My visa is also got rejected. So I am not coming to Canada this year. I think Canada is a bad place for Wikimania due to their strict rules. And thinking that is not a tourist friendly country.
On 22-Jun-2017 8:59 PM, "Ivan Martínez" <[email protected]> wrote: > Following the Stuart's commentary, for Mexico City the low rate of > rejection was not for free. I supposed my country was a friendly > destination because their history welcoming people from all over the world > until I was involved in the visa process for many wikimedians who faced > different kind of issues. So I was engaged with WMF's staff to provide any > evidence and documents to make fast responses to reduce the chances of > rejection. Among the issues we had: > > - A really annoying insistence of the consular authorities of Mexico > rejecting documents in digital copies. We had to send many hard copies via > express mail services > - Consular officers insisted on proving in some way that the Wikimedia > Foundation has funds against possible contingencies of the attendees. This > was mainly because many of the officials who received the documents did not > know anyything about Wikipedia and its fame. I remember me talking on > conventional telephone several times from Mexico City to New Delhi to give > more information. > - Lack of Mexican embassies in all the attendees countries, so some people > needs to travel to other country to the nearest embassy to get visa, so, > chances of fail getting documents and doing procedures in other country > which is not yours is risky. > > In any case, having prior time is the only antidote. Some situations can > be solved, but with anticipated time. Rules are rules and in consular > proceedings much more no matter the country where the event will held and > this is not really attributable to the people who are working supporting > the process doing their best. > > > > 2017-06-22 9:34 GMT-05:00 Nkansah Rexford <[email protected]>: > >> In addition, providing this *true assistance* won't be for *all* >> attendees. In many cases, only a select few of the total attendees will >> have the visa-related issues. >> >> Thus, say out of 100 applicants, just less than 20 individuals might need >> the assistance beyond the letter at their local embassies. And over and >> over again, we know these countries that yearly present visa troubles for >> applicants. >> >> And since it can be relatively easier for individuals with relatively >> high travel history to get visas, the actual people who might need this >> dedicated assistance can drop further. >> >> rex >> >> >> On Thursday, June 22, 2017, Nkansah Rexford <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Well, the goal won't be to *influence* or whatnot. That isn't gonna >>> work. The goal is to provide extra details and answer questions that might >>> come up. >>> >>> Some systems aren't entirely closed. From the outside, it looks closed, >>> but a closer look reveals there's the option for recognized organizations >>> (keyword is "recognized") to stretch a hand. >>> >>> Not all embassies in varied countries run the same. But the question is, >>> has there been any attempt (stunt) of that sort pulled off ever? >>> >>> And after spending a load ton of effort in organizing, if the >>> invitees don't get to come, does that not bring us to where we began? >>> >>> It ain't an easy or going to be an easy task. However, trying to dodge >>> that also opens the opportunity for rejections easily. >>> >>> Of course, it feels like a lottery. However, if there's anything one >>> could do to tip the chances of 'winning' the lottery a bit to the bright >>> side, won't that be a worthwhile effort, no matter how hard? >>> >>> rex >>> >>> On Thursday, June 22, 2017, Stuart Prior <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Lodewijk, AFAIK we've never kept track of rejections, but I could find >>>> out. My gut feeling is that there hasn't been a massive variation over the >>>> past 4 years, I think Mexico City was the most open to everybody (?) >>>> >>>> Rexford, possibly (and yeah Wiki = Wikileaks is *always* a problem >>>> lol). But some visa systems are very closed and bureaucratic and it's hard >>>> to bring any influence or assistance to bear beyond supporting >>>> documentation, i.e you can't even talk to a human being about it. >>>> >>>> To *truly assist* some of it would involve building political contacts >>>> beforehand to advocate for visas (i.e your local representative can help >>>> sometimes), that's a possibility but may create other