No, the person who didn't receive his visa on time submitted everything well ahead of the deadline. It was their local Chinese Embassy which was being generally unhelpful and delaying the application beyond Wikimania.

Since the application was stuck at the embassy rather than Hong Kong, there was basically nothing we can do from the Hong Kong side.

The advantage of Hong Kong was that the vast majority of Wikimaniacs did not require visas to enter Hong Kong. But the disadvantage is that Hong Kong is not an independent sovereign state, therefore the bureaucracy is extra-difficult to navigate through for the few who did need visas. This is the opposite problem of Wikimania DC - huge amounts of people needed visas, but Wikimania had the support of the state department so the bureaucracy was handled quite smoothly.

Deryck

On 16 August 2013 00:31, Amir Ladsgroup <ladsgroup@gmail.com> wrote:

I think I have to clarify a thing: the guy that couldn't get his visa
in time There was just one reason. he didn't send his documents in
time. It wasn't the committee's fault at all or policy of the
government

Best

On 8/15/13, Deryck Chan <deryckchan@gmail.com> wrote:

> Next year, WMF and Wikimania London are hiring the company which got the
> visas for everyone in London Olympics! Fingers crossed.
>
> Also, unfortunately, this year we did have one person who didn't get his
> visa on time. One is too many for Hong Kong! :(
>
>
> On 15 August 2013 16:02, Nkansah Rexford <nkansahrexford@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Without doubt, Wikimania HK has been a successful one.
>>
>> For the first time, a Ghanaian from Ghana could attend the event. This
>> brings us much joy.
>>
>> That wouldn't have been possible without the keen support of the local
>> organizing team in terms of Visa acquisition. Though through a lot of
>> inconveniences in acquiring Visa, Ghana was represented.
>>
>> I see their support as a very practical and effective approach in helping
>> countries like ourselves obtaining a visa to enter such high-ranking
>> countries.
>>
>> I believe and hope such visa assistance mechanism and approach is adopted
>> and improved upon by LOCs of upcoming Wikimanias to enable persons from
>> semi-banned countries like Ghana attend such wonderful events.
>>
>> Rexford
>>
>>
>> --

>> +Rexford <https://plus.google.com/107174506890941499078> | +CG
>> Central<https://plus.google.com/b/103109918657638322478/103109918657638322478/posts>
>> |

>> +233 266 811 165 l

>> BFCT<http://www.blendernetwork.org/member/nkansah-rexford-nyarko/>

>>
>>
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>>
>

--
Amir

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