In the early stages of academic publishing, researchers often find themselves evaluating multiple conferences to determine the best fit for their work. If you’ve submitted your manuscript to an EI-indexed conference but haven’t registered yet, you may wonder whether you're allowed to send the same paper to another conference. Technically, yes — but only under strict conditions.
Before registration, you're not legally bound by most conferences, but this does not exempt you from academic integrity policies. Most conferences require that submissions are original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere — even before registration.
Submitting the same manuscript to multiple conferences simultaneously is known as one-paper-multiple-submission, a practice strongly discouraged in the academic community. Even if no formal agreement or payment has been made, your initial submission still signals intent and exclusivity.
If both conferences discover the duplication, this can result in withdrawals, blacklisting, or damage to your research reputation. Therefore, even if you haven’t paid the registration fee for an EI conference, you must wait until your paper is rejected or formally withdrawn before resubmitting elsewhere.
To navigate this situation:
Confirm the review status of your initial submission. If it hasn’t entered peer review, withdrawal is often easier.
Withdraw the paper officially from the first conference before submitting it elsewhere.
Keep detailed records of all submission statuses and dates to ensure transparency.
Use platforms like iconf.org to explore suitable alternative conferences and timelines for future submissions.
While it may be tempting to maximize your chances of publication by sending your work to several conferences at once, academic publishing values integrity above all. Even in the pre-registration phase of EI conference submission, researchers should act responsibly and avoid violating submission policies.
For trusted submission guidelines, academic workflows, and updated conference listings, visit iconf.org — your reliable hub for scholarly participation.