problems, capacity >>>> for a start. >>>> The logistics of organising travel/accomm for hundreds of people from >>>> hundreds of locations is already onerous, adding an intensive visa support >>>> process into that it when some visa systems feel like a lottery would be >>>> easy to overpromise and underdeliver. >>>> >>>> What strikes me here is that visas are a problem for people from our >>>> developing communities, but they are one of many factors in deciding a >>>> Wikimania location. >>>> One country that might be visa-friendly to one, is prohibitively >>>> expensive to get to/stay in for another. >>>> So while Australia might be relaxed in terms of visas (I'm not >>>> confident of this btw) it's also objectively remote/expensive. >>>> >>>> Whether a location has achieved that balance is always a question, and >>>> I can't think of one Wikimania where everyone's agreed it has ;-) >>>> >>>> Stuart >>>> >>>> On 22 June 2017 at 12:12, Nkansah Rexford <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> It is easy to conclude the location hinders visa application >>>>> acceptance. As much as it appears to be so, I strongly believe if there's >>>>> good enough Visa support and assistance from the Wikimania Team/WMF, >>>>> rejected cases could be low. >>>>> >>>>> Obviously, an applicant should have documents intact and good, and >>>>> submit all the necessary details the embassy wants, including the >>>>> invitation letter. However, in some countries, that ain't enough. >>>>> >>>>> In 2012, the invitation letter I submitted to the consular at the US >>>>> embassy here in Ghana, she didn't read, and I could see from her face how >>>>> nonsense it looked to her. Heck, anybody anywhere could conjure such a >>>>> sheet of paper with black ink on, any time any day. Plus, the consular had >>>>> NO idea what Wikimedia was. There was no way I could explain what >>>>> Wikimedia >>>>> is in the few seconds I had in front of the teller-like counter. >>>>> >>>>> Wiki? WikiLeaks? Duh! >>>>> >>>>> As much a mere letter of invitation is formal to some extent, to what >>>>> extent is the WMF also willing to support visa applications outside just >>>>> the letter? >>>>> >>>>> Not saying WMF should do exactly same, but I know other organizations >>>>> that pick up the phone, and call the local embassy of the invitee way >>>>> ahead >>>>> of time to initialize conversations and to explain to *what extent* >>>>> whoever >>>>> they've invited fits in the about-to-happen event. >>>>> >>>>> The embassy in many cases, asks questions they won't otherwise ask the >>>>> applicant, but would, to the inviting organization. >>>>> >>>>> This visa issue, until the WMF *truly assist*, some countries will >>>>> still struggle getting accepted visa. >>>>> >>>>> It is not easy, and it ain't something just a letter wipes away. >>>>> >>>>> rex >>>>> >>>>> PS: I know cases where rejected visa are reconsidered and approved >>>>> just because the inviting organization literally stepped in, and got >>>>> serious with the embassy. >>>>> >>>>> On Thursday, June 22, 2017, Bodhisattwa Mandal < >>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Hi, >>>>>> >>>>>> The main topic of discussion among the scholarship recipients from >>>>>> global south this month is the high visa rejection rate by Canadian >>>>>> embassies from these countries. >>>>>> >>>>>> This year, we had 7 scholarship recipients from Bengali community, 4 >>>>>> from India and 3 from Bangladesh. Already 3 out of 4 scholarship >>>>>> recipients >>>>>> from Indian part of the communities got their visa rejected, others are >>>>>> waiting. Although I am hoping for the best for all the scholarship >>>>>> recipients, but may be news of more rejections are coming soon. >>>>>> >>>>>> Wikimania should be organised in a visa friendly country, and not in >>>>>> those countries where global south citizens are not allowed to enter even >>>>>> for a 6-days conference. Otherwise, a global community is not truly >>>>>> presented. >>>>>> >>>>>> Best wishes, >>>>>> Bodhisattwa >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> 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 >> >> > > > -- > *Iván Martínez* > > *Presidente - Wikimedia México A.C.User:ProtoplasmaKid * > > // Mis comunicaciones respecto a Wikipedia/Wikimedia pueden tener una > moratoria en su atención debido a que es un voluntariado. > // Ayuda a proteger a Wikipedia, dona ahora: https://donate.wikimedia.org > > _______________________________________________ > 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
