Dear BC members, Please find below an announcement posted yesterday on the ICANN web site: http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-29mar12-en.htm 29 March 2012 29 March TAS Registration Deadline The window has closed for anyone planning to apply for a new gTLD to register and submit a TLD application request. As of 25 March there were 839 registered users in the TLD Application System. This number will be updated. Why can't registrations be submitted after 29 March, when applications are being accepted until 12 April? Registration in TAS is the step in the process that occurs before you apply for a TLD. As stated in the Applicant Guidebook and subsequent announcements, the 29 March deadline was put in place to ensure applicants have sufficient time before the deadline of 23:59 UTC on 12 April 2012 to submit an application, which includes the following steps (as of 29 March steps 1-2 had to be completed for all qualified applicants): Steps 1.Applicant completes TAS user account information (user profile and applicant profile) 2.Applicant completes a TLD application request 3.ICANN conducts the Legal Compliance check (see Applicant Guidebook section 1.2.1 -- Eligibility) 4.Applicant submits USD 5000 registration fee 5.ICANN confirms receipt of the USD 5000 registration fee 6.Applicant completes and submits the full application and remaining evaluation fee amount of USD 180000 7.ICANN confirms receipt of the USD 180000 registration fee Once ICANN completes Step 3 we strongly encourage applicants to promptly complete Step 4 for all open application requests. Since no one can predict how long it may take for ICANN to receive wire transfers from your bank, you might experience delays in obtaining access to the areas within TAS necessary to complete your TLD application(s). Bank delays and the up to 5 business days it might take ICANN to reconcile your fee will impact how much time remains for you to complete and submit your final application, submit your final USD 180000 evaluation fee, and for ICANN to confirm receipt of that fee. Both the completed application and final fee must be received by ICANN no later than 23:59 UTC on 12 April 2012. Changes to Your Accounts or Applications 29 March was also the last day during the registration and application submission period to request any changes to your applicant profile. If you have a change to your profile (for instance, a new point of contact, or an updated address) it will not be processed until the end of the Administrative Completeness Check. The Administrative Completeness Check begins when the application window closes and lasts for approximately 8 weeks. At the end of Administrative Completeness Check (the beginning of the Initial Evaluation period) change requests will once again be processed. Glen de Saint Géry GNSO Secretariat gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org <mailto:gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org> http://gnso.icann.org