A scientific programme is considered to be detailed when it contains per day:
- a detailed timetable (not only from 9.00am to 12 noon and from 1.00pm to 5.00pm but per units of 20 or 30 minutes, for example, or per topic), also mentioning the date of the meeting.
- and a detailed content (not only the nature of the sessions but also the title of each scientific topic and, if possible, the names of the speakers). The content must be sufficiently clear so that the Visa Bureau understands what it is about. If too much jargon or uncommon abbreviations are used, this should be clarified to enable the Visa Bureau to properly exercise its control powers.
Please note that only programs of a purely scientific nature in the context of the medical and pharmaceutical science are allowed (see FAQ 5.1).
The company may submit a request for a visa as long as the following is included at the time of the submission:
- the provisional programme as available at the moment of submission of the visa,
- the detailed programme of the previous edition,
- and a confirmation by the organiser (by email) or by the company of the date at which the detailed programme will be available. This date must be no later than three months before the event; the company will otherwise have to await the publication of the detailed programme before applying for a visa.
After having obtained a visa on this basis, it is incumbent on the company to verify that the detailed programme, once available, does not differ in any way from the previous application. If this were not to be the case, a new request for a visa would have to be submitted as a result of the substantial modification to the programme.
However, the above-mentioned does not apply:
- to events taking place for the first time
- to events organised by a company
- to visa requests concerning sponsorship of scientific organisers (V2).
In these cases the request for a visa should only be made once the detailed programme (provisional or definitive) is ready.
As far as meetings for investigators are concerned, it is important to briefly explain in the visa submission (or in an appendix) what the clinical trials consists of and its aims. If uncommon abbreviations are used in the summary of the programme, they must be explained. Some meetings for investigators are in fact so full of abbreviations that the Visa Bureau is not in a position to verify if the event is a purely scientific one.
If the scientific event is organised by a company (or by a third party on behalf of a company), no social or cultural activity may be organised – even if healthcare professionals participating are paying for any such activity.
If the event is organised by healthcare professionals or other associations independent of companies, it is allowed to organise a social or cultural event, but only on the condition that
- it is not part of the scientific program (e.g. not during the day, but in the evening after the scientific sessions ended), and
- it is financed from other funds than those issuing from medical devices or pharmaceutical companies.
For a definition, see Article 3.2 of the Code of Ethics.
A purely virtual scientific event is subject to a visa requirement if it takes place over several consecutive calendar days and if its registration fee is paid (cumulative conditions). In this case, a supporting document of the registration fee (price + what is included) must always be attached: for more info see FAQ 9.4.
In the case of purely virtual participation, the hospitality offered is limited to the registration fee (meals or other hospitality may under no circumstances be offered).
For purely virtual scientific meetings, there is no minimum number of hours of scientific activities. For example, a virtual scientific program of 4 hours may be spread over 2 hours on day X (from 6 pm to 8 pm) and another 2 hours on day X+1 (from 8 am to 10 am).