Fwd: [igf_members] Fwd: [governance] Azeri visas

[Izumi AIZU]

Dear list,

This is the reply from Chengetai, IGF Secretariat, to our
question/request for smooth visa process. My original question comes
after his reply.

thank you,

izumi


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chengetai Masango <cmasango at unog.ch>
Date: 2012/7/12
Subject: Re: [igf_members] Fwd: [governance] Azeri visas
To: igf Forum <igf_members at intgovforum.org>
Cc: Izumi AIZU <iza at anr.org>


Dear Izumi,
Thank you for your question and bringing up this concern.

The UN team has just finished its planning mission to Baku (actually I
am still at the airport) and we had talks with the various government
ministries concerned with the arrangements for the IGF 2012 meeting.

The Azerbaijani Government have assured us that they will do
everything possible to insure the smooth issuance of visa's for
participants be it at their consulates or for participants that do not
have Azerbaijani Consulates in their countries, upon arrival at the
airport as long as the participant has the registration approval form
from the IGF Secretariat and a supporting letter from the hosts. Full
details of the process will be posted on the host country website in
the next few of weeks. Usually, in my experience visa's only start
being issued 3 months before an event but we intend to start the
registration process before that.

They have the experience of issuing visa's at the airport, the last
major event were this method was used was for the the Eurovision Song
contest which had over  five thousand foriegn attendees. The process
went rather smoothly according to both the EBU and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. This method has also been used for
various other international events that have been held in Baku.
Therefore, this will not be the first time they are doing it and the
influx of participants for the IGF is much smaller than what they
coped with during the  Eurovision song contest. Furthermore the UN
team also used this method to enter Azerbaijan and it went very
smoothly. During the last IGF in Kenya some participants could also
get their visa's at the airport, this is not an unusual practice.

For those who are uneasy about this method they can also post or
express mail their documents to the Azerbaijani consulate in the
nearest country. This has been done by some participants for almost
all the past IGF meetings (including open consultations) as I am sure
some members of this list can attest.

There is  also going to be a person specifically assigned to deal with
IGF visa issues in the Foreign Ministry during the run up to the
event.

I do understand that getting visa's in the best of circumstances is
inconvenient to most but I have all the confidence that the
Azerbaijani Government will make this process as smooth as they can.

best regards

Chengetai


> -----Original Message-----
> From: igf_members-bounces at intgovforum.org [mailto:igf_members-bounces at intgovforum.org] On Behalf Of Izumi AIZU
> Sent: 11 July 2012 16:57
> To: IGF; igf_members at intgovforum.org
> Subject: [igf_members] Fwd: [governance] Azeri visas
>
> Dear IGF Secretariat and MAG members,
>
> Civil society members have been wondering about the uncertainty of the visa issue process for Azerbaijan IGF. Especially for those where there is no Azeri Embassy or Consulate inside their country, or even there is, very far from where they live (US, China etc.)
>
> There is not much information helpful at the current local host website.
>
> Is "note verbal" enough to assure us to obtain the visa at the entry airport?
> And, for many airlines, they will not accept the passengers who have no visas, planning to receive upon arrival since they have to return these passengers who are rejected in the end.
>
> We need better process guaranteed as soon as possible, and explained well.
> # it was mentioned three months in advance at least at the Feb consultation, but some members are starting to worry. Also for Brazilians, for example, since there is no Azeri embassy/consulate, they have to fly to Argentina, that is way too much.
>
> Your clarification at earliest possible is very much appreciated.
>
> And we also feel strongly that for the next IGFs, the host government should provide full guarantee for the visa issues.
>
> best,
>
>
> izumi

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