International Visitors

FREE BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS

The U.S. Commercial Service wants to help you, the International Buyer, find American suppliers of quality products and services at the International Franchise Expo 2009. Located in most American embassies and consulates, your local U.S. Commercial Service office can help you get the most out of visiting the International Franchise Expo 2009. If you are planning to visit the International Franchise Expo 2009 as a representative of a qualified company*, you are automatically eligible to attend under the auspices of the U.S. Commercial Service as part of an official Embassy/Consulate Delegation – even if you prefer to travel alone. Here are just some of the advantages you will receive:

Benefits Available to Delegation Members
  • Free show admission to exhibits
  • 50% off symposia rates
  • Free Matchmaking
  • Free assistance arranging and scheduling appointments with U.S. exhibitors and companies before and during the show
  • Access to International Business Center, including separate registration area to pick up badges and meeting rooms to meet with exhibitors
  • Complimentary Invitations to 2 Cocktail Receptions
  • Assistance with travel and hotel bookings
  • Free assistance with logistics at the show
  • Friendly, local language support






 
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTER HOURS:
(Located near the general registration area just inside the 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW, entrance to the convention center)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
 
Contact the US Commercial Service Department in your country to learn more about joining an official embassy/consulate delegation and how the U.S. Commercial Service in your country can help you. See the list of Promoting Commercial Service Departments below. If you cannot find your country on this list, click here to connect to the Commercial Service office in your country.

IMPORTANT VISA/PASSPORT INFORMATION
Please be sure to check the current requirements and restrictions for traveling to the US from your country. The recommended first source of up-to-date visa information is www.travel.state.gov or unitedstatesvisas.gov.
* Qualified companies are firms that do business outside the United States and whose purpose in attending this trade show is to find U.S. suppliers of goods or services.

