On the other hand, the inviting team should do more than just a mere letter. I've touch on this some time ago. Letters aren't enough to really impress the consular.
More can be done, with the Wikimedia Hong Kong team, especially, Deryck Chan as a typical example last year.
I'm still surprised how a letter is capable of convincing a consular without any further correspondence on the inviting organization.
The Wikimedia Hong Kong did a splendid job last year, and that is what the English word 'Assistance' refers to, not only putting ink, shaped in English alphabet on a 11" by 8" white paper. The letter should only serve as a step forward in the real support or assistance to proceed.
Local embassies normally need more than just letter from the inviting organization to proof how serious they view the invitee being present at their event.
If an inviting organization could offer scholarship to an individual, and pay the invitee's in and out travel costs, but can't even make a direct follow up with the respective local embassies, then I doubt I will personally issue a visa for the invitee if I am a consular. Seriously!
The embassies comprises of humans who have ears, are reasonable and are willing to listen. They know letters exist, however, it makes convincing and plausible sense for an inviting organization to follow up with the usual direct approach. I say 'direct approach' which i'm referring to a human talking to a human, not a letter asking a human to read it.
Give scholarship, issue letter, and don't offer the "real" assistance, and persons from lands like Ghana and Nigeria will suffer pain to attend such conferences, even if they present the best documents available.
The assistance is really important, for at at least, those who don't have much travel experience.
rexford | google.com/+nkansahrexford | sent from tab
Thanks, this is an excellent and thoughtful service you are doing your peers.
I sympathize with the frustration of these additional difficulties.
A.
On May 1, 2014 4:02 PM, "TheAfricanDream Oral.Ofori" <oralofori@gmail.com> wrote:That pretty much covers everything and all I'd add to this is simply:
...don't be overconfident and don't look too nervous, rather sound confident and listen carefully to questions too. You're better off dressed well. Very obvious right? Well, but sometimes these hints are taken for granted.
Good luck to all scholarship winners and hopefully you all get to see each other in London!
On May 1, 2014 6:50 PM, "Nkansah Rexford" <nkansahrexford@gmail.com> wrote:..... So check your inbox. If you were accepted to attend, I'll say, don't be excited fully yet. A few parameters and methods need to be set and called respectively. Enough of code jargons. Let's face it.
Getting scholarship to attend Wikimania in London this year by the Wikimedia Foundation DOES NOT literally mean you're there. To realize your body in London, you need to first make the local United Kingdom embassy satisfied that your literal body is worth entering London, and that body is bound to come back. Enough of lengthy English.
What do you need?
0) Submit or present a good-looking application. I don't have to say this but it doesn't hurt to remind ourselves. If its an online form, be sure what you're entering and where and how. And, Follow instructions as per the application process. ( its like chemistry or physics high school exams in Ghana; the instructions are more than the questions sometimes, so of you don't follow the instructions, are likely to fail, by answering a question meant for Gambians )
1) Bank statement - Good one
2) Passport - Ghana says something is called biometric, so get it koraa ansa.
3) Birth certificate - if your birth certificate was issued earlier than 2009 or so, please go for a biometric one. Trust me, Ghana with their biometric, if you don't have it, you'll be frustrated.
4) Medical report - either from 1) a regional hospital or 2) recommended hospital by the UK embassy. If you Go to mere clinics for the medical report, please, I promise you you'll be disappointed.
5) Police report. Get it, you can get it fast, in less than 7 days. However, it comes at an express price. In Ghana, you know what express means. Contact me if you'll need help with the police report, I've got a police 'client' at the headquarters.
6) Proof of sufficient financial means. Isn't that the same as bank statement? No, I don't think so. The bank statement is a piece of paper with perforated holes at the edges with some fade signatures and credentials pertaining to the bank. The Sufficient Financial Means refers to the DIGITS or Numbers on that paper. Those digits are what actually proofs whether you've got enough sustainable funds to support yourself. Plus you've got good track record of substantial money passing through your account. It shouldn't be a billion dollar money moving in your account, but once again, I say, it should be substantial.
If you've travelled to UK before, your case might be different as you know the process plus your passport will tell you've been there before.
However, if your passport is as brand new as mine was ( mine was less than 72 hours old when I presented to that old woman at the US embassy) you'll need to adhere to the aforementioned requirements even tighter.
Remember, the Wikimania team have only given you scholarship to attend, NOT visa to attend. You MUST work your way out through the embassy.
We look forward to some part of assistance from the inviting organization in London, however, if YOU DO NOT satisfy all the requirements above and or any other the embassy might and will likely require, don't worry much, as there is little help the inviting organization can bring on board to assist you.
Wear your sleeve first, and Wikimania London team will put on the remaining tie for you.
If any questions on how to go about things, or facing challenges in visa acquisition anytime, drop a message, and we can offer any tip we've got.
Did I miss any point? Please complement with your thoughts.
Useful resources -
* https://wikimania2014.wikimedia.org/wiki/Visas
* https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/British-high-commission-accra
* https://www.gov.uk/visas-immigrationrexford | google.com/+nkansahrexford | sent from tab
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