Am 24.06.2012 21:41 schrieb "Thomas Dalton" <thomas.dalton(a)gmail.com>om>:
On 24 June 2012 20:15, rupert THURNER <rupert.thurner(a)gmail.com> wrote:
i would have expected two things, slightly more
proactive:
1. get it to the embassies beforehand
e.g. write the invitation letter directly to the embassy
2. have a clarification procedure in case of trouble with
the embassy
3. have an escalation path to the travel agency of the foundation
last year wmf was very helpful ... and fully understood
that single voyagers do not have the experience, and
wikimania orgs do not have the capacity especially close
to the start.
maybe it would be possible to make the availability of such service a
major criteria for hosting wikimania? and some 50 year ban to host
wikimania, if a country fails to deliver what was promised -
especially visa and hotel rates ;)
my personal experience with u.s. american embassies is (but only two
of them, one european, one african): there are actually people who
work there, they have phone numbers and email addresses. you can even
visit them. the people i had contact to were exemplary welcoming and
helpful.
If the embassy says "no", then the answer is "no". There isn't
really
anything anyone can do about it. If the embassy gave a reason for the
rejection, then fix it and try again. If they didn't (and won't give a
reason when contacted), then there's really nothing you can do.
The organisers sent letters of invitation. That's really all they can
do, since the visa is issued by the embassy to the individual and the
Wikimania team aren't a party to any of that. There also isn't much
the Wikimania team can do about any of the common reasons for a visa
being rejected. They can confirm that the event is really happening
and that the person really has said they plan to go to it (that's what
the letter of invitation is for), but they can't do anything to help
prove you're not going to do anything illegal while in the country or
that you're going to go home afterwards. They have no control over
those things and, in the majority of cases, they don't know the
individual well enough to vouch for them (if such a vouching would
actually help, which I'm not sure it would). It is up to the applicant
to convince the embassy of those things because the applicant is the
only person that
A very good comment. To show that the organizers want the person to go
there is key. An inexperienced 22 year old, who has at least some computer
education, never abroad, no special family ties is the perfect candidate to
have difficulties to argue. Its the perfect candidate not to return at the
same time he is the prototypical wikimedian.
We all agree that people from countries where there is not yet an
established community are desired to get included, so my wish would be to
find better means of support so such a person does not get blocked for visa
issues.
The big difference between some conference and wikimedia conferences is
the community who is able to check this persons contribution and as well
putting up a social pressure that a supported person goes back. But some
officer in an embassy in a country without wikimedia community might
underestimate this and, in doubt, refuse the visa. Imo it is essential to
directly talk to the embassy.
Rupert.
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