Badges
All delegates and accompanying persons will receive a name badge on site. The name badge is your ticket for booked activities and sessions. Admission to the Congress will not be permitted without badge identification.
Bank services
Banking hours: Monday-Friday 09.00 to 12.30 and 13.30 to 17.30.
All banks are closed at weekends and on public holidays. Banks at airports, ports and shopping malls are generally open longer. There are plenty of currency exchange offices and banks at which to change your money into Turkish lira (TRY). There are also some places which accept EUR or USD for shopping. We nonetheless recommend that you change your money into TRY.
EUR 1 = TRY 2.23 (25 July 2012)
USD 1 = TRY 1.82 (25 July 2012)
Certificate of attendance
All registered attendees, whether they register in advance or on site, will receive a certificate of attendance by e-mail within the week after the Congress. Please be aware that the use of a personal e-mail address for registration is mandatory for the issue of certificates.
Climate
The average temperature in June is around 25°C (73.4°F).
Cloakroom and storage
A cloakroom and luggage deposit located at the main entrance will be available during the official Congress time schedule. The congress centre and the organisers are not responsible for any items lost or left behind.
Congress language
The language spoken in Turkey is Turkish.
English is the official language of the meeting. There will be no simultaneous translation.
Currency & credit cards
The currency in Turkey is the Turkish Lira, TRY. A currency calculation can be found online at www.oanda.com.
Commonly-accepted credit cards in hotels, restaurants and shops are Visa and MasterCard. Restaurants and shops generally display signs indicating what cards they accept.
Disabled persons
The congress centre is easily accessible to disabled persons. Kindly address any request for special assistance to the Congress secretariat: MCI Schweiz AG, EFORTinfo@mci-group.com.
Electricity
The normal electric current in Turkey is 220 V AC / 50 Hz, and two-pin plugs and sockets are used so travellers using other systems should bring in their own adapters or transformers for electrical appliances such as hairdryers and shavers.
First aid
A first aid room is available at the congress centre. Please ask any staff member for help in case of need.
Food and refreshments
Lunch and refreshments are not included in the registration fee. You can buy lunch and refreshments in several catering areas within the congress centre.
Industry exhibition
The industry exhibition is open to pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers of medical and surgical equipment, software equipment and scientific publishers. The industry exhibition is located at the Istanbul Congress Center and will be open from 5 June to 7 June 2013 according to the session time-table. Interested companies are advised to contact the PCO at EFORTexhibition@mci-group.com.
Insurance
The organisers are not responsible for individual medical, travel or personal insurance. Participants and accompanying persons should arrange their own cover.
Internet connections
Workstations with an internet connection will be available during the Congress opening hours. Participants are kindly requested to limit internet usage to five minutes to allow as many participants as possible to use this service.
Letter of invitation
Those persons needing an official invitation letter in order to attend the Congress may contact EFORTinfo@mci-group.com specifying the necessary details. This service is designed only to assist participants who need to obtain a visa or permission to attend the Congress. It should not be considered as an official invitation covering fees or other expenses.
Liability disclaimer
The organisers cannot be held liable for any hindrance or disruption of Congress proceedings arising from political, social or economic events or any other unforeseen incidents beyond their control. The organisers will accept no liability for any personal injuries sustained or for loss or damage to property belonging to Congress participants, either during or as a result of the Congress. By registering, participants agree to be bound by these conditions.
Lost and found
For lost and found items, please refer to the cloakroom on site.
Mobile phones
Mobile phones are strictly prohibited during all scientific sessions.
No-smoking policy
Smoking is strictly prohibited during all meetings and sessions and in exhibition halls at all times.
Passport & visa requirements
Foreigners travelling to Turkey will need a passport and, for most countries, a visa to enter Turkey. Visas can be obtained either beforehand or on arrival at all entry points to Turkey. For detailed information about which countries need a visa and how you should apply, please find a preliminary list here. This is intended as a rough guide only. Detailed and up-to-date information should be obtained from www.mfa.gov.tr
EFORT will send invitation letters for visa purposes to registered participants only. To request an official letter of invitation for your visa application, be sure to have the following details information ready when processing your request: your full name as it appears on the passport and your passport number. EFORT will not be able to contact or intervene with any Turkish Embassy or Consulate office abroad on your behalf. Please start the visa application process as early as possible.
Disclaimer: This procedure is intended to assist participants who need to obtain a visa or permission to attend the EFORT Congress 2013 and is not an official invitation covering fees and/ or any other expenses or financial support for the conference. EFORT is not to be held responsible for the outcome of your visa application. Those persons needing an official invitation letter in order to attend the Congress may contact EFORTinfo@mci-group.com specifying the necessary details.
Registration on site
The registration and information desks will be located in the main entrance hall.
Shopping hours
Shops are open between 10.00 and 18.00 hrs on weekdays and weekends. Shops in the city centre have extended opening hours. The main shopping streets in the centre of Istanbul are: Nişantaşı, Bağdat Street, Istiklal Street. There are also lots of shopping malls all around the city that operate between 10.00-22.00 hrs every day.
Time zone
Istanbul is in the Eastern European time zone (EET), which is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (three hours ahead during Summer Time).