Well, I'm not attending this year, but a lady from Ghana will.

Perhaps arrangements for HK is quite OK .

Well, I'll relay those details to her.

Thanks On May 24, 2013 5:16 PM, "Ellie Young" eyoung@wikimedia.org wrote:

Rexford,

I was also assured recently by the Hong Kong Tourist Board that they are willing with enough notice to help troubleshoot any problems with Immigration. Kevin's advice below is very accurate about the process. Do let me know if you continue to have problems and perhaps we can get the Board to help. But the process below has to be be accomplished first.

Also if you need a letter, please contact me.

Ellie

Ellie Young Conference Coordinator Wikimedia Foundation p. 415 839 6885 x6862 c. 510 701 8649

On May 21, 2013, at 9:33 PM, Doraemon ka360@live.hk wrote:

Dear Rexford,

I experienced many times of HK visa application. I suggest you to try

apply the visa from Hong Kong Immigration Department directly instead of Chinese embassy. I think HK Immigration Department does not require such documents.

You have to mail (or let someone in Hong Kong to submit ) the

application form with necessary documents to the Immigration Department at following:

Receipt and Despatch Unit****

Hong Kong Immigration Department****

2/F, Immigration Tower****

7 Gloucester Road****

Wan Chai, Hong Kong****

Refer: http://www.immd.gov.hk/en/services/hk-visas/visit-transit/guidebook.html

The necessary documents are listed on Section VI.

Note:

1. If possible, I suggest to have someone who living in Hong Kong (must

actually living in HK now) to be your sponsor, let him/her to submit the documents, pick up the visa and pay the fee at the counter in Wan Chai. 2. If no one in Hong Kong can help you to submit and pay, a HK$160 cheque from HK bank may be necessary for payment. You have to put the cheque into the envilope with your documents. 3. The application takes 4-6 weeks. If urgent, fax the document to +852 2824 1133 prior to you mail it.

If you have any questions, you can ask me at ka360@live.hk

Kevin

On 2013/05/22 0:27, Nkansah Rexford wrote:

Hi, I'm from Ghana. I'm rexford. I'm sorry this comes off lengthy, but its something i've faced before so wanna bring it up.

*Bank Statements* To enter many countries ( I don't know yet for Hong Kong), the embassy requires the bank statement of the inviting organization or the organization funding the scholarship awardee aside the awardee's personal bank statement.

The bank statement is basically required so the embassy knows that the organization taking you out of your base country is worthy of caring for you during the timespan of your stay in the new country of stay. Irrespective of how big or small the inviting organization is, the bank statement is really essential for the consulars

Last year, I that wasn't available for me from WMDC for 2012 Wikimania.

I want to learn if WMHK has any arrangement for releasing banks statements - if not their global bank statement - at least with respect to the awardee, indicating specifics (eg, allocated funds for the person with respect to accommodation food, transport, sightseeing(if any) etc)

Some countries are very critical about that (UK, US and other developed countries (I presume Hong Kong is similar) - Though they won't tell you directly that's why you were not accepted for Visa, in their eyes, it counts a lot.

*Invitation Letter* I'm sure WMHK will send to the scholarship winners who wish for visa application assistance some letter(s). Seriously, such letters in certain parts of the globe, like my country, hardly counts. I will emphasize that, consulars in certain parts of Africa, including Ghana don't take letters seriously, after all, letters are today writable and signable by anyone anytime from anywhere. To that effect, such types of letters sometimes loose their weight and intent though they might be/or are legitimate. Its is very critical because of the number of fraudulent cases reported at such embassies.

I ask, is there no other authoritative means whereby the WMF or WMHK can directly correspond with the local embassy from where the awardee is coming from other than just a sheet of white paper with black ink? Their corresponding with the local embassy is NOT to decide for them as to allowing their invitee to come around, but rather, to *re-emphasize the fact that* its true the invitee is really invited by an organization for blah blah blah.

I believe that will rather be a practical visa assistance, if one will wanna call it that.

Many organizations intercede for their invitees when they lose acquisition of a visa to travel. Their follow ups aren't meant to challenge with the local embassy, rather to impress on them and try to explain in clear and direct means what their inviting the person all has to do.

It happened to me last year, thus my concerns. I couldn't attend WMDC 2012

I wish to be enlightened more.

Thanks.

rexford

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