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" <abbasjnr@hotmail.com> 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: nkansahrexford@gmail.com
To: wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
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" <nkansahrexford@gmail.com> 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" <shipmaster@gmail.com> 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 <eyoung@wikimedia.org> 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 <aude.wiki@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sun, Jan 12, 2014 at 5:31 PM, Ellie Young <eyoung@wikimedia.org> 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.


Cheers,
Katie

 
Ellie

WMF Conference Coordinator

On Jan 12, 2014, at 2:08 PM, Muhammad Yahia <shipmaster@gmail.com> 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
> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l


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