Information for Journalists

Press Registration Requirement
Online Press Registration
Visa Requirements
Press Credentials Pick-Up
Press Room Arrangements
Program of Seminars
Interview Requests
Photo Opportunities for TV and Still Photos
Availability of Still Photos and Video Clips
Television Transmission and Facilities
Satellite Trucks
Press Conferences
Contact Information

Press Registration Requirement

All working press must have Annual Meetings credentials to attend the meetings.

Requests for media accreditation will be denied if applicants cannot establish they are professional journalists.

To be accredited:

• Journalists in the Washington area must have press credentials issued by either the White House, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the House and Senate Press Gallery, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the USIA Foreign Press Center.
  
  
• Journalists based outside Washington must have:
1. Press credentials issued by national or local authorities;
   
   OR
   
   
2. Clear evidence that you are on assignment from a specific news organization or publication. This applies to all freelancers, including photographers. A valid assignment letter from that news organization, or publication, is required. Photographic agencies must provide clear evidence from a client news organization or publication.

Submissions should be sent to:

Press Registration
Email: press@imf.org
Fax: +1 202-623-4004

If such credentials are not held, or are in question, it will be at the discretion of the IMF and World Bank to determine whether access to the Annual Meetings is granted.

The IMF or World Bank will not be responsible for journalists' travel costs and/or other expenses.

Online Press Registration

Journalists who meet the requirements above should register on-line at https://www-amsweb-ext.imf.org/press-ext/reg.aspx.

Registration for press credentials will close on September 23, 2011.

The IMF or World Bank will not be responsible for journalists' travel costs and/or other expenses.

Visa Requirements

Journalists traveling from overseas to cover the Annual Meetings, who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States, are reminded that they will need to display a valid I visa to immigration officials at their port of entry into the U.S.

Before departure, participants are requested to obtain entry visas for the United States from the U.S. diplomatic or consular missions in their countries. The lack of a valid visa may cause authorities to deny boarding at the port of embarkation, as well as delays in clearance with immigration authorities upon arrival at the port of entry into the United States.

Participants should be aware that changes are being made to U.S. immigration procedures for certain countries, including some which are currently under the Visa Waiver Program. It is strongly recommended that all participants check with their nearest U.S. diplomatic or consular mission, or on the internet at http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html, for the procedures which will be in effect at the time of the Annual Meetings. If visas are required, applications should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time for processing.

Press Credentials Pick-Up

Journalists who have been approved for accreditation can pick up credentials starting at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, September 19, at the Press Registration Desk, located at 1850 I Street, NW, Washington, DC. You are required to present press credentials and photo identification.

The Annual Meetings press credentials grants access to the Press Room, press conferences and briefings in IMF Headquarters.

Representatives of Civil Society Organizations should visit Information for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) details on CSO accreditation.

Press Room Arrangements

The Press Room in the IMF Headquarters will open at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, September 19, and close on Sunday evening, September 25.

Technicians for financial news wires and other accredited news organizations may arrange for advanced access to the IMF Headquarters press room starting at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, September 19, through special arrangements with the IMF's Media Relations (media@imf.org).

The Press Room has limited space, and operates on a first come, first-served basis. Each desk will be equipped with power outlets and a telephone that enables only free local calls. Long-distance calls may be placed collect, or through telephone credit cards. The Press Room provides wireless (Wi-Fi) access for personal laptops.

Computers are not provided to journalists. However, a limited number of internet kiosks will be available in the Press Room. The Internet kiosks allow easy access to the IMF web site and World Bank Group web site. The web sites will have links to a joint Annual Meetings' site containing the schedule of press events, as well as transcripts, news releases, and other information as it becomes available.

Interview Requests

IMF and World Bank media relations divisions handle requests for interviews with IMF and World Bank officials during the Meetings. However, the press officers do not service interview requests for official delegations to the Meetings. Those requests must be made directly to the delegations.

Photo Opportunities for TV and Still Photos

There will be photo opportunities at the start of ministerial committee meetings (e.g. International Monetary and Financial Committee and Development Committee), which may be pooled depending on demand.

Photojournalists are requested to assemble 15 minutes prior to the event at the IMF/World Bank Press Desk in the Press Room.

Availability of Still Photos and Video Clips

A selection of still photos in high resolution will be available after each event on the Annual Meetings web site and Flickr sites, www.flickr.com/photos/imfphoto (IMF) and www.flickr.com/worldbank (World Bank).

Broadcast quality video clips of selected press conferences including IMF events will be available for downloading at www.thenewsmarket.com. For inquiries contact Jennifer Beckman at the IMF on (202) 623-7165 or jbeckman@imf.org

For World Bank events, broadcast quality clips will be available for download at www.un.org/unifeed and on our World Bank FTP Server. For inquiries contact Mehreen Sheikh at the World Bank on (202) 458 7336 or msheikh1@worldbank.org.

Television Transmission and Facilities

To inquire about the limited video and audio transmission arrangements from IMF Headquarters, please send an email to media@imf.org, or a fax to [1] 202-623-6772. Inquiries should be submitted no later than Thursday, September 16, 2011.

Satellite Trucks

Broadcasters who would like to do live interviews may park their trucks on the street. Please contact Ms. Gwen Crump at the MPD (Metropolitan Police Department, contact number [1] 202-727-4383) for information regarding the exact location for parking the trucks.

Press Conferences

A tentative schedule of the press conferences is posted under Schedule of Events.

All press briefings are transcribed and posted on the external web sites of the IMF and World Bank Group as soon as possible. Most briefings will also be web cast live.

IMF Media Briefing Center

The Media Briefing Center offers advance access to embargoed IMF information. It is a password-protected site for working journalists only.

World Bank Online Media Briefing Center

The Media Briefing Center offers advance access to embargoed information of the World Bank. It is a password-protected site for working journalists only.

Contact Information

World Bank Press Office
Name	Contacts	Fax	E-mail
David Theis	+1 202 458-8626	+1 202 522-2632	dtheis@worldbank.org
Saskia Stegeman	+1 202 473-4227	+1 202 522-2632	sstegeman@worldbank.org
Natalia Cieslik (Broadcast)	+1 202 458-9369	+1 202 522-2632	ncieslik@worldbank.org
Mehreen Sheikh (Broadcast)	+1 202 458-7336	+1 202 522-2632	msheikh1@worldbank.org
International Monetary Fund Press Office
Name	Contacts	Fax	E-mail
William Murray	+1 202 623-7064	+1 202 623-6772	wmurray@imf.org
Gita Bhatt	+1 202 623-7912	+1 202 623-6772	gbhatt@imf.org
Jennifer Beckman (Broadcast/Photos)	+1 202 623-7165	+1 202 623-6772	jbeckman@imf.org