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
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