FAQ

Registration for the Toastmasters International Convention opens in early 2025. Please note, volunteers and special groups must wait to receive their unique invitation to register emails.

Toastmasters is excited to host the 2025 International Convention at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown and the Pennsylvania Convention Center in historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, from Wednesday, August 20 through Saturday, August 23, 2025. Please note, both venues are connected by an indoor skybridge for a short and convenient commute to sessions.

Philadelphia Marriott Downtown (Host Hotel and Event Venue)
1201 Market Street, (guest entrance at 1200 Filbert Street).
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 19107

Pennsylvania Convention Center (Event Venue)
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 19107

A hotel booking link will be made available in early 2025. Toastmasters will release more information on the discounted hotel rate once available. To take advantage of the best room rate, please refrain from booking accommodations prior to the release of the Toastmasters booking link.

No. Registration for the 2025 International Convention is on a first-come, first-served basis; therefore, it is recommended that you make airfare or hotel reservations after receiving confirmation on your convention registration.

More detailed travel information will be available once registration has been opened to attendees. Provided below is information regarding the nearest airport to the hotel. For more information on the various travel options into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, please click on the link below:
https://www.visitphilly.com/getting-here/

Philadelphia International Airport (10 Miles from Property)
8500 Essington Ave
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 19153

The convention will take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and all events and activities will be in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)/Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) -4, which is the local time in Philadelphia. For your convenience, a time zone converter will be listed at the top of each agenda page.

United States Visa Waiver Program

The Visa Waiver Program enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Please refer to this website to determine if you are from a Visa Waiver Program participating country.

Travelers under the Visa Waiver Program must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and have the correct type of passport prior to boarding a U.S.-bound air or sea carrier. You may apply for a valid ESTA at this website and confirm if you have the appropriate type of passport.

Applying for a United States Visa

If your country of citizenship does not fall under the Visa Waiver Program, you will need to apply for a United States visa. You may refer to this website for more general information about United States visas.

Generally speaking, applying for a United States visa consists of three (3) main steps:

1. Completing the necessary paperwork for your visa application
2. Making an appointment at your local United States Embassy or Consulate
3. Attending your visa application appointment

The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary by U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

The main visa application form that you will need to complete to begin your visa application process is called a DS-160. Please refer to this website for more information about this form and how to appropriately complete it.

Electronically submitting your DS-160 online application is only the first step in the visa application process. Once you have electronically submitted your DS-160 online application, you must contact the embassy or consulate at which you wish to apply to confirm whether you need to be interviewed by a consular officer, and to schedule an interview. You can find a list of U.S. embassies and consulates here, with links to their websites where you can find information about scheduling a visa interview appointment.

Visa Appointment Wait Times

Advance travel planning and early visa application are important. Please refer to this site for more information on how long the expected wait time is at your local United States Embassy or Consulate.

A Letter of Invitation may help to support your visa application. Please click Request Letter to submit your request.

Note: This year, there are two letters of invitation. It may be beneficial for your visa application to submit both letters of invitation.

To become a Helping Hand convention volunteer, click here to learn more and express interest. This step does not automatically secure your position as a volunteer. Once the unique Helping Hands volunteer registration opens, we will send you a special invitation to register as a Helping Hand. You will then be able to register. Volunteer opportunities are limited and based on a first-come, first-served basis.

Do you have an amazing talent for capturing a crowd? Be considered to present at an upcoming Toastmasters event by filling out this form and submitting a captivating video. We welcome dynamic moderators, panelists, education speakers, keynotes, comedians, and more, who have experience addressing large international audiences, either in person or online (or both). Join the speaking elite of Toastmasters presenters; apply today here!

Toastmasters International invites you and your company to take part in a growing global showcase experience: present your products or services in front of thousands of communication enthusiasts from around the world! Submit your form here.

At this time, all convention attendees must be at least 18 years of age to attend the 2025 International Convention. Due to the nature of the event, Toastmasters International does not prohibit any speech topic, content, or language, as we recognize attendees may learn much about the world around them from listening to others speaking on a variety of subjects. For these reasons, Toastmasters International requires attendees to be adults at least 18 years of age.

As further details are finalized for the 2025 International Convention, additional FAQs will be added to this page. If you have any questions, please email conventionregistration@toastmasters.org.