Gemini Visiting Instrument Program

The Gemini Visiting Instrument Program (VIP) was developed to allow investigators to bring their innovative instruments and get access to either or both Gemini Telescopes. The VIP runs based on the scientific community's instrumentation needs and helps the Gemini Observatory adapt to agile instrument program planning. We accept a broad range of instruments: from small to large instruments, from existing instruments to new ones built from scratch, from instruments for one time visit to those for multi-semester visit. To be accepted as a visiting instrument at Gemini Observatory, instruments need to show their uniqueness and provide records or predictions of the large science return from their previous facilities. Principal investigators of the possible visiting instruments must demonstrate their instruments' competitiveness via regular telescope time allocation process. In this contribution we present the current status and plans of visiting instruments at Gemini Observatory.