Official Language

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The Meeting official language is English.

 

Tourism

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For tourist information, visit https://visitporto.travel/en-GB and http://www.portoenorte.pt/en/.

 

Preparing your Trip

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Visa and Letter of Invitation

If you need a visa to attend the ESCV 2026 Annual Meeting, please apply as soon as possible. All delegates requiring an invitation letter for visa application purposes may request it by email to escv2026registration@escv2026.org

Letters of invitation will not be issued without receiving the registration and payment of the required registration fees. Please note that the organizers will not be able to contact or intervene with any embassy or consulate office on behalf of a delegate. Should your visa application be declined, you can send a request for a full refund of the registration fees to the ESCV 2026 Registration Secretariat by e-mail at escv2026registration@escv2026.org before 17th June 2026. A scanned copy of the visa decline letter should be attached to your request. For requests received as from 17th June  2026, the cancellation policy for general meeting registrations will apply.

 

Climate

September temperature in Porto usually ranges from 14ºC / 57F (low) to 24ºC / 75F (high). Rain may occur, but it’s unlikely this time of the year. Porto is located by the river and the ocean, so expect wind in the evening. Don’t forget to bring a jacket.

 

Currency

The local currency is euro (€).

 

Tipping

Tipping in restaurants and cafes is voluntary, but welcome. If you choose not to tip, it is also acceptable and not frowned upon.

 

Electric Current

The Portuguese standard is the European 2-pin socket, 220 volts AC at 50 cycles.

 

Hotel Check-in/out

Policy The usual check-in time at hotels is 15:00 and check-out time is noon.

Check your booking information in advance.

 

Local Time

Mainland Portugal time in September is Western European Summer Time (WEST), due to Daylight Saving Time.

 

Language

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. English, Spanish, and French are also widely spoken.

 

Emergencies

The national emergency phone number is 112.

Hotels have a doctor on call through reception.

 

Smoking

According to Portuguese law, it is not allowed to smoke on public transportation or in any closed public areas.

 

TAX Free

IVA (VAT - sales tax) is included in the price of products. Services usually also include VAT in the price, but make sure to ask.

For non-European Union residents, tax-free shopping schemes are available in many shops.