General information

• Bulletin board
• Map of the conference site
• Visas and passports
• Travel
• Conference language
• Transportation
• Weather
• Currency and taxes
• Electricity
• Contact information

Bulletin board

Do you have a question about the Conference or your stay in England? Would you like to meet new friends before Manchester? Visit the IFUW Bulletin Board Conference Forum.

Map of the conference site

A map of the Fallowfield Campus of Manchester University, site of the IFUW Conference, is available here. A large number of Conference activities will be held at the Armitage Centre. On-site accommodation is available in Richmond Park Hall (5 minute walk to Armitage Centre) and Woolton Hall (10 minute walk to Armitage Centre).

Visas and passports

European Union nationals and Swiss nationals require only a valid identity card for entry into the United Kingdom (UK). All other conference participants must have a valid passport from their country of origin and all necessary visas. Neither IFUW nor the Local Arrangement Committee can accept any responsibility for payment of passport or visa application fees.

UK Visa Application Information

All conference participants requiring a visa should apply for one well in advance (list of nationals requiring a visa to visit the UK). Please check with your nearest British mission, embassy or consulate for application requirements and deadlines. Do not wait until the last minute.

An overview of the visa application process, together with the application forms, can be found on the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website.

In addition to submitting the visa application form, visa applicants will need to provide the following documentation to support their application form:

• Evidence of where they will be staying in the UK
  If accommodation has already been confirmed, evidence should be provided of this. Otherwise, evidence should be provided to show that they can afford to pay for accommodation once in the UK.


• Evidence of how they will pay for their flights and how they will be financially
  maintained in the UK
  If a friend or relative is paying, that friend or relative should provide a covering letter explaining their connection to the visa applicant, together with a copy of their most recent bank statement. If bank statements cannot be provided, then applicants should provide some other evidence to show they can meet the costs of the trip.


• Evidence that they will leave the UK after the Conference
  Please note that a return ticket on its own would not be sufficient evidence. It is therefore advisable to not purchase a non-refundable ticket before the visa has been confirmed. Suitable evidence could be a letter from their employer confirming they will be returning to a job, or a letter from their university confirming that they will be returning to a course of studies.

Non-visa nationals should also be prepared to provide all the above documents on arrival to the UK. However, they may, if they wish, apply for a visit visa voluntarily before traveling to the UK. This would be particularly advisable if they have been previously denied entry to the UK.

Direct links to visa application forms and related information:

• List of nationals requiring a visa to visit the UK
• List of British missions, embassies, high commissions and consulates
• UK visa application forms and guidance notes
• Frequently asked questions concerning applying for a visa

If you cannot download these materials, your nearest British mission, embassy, high commission or consulate will be able to provide visa applications forms and information free of charge.

Transit Visas for Other Countries

All conference participants transiting through another country must check with the authorities of that country to see whether a transit visa is required. This also applies for those who do not require a visa for the UK.

Confirmation Letters

Official letters confirming participation in the Conference will only be sent to participants once they have enrolled and paid. These will be sent automatically together with the receipt of payment.

Contact information

For any visa related enquiries, please contact 2007visas@ifuw.org.

Travel

Manchester has an international airport 10 miles south of the city with direct flights from many countries, and connecting flights from London. It is also easy to reach by rail (Manchester Piccadilly Rail Station) or road. Taxis from the airport should cost about £15. There are official taxi ranks outside the airport. Be sure to check the fare before starting the journey. Liverpool, an hour's drive away, has an alternative airport with both bus and rail links with Manchester.

If you are traveling within the UK before or after the Conference it is probably worth booking seats on trains or buses in advance as it is often much cheaper, particularly during school summer holidays.

Conference language

English will be the working language of the Conference. Simultaneous interpretation will not be provided, as the necessary number of enrolments of Spanish and French speaking members was not reached by 1 May.

Transportation

There are several buses running between Fallowfield (University of Manchester) and Manchester city centre. Single fare tickets range from 60p to 110p. In addition, there are day tickets for £3 and weekly tickets for £9. Both the day and the week tickets offer unlimited travel for the period of validity.

Weather

Manchester's weather in August is typical of the English climate: mild and changeable. Daily temperatures range between 19ºC/66ºF and 12ºC/54ºF. An umbrella and light raincoat are recommended, as occasional rain showers are possible.

Currency and taxes

Currency: Pound sterling (symbol £, banking code GBP)

There are 100 pence to one pound sterling (£). Notes come in £5, £10, £20 and £50 denominations; coins come in 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2.

Banking hours: Banks generally open between 0930 and 1630, although actual hours are decided by individual banks. All banks close on weekends and public holidays.

VAT: Value Added Tax is a 17.5% tax charged on most goods bought in shops and is included in the price.