On 10/30/2014 7:58 AM, Donald Eastlake wrote: > Note that this is sometimes restricted by national law. I believe if > the IETF were to meet in Switzerland, it would be illegal to issue a > Letter to be used as the basis for a visa application to anyone who > has not already actually paid their registration fee for the meeting. Simple goal: We want folks to be able to attend. Everything else flows from this goal. If someone needs a visa, we want them to be able to get it. Figure out a reasonable amount of time to permit visa processing, and offer the letter from that time. If there are constraints on issuing letters, satisfy the constraints. As an example, there is no inherent reason we cannot open registration farther in advance. If... d/ -- Dave Crocker Brandenburg InternetWorking bbiw.net