IANAL, so take this as anecdata, not advice, but what seems to create sticking points for people who have visa waiver programs is that if you are going to the country to work, you need a work visa, and a visa waiver visa won't do it. So the question is, when you go to IETF, are you going to IETF to work for the IETF? I always answer this question "no," because I am working for whatever company I'm working for back home, not for the IETF. If you answer "yes," you will probably have an unpleasant conversation, which will get more and more unpleasant until the person you are talking to either convinces you that you should be saying "not here for work" or becomes convinced (I believe incorrectly) that you are here for work, at which point you will probably be denied entry.
Of course every country is different, but whenever I hear people describe bad experiences they have had at passport control, the conversation seems to have gone something like what I described. I once had trouble getting into Canada because I had a MIDI keyboard in the back of my car, and the border agent thought I was coming in to play a gig. I finally managed to talk them out of this belief, but that definitely would have got me refused entry.
On Tue, Aug 14, 2018 at 5:10 PM, John Levine <johnl@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
In article <CAA=duU0ijWy8hxRdDE0arC1MhBZwSt=YQ SkC-bfZX8ySH5BqSw@mail.gmail. > you write:com
>This page
>https://www.businesseventsthailand.com/ plan-your-events/general- travel-information/visa- requirements/
>seems pretty clear.
That's the Thailand Convention and Exhibitions Bureau, same
organization whose US rep told us the same thing.
It's a Thai government agency so they are likely as well informed as
anyone, but as Andrew pointed out, what the rules say or appear to say
and how they're interpreted don't always agree.
R's,
John
>On Tue, Aug 14, 2018 at 1:32 PM, IETF Administrative Director <iad@xxxxxxxx>
>wrote:
>
>> The IETF is going to Thailand for the first time this November, and we've
>> received a number of requests to provide guidance on visa requirements for
>> IETF attendees.
>>
>> A representative of the Thailand Convention and Exhibitions Bureau (TCEB)
>> informed us that if an attendee does not require a tourist visa to come to
>> Thailand, that attendee does not require a visa to attend a conference.
>>
>> However we are also aware that there is information online that indicates
>> that a visa is required to attend a conference, regardless of tourist visa
>> requirements.
