Civil society organizations which are not registered may still participate in specific OAS conferences under the Guidelines approved by the Permanent Council in Resolution CP/RES. 759.  CSOs must send a letter to the OAS General Secretariat indicating their interest in participating in a specific conference.  The letter should be sent to:

Secretary General
Organization of American States
MNB-20
17th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20006, 
U.S.A.

The letter must clearly indicate the conference or event of interest to the CSO.  The General Secretariat requires the following information in all applications from CSOs seeking to register with the OAS:

1. The primary area of activity and areas of the OAS where the organization sees the most compatibility and potential for contribution to the work of the OAS.
2. Reasons why the organization believes its proposed contributions to OAS activities would be of interest to the OAS.
3. Identification of the OAS work areas in which the organization proposes to support on-going activities or to make recommendations on the best way to achieve OAS objectives.
4. The application letter should also include:

• The official name, address, and date of establishment of the organization
• The names of directors and legal representatives
• The CSO's Charter or Constitution
• Statutes
• Most recent Annual Report
• Institutional Mission Statement
• Financial Statements for the previous fiscal year, including reference to public and private sources of financing.  This information must include a listing of sources of financing and donations received, including, in particular, those originating from government sources.  Those organizations that are not membership-based shall also provide a listing of sources of financing and any donations received, including in particular, those originating from government sources.

Upon receipt, the Secretary General sends the application to the Summits of the Americas Secretariat for review.  The Summits of the Americas Secretariat confirms that all the required and supporting documents mentioned above have been included in the request.   

If the application is complete, the Committee on Inter-American Summits Management and Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities (CISC) of the Permanent Council examines the request ensuring compliance with the Guidelines in CP/RES. 759 and generates recommendations on eligibility for participation.  The CISC will then make a recommendation to the OAS organ responsible for the specific conference, which will then make the final decision and notify the civil society organization of its decision.