My dear Abbas, My last email isn't referring to the _usual_ application. I'm saying those documents should be there "in front" of the consular _before_ the applicant is there with his/her _usual_ application.
Rexford | Africa Center | wikiafrica.net | sent from Tab On Jan 13, 2014 11:55 AM, "Abbas Mahmood" <[email protected]> wrote: > > My dear Rexford, > > Please read my email again. I clearly used the word _application_. I am > very well aware of who processes and issues the visa. My point was that you > can not simply bend protocol and forward your application documents > directly to the embassy when there is a structure in place to do just that. > > Abbas. > > ------------------------------ > Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:50:41 +0200 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Wikimania-l] Question for the WM 2014 London team > > Well, don't be tricked! > > They have outsourced the COLLECTION of the visa from the public to vfs, > but it is the embassy that ISSUES the visa. > > The vfs people, EVERYDAY, send in applications they've received to the > embassy they work for. When the visa is processed and is ready, the vfs > people will go and collect from the embassy, and the applicant will go and > collect the issued visa from VFS, thinking the vfs people issued it. > > If the vfs people issue visa, then why don't the embassy close, after all > someone is doing the job? > > I was at the embassy, about 3 times, and I saw vfs car, bring in the > application. > > They've outsourced the collection, so that people don't overcrowd the > embassy residence all the times. > > For Ghana, that's how it is. For other countries, I have no idea. Perhaps, > the consular is resting, whiles vfs issues visa. > > Rexford | Africa Center | wikiafrica.net | sent from Tab > On Jan 13, 2014 11:08 AM, "Abbas Mahmood" <[email protected]> wrote: > > Most of the UK Embassies worldwide (including Ghana) outsource their visa > application handling to VFS Global, so sending the documents directly to > the Embassy won't work... > > Abbas. > > > ------------------------------ > Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2014 10:52:06 +0200 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Wikimania-l] Question for the WM 2014 London team > > In addition, there might be other better ways of handling issues for such > applicants wanting to attend the Wikimania other than just sending a signed > letter to be given to the embassy. > > Perhaps, the Wikimedia UK, sending specific details of those they've > awarded scholarship to the originating country's embassy will give the > embassy a fair idea of the one applying. > > Details like, passport details, itenary ticket, accommodation, length of > stay, arrangements to bring the attendee back, track record of returnees of > such conferences, and what the embassy should do to wikimedia uk if it > happens the person doesn't back. > > And these details should be sent directly to the embassy. > > Informing the embassy beforehand is far professional looking and indicates > seriousness on the part of the inviting organization, than emailing a > letter for the applicant to hold in his hand and give to the embassy. > > I'm in Ghana, and I know how it is on the ground. I went through hell to > get visa from south Africa embassy. The UK can be 5x worse. > > If the best the inviting organization can do is send a letter, then > there's little the applicant here can do. > > Rexford | Africa Center | wikiafrica.net | sent from Tab > On Jan 13, 2014 9:32 AM, "Nkansah Rexford" <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Do the invitation letter really change a thing? I will be surprised to see > a consular waive all those requirements because of a 1-paged white paper > with black in on, signed by an organization called Wikimedia UK. > > For instance, in Ghana, consulate don't care who or what is inviting you, > nor even take delight in reading the letter. > > If the requirements say get a certain amount and or fulfil certain > requirements, please get that with you. > > Consular even reject visa from applicants invited by United Nations, so > I'm still wondering how much impact a letter can do. > > Get your documents right. Its not easy, but it'll save you from > disappointments. > > Rexford | Africa Center | wikiafrica.net | sent from Tab > On Jan 13, 2014 3:31 AM, "Muhammad Yahia" <[email protected]> wrote: > > If this is similar to US visa process, I would think an invitation from WM > UK would be enough to waive those requirements, that of course has to be > arranged with the British government. > > > On Sun, Jan 12, 2014 at 5:13 PM, Ellie Young <[email protected]> wrote: > > I have already brought this up with them and waiting to hear back (first > response didn't sound like there was much we can do frankly...) My > comment about the spring is that is when we will have a guide for our > attendees who need visas. They said it would be ready in the next couple > of months. We won't be notifying people about their scholarships until > April. > > And while we are on this subject, I want to reiterate that we expect > individuals to cover their own visa expenses as well as contacting the > British Consulate on their own or through a visa service in their home > country. The UK accepts applications for visas 90 days prior to the > expected date of entering the UK (applying before doesn't do any good.) > > Ellie > > > > > > On Jan 12, 2014, at 3:42 PM, aude <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Sun, Jan 12, 2014 at 5:31 PM, Ellie Young <[email protected]> wrote: > > I will be sure to take this up when we are putting together instructions > this Spring. UK Immigation has agreed to > put together a "how to apply" guide for our event. I will be sure this > issue get put to them. > > > I wouldn't wait until spring to bring this up with UK immigration. > > It's not too soon to start now. The process for folks in Iran can take > quite a while (if similar to the process for Wikimania 2012 in the US) but > I think can be successful. > > People in Iran will need to travel (at least once) to a UK consulate in > Turkey or UAE to apply. > > > http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/iran/applying/?langname=UK%20English > > Cheers, > Katie > > > > Ellie > > WMF Conference Coordinator > > On Jan 12, 2014, at 2:08 PM, Muhammad Yahia <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi all, > > > > I received this question about visas for Iranian citizens and am passing > it along: > > > > As it stands now, UK visa requirements for Iranian citizens is to have a > bank account with (on average) 10000 USD or equivalent in the last six > months, plus proof of ownership of a property in Iran, the documents have > to be translated and notarized. > > > > Most of the volunteers interested in getting scholarship for WM or > trying to arrange travel on their own are mostly young people who do not > satisfy either conditions, is there something that the UK team can do about > that? can they get confirmation that if they apply these requirements will > be waived or something similar? > > > > Thanks! > > -- > > Best Regards, > > Muhammad Yahia > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimania-l mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > > > > -- > @wikimediadc / @wikidata > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > > > > -- > Best Regards, > Muhammad Yahia > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > > _______________________________________________ Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > > _______________________________________________ Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > >
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