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Key Dates
Abstract poster submission deadline:
30 June 2008
End of earlybird registration deadline:
23 June 2008
Notification of acceptance of abstracts:
02 August 2008
Guaranteed Hotel Reservation Deadline:
18 August 2008
Registrations must be made onsite after:
18 September 2008
ComBio2008:
21 - 25 September 2008
General Information
Discount Airfares
The ComBio2008 committee feels it is in the best interest of delegates to shop around for a bargain, as airfares vary so much.
Airport Transfers
A taxi fare between the Canberra Airport and the National Convention Centre is approximately $25 (depending on traffic).
There is a Monday to Friday shuttle service from the Canberra Airport to the city (please note that this service does not run on weekends or on public holidays). Full details of this service can be found at: http://www.airliner.com.au/ . Cost of tickets vary from $7 one way to $15 return.
Information for International Visitors
Passports and Visas
All non-Australian citizens must obtain a visa or travel authority before travelling to Australia. A visa is a stamp or label in a passport; a travel authority is an electronic record authorising travel into Australia. Every person travelling to Australia has a personal responsibility to obtain a visa for their stay in Australia. The ComBio2008 organisers cannot take responsibility for obtaining visas.
For information on the appropriate visa for travel to Australia, or entry into Australia, visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's (DIAC) website: www.immi.gov.au/visitors/iecn.htm or contact the Australian immigration office overseas: www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/index.htm for the closest Australian visa office.
You may be eligible for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). For a list of ETA-eligible countries see: www.eta.immi.gov.au/ETAAus1En.html. If you are not eligible for an ETA, you need to apply for your visa through an Australian visa office see: www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/index.htm (Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate). You should allow 4-6 weeks for your visa to be processed. The ComBio2008 Secretariat is in constant contact with the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).
The ComBio2008 Secretariat is required to make DIAC aware of overseas people who have sent a completed registration form together with payment to ComBio2008. If the registration is not accompanied by full payment of registration fees, it will not be accepted.
DIAC will forward this information to the Australian immigration office overseas in the country of the applicant's residence to assist with the visa application process.
Please note that ComBio2008 involvement does not guarantee that visas will be approved.
Travel and Arrival
It is strongly recommended that international visitors from Europe and America allow at least one day in which to adjust to the time difference. Travellers crossing the Pacific will lose one day when crossing the International Date Line.
Medical and Travel Insurance
It is strongly recommended that international visitors seek advice and take out appropriate travel insurance and medical cover. Overseas visitors are required to pay in full all medical expenses incurred while in Australia. The conference organizers accept no responsibility for any participant failing to arrange their own insurance.
Weather
The average September temperature in Canberra is a cool 16°C (62°F). For more information, including weather forecasts, please visit Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Australian Capital Territory) www.bom.gov.au/weather/act/