US CONSULATE GENERAL  
Melbourne, Australia
Kate Wilkie, Commercial Specialist
61 3 9526 5927
61 3 9510 4660
kate.wilkie@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/australia
US EMBASSY  
Brussels, Belgium
Stephane P. Croigny, Commercial Advisor
3202-508-2456
3202-512-6653
stephane.croigny@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/belgium
US EMBASSY  
Sofia, Bulgaria
Emily Taneva, Commercial Specialist
359-2963-2014
359-2980-6850
emily.taneva@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/bulgaria/en/
US CONSULATE GENERAL  
Vancouver, Canada
Cheryl Schell, Commercial Specialist
604-642-6679
604-687-6095
cheryl.schell@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/canada
US EMBASSY  
Santiago, Chile
Veronica Pinto, Commercial Advisor
56-2-330-3369
56-2-330-3172
veronica.pinto@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/chile
US CONSULATE GENERAL  
Guangzhou, China
Cathy Wang, Commercial Specialist
8620-8667-4011 x16
8620-8666-6409
Cathy.Wang@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/china
US EMBASSY  
Beijing, China
Shen Yan, Commercial Assistant
8610-8529-6655 x 826
8610-8529-6558
yan.shen@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/china
AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL  
Shanghai, China
Tara Qu, Commercial Representative
86-21-6279-7640
86-21-6279-7639
tara.qu@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/china/zh/
US EMBASSY  
Chengdu, China
Tang Fangqiang, Senior Commercial Specialist
86-28-85583992ext.6720
86-28-85589221
Fangqiang Tang/CHINA/USFCS/USDOC@USDOC
US EMBASSY  
San Jose, Costa Rica
Roy Fernandez, Commercial Assistant
506-519-2263
506-231-4783
roy.fernandez@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/costarica
US EMBASSY  
Praha, Czech Republic
Jana Ruckerova, Commercial Specialist
420 257 022 310
420 257 022 810
Jana.Ruckerova@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/czechrepublic
US EMBASSY  
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Kabangu Nkandamana, Commercial Specialist
243 81 8801757
KabanguNX@state.gov
www.usembassy.state.gov/kinshasa
U.S. EMBASSY  
Copenhagen, Denmark
Sabina Krøigaard, Commercial Specialist
45 3341 7202
45 3542 0175
sabina.kroigaard@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/denmark
FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE  
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Maria Elena Portorreal, Regional Sr. Commercial Specialist
809-227-2121 x225
809-920-0267
maria.elenaportorreal@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/caribbean/en/
US EMBASSY  
Quito, Ecuador
Silvia Moreno, Commercial Specialist
593 2 256 1404
593 2 250 4550
Silvia.Moreno@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/ecuador
US EMBASSY  
Cairo, Egypt
Cherine Maher, Commercial Assistant
20-2-7952688
20-2-7958368
cherine.maher@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/egypt
US EMBASSY  
San Salvador, El Salvador
Lidia Sosa, Commercial Assistant
503-278-4444
503-501-2073
lidia.sosa@mail.doc.gov
AMERICAN EMBASSY  
Helsinki, Finland
Mia Maki, Commercial Specialist
358-9-6162-5140
358-9-6162-5130
mia.maki@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/finland
US EMBASSY  
Paris, France
Rose Marie Faria, Commercial Specialist
331-43-12-21-49
331-43-12-21-72
RoseMarie.Faria@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/france
AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL  
Munich, Germany
Dagmar Winkler-Helmdach, Commercial Specialist
49-89-2888769
49-89-285261
dagmar.winkler-helmdach@mail.doc.gov
ww.buyusa.gov/germany
AMERICAN EMBASSY  
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Rossana Lobo, Commercial Specialist
504-238-5114 x4842
504-238-2888
rossana.lobo@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/honduras
AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL  
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Ms. Swee-keng Cheong, Commercial Specialist
852 2521 5233
852 2845 9800
swee-keng.cheong@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/hongkong
U.S. EMBASSY REYKJAVIK  
Reykjavik, Iceland
Fiona Evans and Arnar Sigurdsson, Economic and Commercial Officer
354-562-9100, ext. 2295
evansfs@state.gov and SigurdssonAB@state.gov
US EMBASSY  
New Delhi, India
Smita Joshi, U.S. Commercial Service
91-11- 2331-6841
91-11-2331-5172
Smita.Joshi@mail.doc.gov
US EMBASSY  
Dublin, Ireland
Finola Cunningham, Commercial Specialist
353-1-667-4753
353-1-667-4754
finola.cunningham@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/ireland
U.S. EMBASSY  
Tokyo, Japan
Chris Y. Ono, Commercial Specialist
81-3-3224-5074
81-3-3224-5320
chris.ono@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/japan
US EMBASSY  
Seoul, Korea
Grace Sung, Commercial Specialist
82-2-397-4324
82-2-739-1628
grace.sung@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/korea
US EMBASSY  
Riga, Latvia
Guntars Vicmanis, Commercial Specialist
371 6703-6291
371 6782-0047
guntars.vicmanis@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/Baltics
www.usembassy.lv
U.S. EMBASSY  
Awkar, Lebanon
Naaman Tayyar, Senior Commercial Specialist
961-4-544860
961-4-541788
Naaman.Tayyar@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/lebanon/en/
AMERICAN EMBASSY  
Mexico City, Mexico
Martha Sanchez, Commercial Assistant
52 55 5140 2621
52 55 5566 1111
martha.sanchez@mail.doc.gov
www.BuyUSA.gov/mexico/en
AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL  
Monterrey, Mexico
Manuel Velazquez, Commercial Assistant
52 81 8345 2120 x373
52 81 8343 4440
manuel.velazquez@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/mexico
US CONSULATE GENERAL  
Lagos, Nigeria
Anayo Agu, Sr. Commercial Specialist
234-1-2610241
234-1-2619856
anayo.agu@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/nigeria
US EMBASSY  
Panama, Panama
J. Enrique Tellez, Senior Trade Specialist
507-207-7080
507-317-1658
enrique.tellez@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/panama
US EMBASSY  
Asunción, Paraguay
Beatriz Schaerer, Commercial Specialist
595-21-213715
595-21-208315
schaererb@state.gov
www.buyusa.gov
AMERICAN EMBASSY  
Manila, Philippines
Dey Robles, Commercial Specialist
632-888-4088
632-888-6606
dey.robles@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/philippines
AMERICAN EMBASSY  
Lisbon, Portugal
Celeste Conde, Trade Specialist
351-21-770-2527
351-21-726-8914
celeste.conde@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/portugal
US EMBASSY  
Bucharest, Romania
Corina Gheorghisor, Commercial Assistant
40-12-200-3397
40-21-316-0690
Corina.Gheorghisor@mail.doc.gov
AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL  
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Maher Siblini, Commercial Specialist
966-1-488-3800
966-1-488-3237
maher.siblini@.mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/saudiarabia/en/
US EMBASSY  
Serbia
Boris Popovski, Commercial Specialist
381-11-306-4752
381-11-361-7582
boris.popovski@mail.doc.gov
http://www.buyusa.gov/serbia/en/
US EMBASSY  
Singapore
Chia Swee Hoon, Senior Commercial Specialist
65-6476-9037
65-6476-9080
sweehoon.chia@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/singapore
US COMMERCIAL SERVICE  
Johannesburg, South Africa
Miranda Isaakidis, Administrative Specialist
27-11-778-4811
27-11-268-6102
Miranda.Isaakidis@mail.doc.gov
http://www.ussatrade.co.za
http://www.buyusa.com
U.S. EMBASSY  
Johannesburg, South Africa
Maretha Malan, U.S. Commercial Service
27 11 778 4817
27 11 268 6101
Miranda Isaakidis/SOUTHAFRICA/USFCS/USDOC@USDOC
http://www.ussatrade.co.za
AMERICAN EMBASSY  
Madrid, Spain
Helen Crowley, Int'l Trade Specialist
3491-3081548
3491-5630859
helen.crowley@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/spain
US EMBASSY  
Bern, Switzertland
Maria (Lupita) Pamich, Commercial Specialist
41-31-357 7345
41-31-3577336
maria.pamich@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.ch
AMERICAN EMBASSY  
Bangkok, Thailand
Pramot Wongvarnrungruang, Commercial Specialist
662-205-5090
662-255-2915
Pwongvar@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/thailand/
U.S. EMBASSY  
Tunis, Tunisia
Sami Aouadhi, Senior Economic/Commercial Specialist
(216) 71-107-231
(216) 71-107-090
aouadhis@state.gov
AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL  
Istanbul, Turkey
Ebru Olcay, Commercial Specialist
90 212 355 9040
90 212 335 9103
ebru.olcay@mail.doc.gov
www.csturkey.com
US CONSULATE  
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Anne de Souza, Commercial Specialist
971-4-311-6111
971-4-311-6140
anne.desouza@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/uae/en
US EMBASSY  
London, United Kingdom
Marcella Marcheso, Commercial Specialist
020 7894-0433
020 7408- 8020
marcella.marcheso@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/uk
US EMBASSY  
Caracas, Venezuela
Adriana Sierra, Commercial Specialist
(58212) 907-8425
(58212) 975-9643
Adriana.Sierra@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/venezuela
US EMBASSY  
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Le Anh, U.S. Commercial Service
(84-8)-825-0490 (ext. 30) 84-8-8229533
(84-8)-825-0491
Le.Anh@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/vietnam