iCOF 2027

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Visa Information

Entering Canada: visas and travel authorization

The conference takes place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on May 13-14, 2027. What you need to enter Canada depends on your citizenship and how you travel, so please check the official rules early.

  • Citizens of countries that require a visa need a Temporary Resident Visa (visitor visa). You apply online with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and fingerprints and a photo (biometrics) are usually required. Processing times vary widely by country, so apply as soon as your paper is accepted.
  • Visa-exempt travellers arriving by air need an electronic travel authorization (eTA), which costs CAN$7 and is applied for online before you fly.
  • U.S. citizens do not need a visa or an eTA, but must carry a valid passport. Travellers entering by land are subject to different rules.

Official information: Visit Canada · Find out if you need a visa · Electronic travel authorization (eTA).

Visa Support Letter

We can provide an electronic Visa Support Letter (PDF) to assist with your application, provided the following conditions are met:

  • Applicants must be fully registered for the conference and have submitted an abstract.
  • A scanned copy of a valid passport (showing the photo page) must be provided. (if requested)
  • A letter from the applicant’s institution confirming support for their participation may also be required. (if requested)
  • All Visa Support Letter requests must be submitted well in advance. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate last-minute requests.

Please note that all participants are responsible for securing their own visa to attend the conference. The Canadian Association for Artificial Intelligence and Future Studies (AAIFS), a registered non-profit organization and the official organizer of the conference, does not take responsibility for visa application outcomes.

To request a Visa Support Letter, please email admin@aaifs.org.

Discover Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital of Alberta and sits on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. With more than one million people in the city (about 1.5 million in the wider region), it is a friendly, safe and walkable host city, known as Canada’s Festival City for the events held throughout the year.

Downtown Edmonton skyline above the North Saskatchewan River valley
Downtown Edmonton above the river valley. Photo: Matthew Boonstra, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Edmonton skyline rising above the forested North Saskatchewan River valley at dusk
The North Saskatchewan River valley. Photo: WinterE229 WinterforceMedia, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Alberta Legislature Building and its gardens in Edmonton
Alberta Legislature Building. Photo: Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Edmonton in numbers

  • About 6.3 million visitors came to the Edmonton region in 2019, a record year reported by Explore Edmonton. Recent industry estimates put annual visits at roughly 6.5 to 7 million, and visitors spend more than CAN$2 billion a year in the region.
  • Mountain Time (MDT, UTC-6 in May) with up to about 16 hours of daylight in mid-May and typically mild spring weather. Bring a light jacket for the evenings.
  • Edmonton International Airport (YEG) is about 30 km south of downtown, with shuttle and bus connections to the city. Local buses and light rail (LRT) serve the downtown and university areas.
  • Prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD), and cards are accepted almost everywhere.

Beautiful places to visit

  • North Saskatchewan River Valley: an extensive network of parks and trails running through the heart of the city, perfect for walking, cycling and skyline views.
  • Alberta Legislature Building: the 1913 landmark with beautiful grounds, fountains and public tours.
  • Muttart Conservatory: four glass pyramids holding gardens from different climates, right across the river from downtown.
  • High Level Bridge: a historic railway bridge towering over the river valley, with a walkway for pedestrians and cyclists.
  • Fort Edmonton Park: Canada’s largest living history museum, tracing the city from the fur-trade era to the 1920s.
  • Royal Alberta Museum and Art Gallery of Alberta: major collections in the downtown core.
  • Old Strathcona (Whyte Avenue): the lively arts district with theatres, bookshops, cafes and restaurants.
  • West Edmonton Mall: one of the largest shopping and entertainment complexes in North America, with a water park and an indoor ice rink.
  • Elk Island National Park: about 35 km east of the city, a protected area where plains bison and wood bison roam, and a Dark Sky Preserve.
  • Jasper National Park: the Canadian Rockies are roughly four hours’ drive west, an ideal trip before or after the conference.
The glass pyramids of the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton
Muttart Conservatory. Photo: WinterE229 WinterforceMedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
High Level Bridge crossing the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton
High Level Bridge. Photo: WinterE229 WinterforceMedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Plains bison grazing in Elk Island National Park near Edmonton
Plains bison at Elk Island National Park. Photo: Khoshhat, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Visitor figures: Explore Edmonton. Photos are from Wikimedia Commons and are credited under their open licences.