It will greatly alleviate visa problem in the future with the new visa policy. I believe most the IETF attendees from China are qualified for 10 years multiple entry USA visa. Check this out: http://www.china.org.cn/world/2014-11/11/content_34020157.htm - Miao > -----Original Message----- > From: ietf [mailto:ietf-bounces@xxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ted Lemon > Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2014 2:27 AM > To: Loa Andersson > Cc: ietf@xxxxxxxx > Subject: Re: on recurring favourite locations for November IETF meetings > > On Nov 11, 2014, at 7:51 AM, Loa Andersson <loa@xxxxx> wrote: > > Looking at the Chinese example, there are 119 registered from China, > > and about 70 (maybe 80) of those are here. The main reason is that > > they can't travel because of visa. > > It appears to be the case that visa applications were being handled fairly > quickly from China for a couple of years, and people got used to it, so got in > the habit of applying later. And then there was an unexpected increase in > processing in time that coincided with this IETF. IOW the timing of visa > applications isn't predictable by the IETF. If we make it possible to apply > earlier and people don't apply earlier because they have expectations as to > the speed of the approval process that wind up not being met, we can't do > anything about that. And this can happen with any country: visa approval > speed can vary depending on politics, staffing, a flu outbreak at the wrong > time, a problem with the information systems at the embassy, etc. > > Also, when I've talked to my colleagues from other continents about this, I > hear from a lot of them that despite the visa difficulties, coming to the U.S. > is actually an attractive thing, because they can do business here that they > couldn't do elsewhere. > > So while it would definitely be easier if we just had a barge outside the > 250-mile limit with an airstrip, I don't think "choosing a location where > getting visas is easy" is actually a practicable suggestion.