How Can We Help?
General Registration
Visa & Entry Requirements
- Can I get a visa on arrival?
- Can the Summit guarantee my visa approval?
- Do all attendees need a visa to travel to Panama?
- Do I need a transit visa?
- Do I need to register before applying for a visa?
- Do I need to visit a consulate or embassy?
- How do I get the Summit invitation letter?
- How long does the visa allow me to stay?
- Is there a special visa process for SBCC Summit participants?
- Is travel insurance required?
- What documents do I need for the visa application?
- What if my visa is denied?
- What should I bring when I travel to Panama?
- When should I start the visa process?
Hotels & Accommodation
Themes, spotlights and formats
- Do abstracts need to match a sub-theme spotlight?
- Do the two new formats require video?
- In the case of products that cross several thematic areas, is it better to choose a single subtopic?
- What are the session formats?
- What is the exact word/character limits per format?
- Which languages are accepted?
Eligibility & participation
- Are minors or participants under 18 allowed to attend the Summit?
- Are there age limits to attend?
- Can a private company submit?
- Can I come without an abstract?
- Can I submit as a team?
- How can I obtain a certificate confirming my participation in the Summit?
- Is 18–35 an eligibility requirement for the youth focused theme?
- Is it possible to submit abstracts for projects that were terminated by USAID?
- What hotels near the Panama Convention Center are recommended?
- Where will the SBCC Summit 2026 be held?
- Will there be an option to present abstracts virtually?
Submissions & review
- Are abstracts Scopus-indexed?
- Can I review abstracts if I also submit one?
- Does “session organizer” mean a person or an organization?
- How many proposals can I submit?
- What goes in “Session Organizer” on the form?
- What is the submission deadline and when will we be notified?
- Will abstracts be published anywhere?
- Will reviewers move my abstract to a different format if it fits better?
- Will you check whether an abstract was written using AI?
- Will you review abstracts using AI?
Content expectations
Format-specific guidance
- Are abstracts submitted as videos or documents?
- Are English subtitles on the original language (other than English) audio acceptable, or is it mandatory to include English dubbing? Is this true for audio in Portuguese and French?
- Are there any time limits for media clips?
- For the Multimedia Showcase, can the maximum seven-minute clip be a reel edited specifically for the Summit, or must it be a literal excerpt from the finished product?
- For the Multimedia Showcase, how important is the technical quality of the audiovisual product compared to its thematic relevance and contribution to the field of SBCC?
- How will posters be presented?
- If a person is the main author of a Multimedia Showcase proposal, can they also participate as a co-author in a panel or other format?
- If selected, will the video be available on any Summit platform and what usage rights will the authors retain?
- What are skills-building workshops?
- What is a multimedia showcase?
- What will be considered under the “Failing Better: From Oops to Aha” format?
- What will be considered under the “Stories that Flip the Script” format?
Funding, fees, and visas
Travel & Transportation
Program & Presenter Guidelines
- Are slides required for 10-Minute Stories That Flip the Script?
- Are teleprompters available?
- Can I update my presentation after uploading it?
- Can I use my organization’s branding in my presentation?
- Can multimedia presentations include multiple video or audio segments?
- Can presentations include interactive elements?
- Do I have to use the official Summit template?
- Do I still need to bring my presentation with me?
- Do poster presenters also need to upload files?
- Do Skills-Building Sessions need to be interactive?
- How long are multimedia presentations?
- How long are Skills-Building Sessions?
- How long is each oral presentation?
- How many slides should I include?
- How much multimedia content can be included?
- What equipment will be available in presentation rooms?
- What file formats are accepted?
- What if I am presenting in more than one session?
- When do I need to upload my presentation?
- When should presenters arrive for their session?
- When will presenter guidelines be available?
- When will the Summit program be available?
- Where do I upload my presentation?
- Why do I need to upload in advance?
- Will there be time for Q&A?
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Guided Tour of Soberanía National Park
- Do participants need to complete the entire trail?
- How difficult is the hike?
- How do I get to the Panama Convention Center for the tour?
- How long is the trail?
- How many participants can join the tour?
- Is transportation included?
- What happens if it rains?
- What is Soberanía National Park?
- What is the Plantation Trail?
- What kinds of wildlife might participants see?
- What should participants bring?
- What should participants wear to the hike?
- What time is the guided tour?
- What time should participants arrive?
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When should I start the visa process?
Updated
You should begin as soon as possible after registering, booking your hotel, and reserving your flight. The Summit recommends applying by May 15 to allow sufficient processing time.
