Acceptance:

Each applicant for ordinary membership must be nominated by two ordinary members, where possible from their own country, and shall complete and lodge with the Secretary-Treasurer within 60 days of the Council Meeting an appropriate application form provided by the Secretary-Treasurer. The president will make recommendations to the Council following distribution of the forms to council members. Acceptance of an applicant requires a unanimous vote from Council. The names of successful candidates will be announced at the closing ceremony. Each newly elected member will receive an official notice of his/her election, a copy of the Articles and By-Laws of the Association and a certificate of membership bearing the seal of the Association, signed by the President and the Secretary-Treasurer.

It shall be the duty of each Ordinary member to attend regularly by the congress of the Association in order to participate in the scientific programme and to uphold the ideals of the Association.

Resignation:

Ordinary Member may resign from the Association by tendering a letter of resignation and paying in full any dues or obligations owing to the Association at the time. No portion of the dues is refundable.

Lapse of membership:

Ordinary membership shall lapse if dues are unpaid for six years, or if more than two successive congresses are unattended unless because of health or other reason acceptable to Council. No membership will be considered to have lapsed without prior action of Council and notice must be provided to the member in writing of the Council's decision.

Reinstatement:

A member whose membership has lapsed may apply in writing to the Secretary-Treasurer for reinstatement, which may be granted by Council after considering all the evidence. Reinstatement may be possible if all unpaid dues are paid within 12 months of lapse of membership. Notice must be provided to the member in writing of the Council's decision.

Waiving of Dues :

Ordinary members who have reached the age of 65 years and have retired completely from surgical practice may apply to Council for reduction of waiving of dues.

 Honorary Member

Honorary membership shall be conferred to distinguished members of the Association or non-members who have achieved prominence in the field of thoracic and/or cardiovascular surgery and have contributed to scientific sessions of the congress and to the training and development of cardiovascular surgery in Asia . They shall be nominated by the President and elected by a majority vote of Council. They shall not be eligible for election to any office of the Association and are not subject to dues.

 Associate Member

Those surgeons categorized in Article 3. The rules for acceptance are otherwise identical to those for ordinary member. They cannot be elected to any office but are subject to dues.

The three officers of the Association shall be nominated and seconded for office by Council members at a council meeting and are elected by a majority vote.

The councilor elected as President shall preferably come from the country hosting the congress.

The position of President-Elect shall be reserved for the council member representing the host country for the next congress, at which time he/she shall be eligible for election to the position of President.

The councilor elected as Secretary-Treasurer shall preferably come from the same country as the President.