http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#countries
Hello everyone,
As you know in 2012, United States will held Wikimania at Washington D.C.! Yeah.
But make a Wikimania in U.S.A. have some problems, you probably know it but I wanna
clarify to you.
U.S. just dispense visas to thirty-six nations. All of the dozens left over need a visa to
enter in.
Last year I was selected to attend Wikimania 2011 at Haifa (the best moments ever in my
life, btw, would love to support Washington too, ops :D) and WMF contacted me six months
before.
In this ''six months before'' have one problem.
In Brazil (not only, but in the most countries that need the visa) we take 3 months to
schedule (and get some free time - it's vacation in Brazil and the people wanna
travel) the visit to U.S. Embassy to require the visa. When we requite the visa, we take
more 3~~4 months to receive the answer of Embassy. Over 6 months. And half per cent of the
visas are denied. We could appeal, and would take more two months.
It would be the biggest problem ever in a Wikimania organization. And happens in a really
lot of countries which need a visa to enter in U.S.A.
I suggest to announce to the people who live in that countries early. Earliest as
possible. Maybe 8 or 9 months before... Take a visa to US really isn't easy.
What do you think?
_____________________
MateusNobre
Wikimedia Brasil - MetalBrasil on Wikimedia projects
(+55) 85 88393509
30440865