Hi all.
Some of you will know, and some won't, that there have been major problems with the visa application for Ise-somo and Grodya of which we were unaware until Kerry Bartlett, the treasurer for Congo Dental Support Inc. rang Louise Markus' office (our local Federal Member of Parliament and one of the guests lined up to welcome our Congolese friends this Sunday).
After her office enquired, not for the first time, an email came from the Australian High Commission in Kenya saying that the tourist visa had been rejected because of what Ise and Tim are doing here and they needed to submit a Form 456 for a Business (short stay) visa and it looked like it would take another 15 days plus another $150 each to reapply and this had to be done within the next 5 days or the whole thing would fall over.
The meeting round the phone ...So during a Congo Dental Support committee meeting we all watched as Kerry and Wendy Toulmin made one call after another and we received a contact in the High Commission.
Then followed a series of phone calls and emails back and forwards to Canberra to Louise and to Nairobi to the Australian representative there, by Louise's office and Louise herself working after hours on our behalf.
Louise and her staff have been wonderful. Having Kerry on the committee has made a huge difference as he knows all these people plus having Wendy alongside who is familiar with all these visa problems having to deal with the home countries of her Langham scholars from Tonga, Uganda, Burma and Pakistan has been invaluable.
Slowly, ever so slowly, we were able to start sorting things out and we think we have a game plan that might still land them in Springwood on Sunday afternoon. But for a good time last night while Kerry or Wendy were on the phone we were on the side saying the whole thing may fall over or be postponed but to when?? and so on. So if they are here this Sunday we have close to a miracle.
So we have rung and talked with Ise-somo, Timon and Fred (our Anglican representative in Kampala, Uganda, who is doing all the plane bookings and admin).
This is what will happen today (remember they are 8 hours behind in Uganda and Kenya and Ise is 9 hours behind in DRC).
Both Ise and Tim will submit Form 456 today which will be at High Commission when they start work round 5pm our time today.
Ise will fly from Congo today on Cetraca - 17 seater commuter plane.
He arrives in Entebbe and he and Timon will fly tomorrow morning at 6.15 to Nairobi.
They will visit the High Commission on Thursday morning first thing and pay the $150 extra each. When the visas are approved (and we really hope it will be sometime Thursday)
Fred will pay for the air tickets which are being held ....but he can't do so until the visas are approved so.
Exciting isn't it?
Must go ... will keep you informed.
Some of you will know, and some won't, that there have been major problems with the visa application for Ise-somo and Grodya of which we were unaware until Kerry Bartlett, the treasurer for Congo Dental Support Inc. rang Louise Markus' office (our local Federal Member of Parliament and one of the guests lined up to welcome our Congolese friends this Sunday).
After her office enquired, not for the first time, an email came from the Australian High Commission in Kenya saying that the tourist visa had been rejected because of what Ise and Tim are doing here and they needed to submit a Form 456 for a Business (short stay) visa and it looked like it would take another 15 days plus another $150 each to reapply and this had to be done within the next 5 days or the whole thing would fall over.
The meeting round the phone ...So during a Congo Dental Support committee meeting we all watched as Kerry and Wendy Toulmin made one call after another and we received a contact in the High Commission.
Then followed a series of phone calls and emails back and forwards to Canberra to Louise and to Nairobi to the Australian representative there, by Louise's office and Louise herself working after hours on our behalf.
Louise and her staff have been wonderful. Having Kerry on the committee has made a huge difference as he knows all these people plus having Wendy alongside who is familiar with all these visa problems having to deal with the home countries of her Langham scholars from Tonga, Uganda, Burma and Pakistan has been invaluable.
Slowly, ever so slowly, we were able to start sorting things out and we think we have a game plan that might still land them in Springwood on Sunday afternoon. But for a good time last night while Kerry or Wendy were on the phone we were on the side saying the whole thing may fall over or be postponed but to when?? and so on. So if they are here this Sunday we have close to a miracle.
So we have rung and talked with Ise-somo, Timon and Fred (our Anglican representative in Kampala, Uganda, who is doing all the plane bookings and admin).
This is what will happen today (remember they are 8 hours behind in Uganda and Kenya and Ise is 9 hours behind in DRC).
Both Ise and Tim will submit Form 456 today which will be at High Commission when they start work round 5pm our time today.
Ise will fly from Congo today on Cetraca - 17 seater commuter plane.
He arrives in Entebbe and he and Timon will fly tomorrow morning at 6.15 to Nairobi.
They will visit the High Commission on Thursday morning first thing and pay the $150 extra each. When the visas are approved (and we really hope it will be sometime Thursday)
Fred will pay for the air tickets which are being held ....but he can't do so until the visas are approved so.
Exciting isn't it?
Must go ... will keep you informed.
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