Addressing Attendance Issues for RecSys 2026

This document is intended to address questions by authors who are having unforeseen difficulty attending RecSys 2026. This applies primarily to people who are experiencing visa denials or delays beyond the start of the conference, but the same policies and procedures apply to medical restrictions, family emergencies, etc.

Policy

• All authors are expected to register for the conference.
• Authors who fail to register will have their papers removed from the conference proceedings and program.
• RecSys 2026 is an in-person conference; all authors are expected to make and document every good-faith effort necessary to present their work in person at the conference.
• Authors who, despite a good faith effort, are unable to attend the conference may be given an opportunity to have their work presented at the conference.
• We also want to remind you that registration can be transferred to a co-author in the event the originally-presenting author is unable to attend but the co-author can attend.
• Exception. These rules apply to the authors of work accepted to the main RecSys 2026 conference. Authors of work accepted to RecSys workshops, including the RecSys Challenge, should contact the organizers of those workshops if they will have issues attending in person. Workshop organizers have the discretion to set their own policies for this matter.

Procedure

• Authors who meet one or more of the following criteria should apply to request permission for remote or alternative presentation at: z.umn.edu/recsys26exception. A separate form is needed for each presentation (for authors with multiple presentations or posters). Please note the required timeframe:
  • If you experience a visa denial, please apply as soon as the visa denial is confirmed.
  • If you are unable to get a visa interview in time for the conference, please apply by September 22, 2026.
  • If you have applied for a visa but have received no response, please apply by September 24, 2026.
  • If you have a family emergency, medical limitation, or other reason you cannot attend, please apply as soon as you know of the limitation.
  • Finally, we want to remind you that ACM and the RecSys 2026 team do not have the ability to change the decisions of US authorities; we can provide visa invitation letters (through the registration system) but have no other way to facilitate visa requests.
• You must submit a recorded video of the conference presentation (for oral presentations) or a PDF of the conference poster (for poster presentations) as supplemental material in the ACM TAPS system.
• The confirmation screen of the request form will request that you email documentation of your inability to attend, of your efforts (as appropriate). This is required!
• Authors of papers scheduled for oral presentation who are approved for non-attendance will be asked to do the following (in order of preference):
  • In-person presentation by a co-author or another individual knowledgeable enough about the work to not only present it, but also to answer questions about it. If needed, the registered author may transfer registration to such a substitute presenter (with adjustments needed if, for example, the registered author was a student or received a discounted rate).
  • Live remote presentation by the author (via Zoom) with a backup of using the recorded presentation video.
  • Presentation of the recorded presentation video without a live presentation.
• Authors of papers scheduled for poster presentation who are approved for non-attendance will be asked to do the following:
  • Arrange the printing and delivery of the conference poster to the conference (see poster author instructions).
  • The poster will be hung on the designated day.
  • If there is someone attending with knowledge of the work, you may ask them to stand at the poster to present and take questions.