ensuring consistency and accuracy in communication. All urgent requests, such as those involving tight travel timelines, or unclear embassy instructions, were addressed within 24 hours. These included providing clarification on the level of support we could offer, sharing the official contact phone number and address of the inviting organization, and offering personalized guidance in complex cases that involved special attention and treatment in coordination with the Ministry.
Task XII: Participation in OC Meetings
Attend regular Organizing Committee (OC) meetings to stay aligned with overall ACL 2025 deadlines and planning, share updates, flag potential issues, and coordinate with other chairs.
Task XIII: Large-Scale Email Dissemination
We conducted multiple rounds of large-scale email outreach to ensure accurate and timely visa processing. Emails were sent based on data collected through the visa support form and were primarily aimed at:
- notifying participants once registration opened and the could obtain their invitation letters after registering,
- prompting attendees to complete the form during the final round of data collection in coordination with other chairs,
- performing targeted follow-ups for data verification. These checks included correcting invalid or incomplete passport numbers, and clarifying embassy selection when participants entered incorrect or inconsistent information. This communication effort was essential to maintain data quality and avoid delays in visa letter issuance.
Task XIV: Collaborative Decision-Making for Non-Standard Visa Cases
As Visa Chairs, we frequently encountered inquiries that required individualized attention and decisions beyond the scope of standard procedures. To ensure fair and consistent handling of these cases, we engaged in regular internal coordination to determine appropriate courses of action. This included how to address exceptional or urgent requests, whether to launch a third round of visa letters, how to format and finalize documentation, and how to manage modifications to official invitation letters. We also discussed how to respond to vague or incomplete email inquiries in a manner that was both supportive and compliant. These decisions required thoughtful collaboration to balance participant needs with ACL policies and the requirements of Austrian embassies, while maintaining fairness, transparency, and flexibility wherever possible.
Task XV: Setting Up Best Practices for Embassy Data Collection
Following ACL 2025’s coordination efforts with the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry is now considering the development of formal best practices for collecting and transmitting data to Austrian embassies in support of visa processing for international conferences and large-scale academic events. This initiative was prompted in part by logistical challenges experienced during ACL 2025, including technical issues such as the loss of number codes due to limitations in the participant data input forms. In a follow-up call with the Ministry’s representative, we shared feedback and offered several recommendations to improve future procedures. These included the creation of a standardized, secure data-collection platform within the Ministry’s internal systems, with full compliance with GDPR and privacy regulations. The aim is to streamline embassy workflows, reduce manual errors, minimise data leakage risks, and better accommodate the needs of international academic communities attending events in Austria.
Task XVI: Gathering Statistics and Opening Ceremony Slides
We have so far been included in over 577 emails, including tickets from ACL Rolling Review fresh desk or direct emails. 107 contained Urgent requests, which we addressed in the 24-48 hours. Urgent emails typically required customized invitation letters, correction in invitation letters, requests to contact embassies directly to share the invitation for the applicant.
We have developed a form to gather feedback about the ACL 2025 visa applicants application results, which we aim to share a week before the conference and present the results in the opening ceremony.
Task XVII: Deliverables: Report and Documentation
We were instructed to provide the Q3 report and documentation of tasks. As ACL conferences continue to grow significantly, organising them has become increasingly complex. One key challenge is the lack of clear and updated documentation outlining the roles of chairs, along with milestones, tasks, timelines, and potential task dependencies. This gap makes organising the ACL conference really challenging given its size. To support this initiative, we were requested to create a documentation excel on the following:
- A list of the major tasks and milestones associated with our chair role.
- The corresponding timeline for these tasks and milestones (e.g., specific deadlines or timeframes).
- Any dependencies that may impact the completion of specific tasks (e.g., Task A requires input from Task B, or Task B being completed first).
Recommendations for future conferences Visa chairs
- Establish a common email for requests regarding visa related inquiries. Expect a wave of incoming urgent requests each day on high period
- Create template of email answers to common inquiries
- Find the Ministry approved recommendations for visa applicants for scientific conferences, and establish the channel of communication as soon as possible. Coordinate with local chairs for obtaining official contacts
- If possible, gain access to all emails of authors of accepted papers, and notify them about visa process
- Brace yourself with patience
Things to consider
- Official recommendations advise to apply for a visa 3 to 6 months prior to the planned trip. This proposes a major challenge in accommodating acquiring a visa on time to attend major conferences as the notification and registration period is less than 3 months before the conference date.
- The official recommendations might limit the conference's ability to provide invitation letters. For example, we were not able to provide any invitation letter outside to official ACL members and participants of ACL 2025, meaning that we were obligated to wait until the registration opens or the notifications of papers are released to share any invitation letter.
- You cannot interfere in the embassies’ decision, or influence the outcome of a visa application.
- There might be embassies who are recommended by the officials for participants applying to acquire a visa on time.
- Embassies have high demand seasons in which they receive more applications than average. Be aware of those and try to accommodate the participants accordingly.
- Applying for a visa is a vulnerable procedure and oftentimes people need emotional rather than bureaucratic support. That said, many will not read the website no matter how clear you provide instructions or point them to already answered similar inquiries and reach out via email in several different threads. Best of luck