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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 10:21:43
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A friend of mine in Gambia emailed me yesterday. He has been refused a visa for the second time. His Sister lives in the UK and he wants to visit her for a holiday. She has invited him.
What is his crime? He is SINGLE and has NO CHILDREN.
The same old story. They think he won't go back.
I am SO sorry for him. He loves and misses his sister. He just wants to visit her.
Is there anyone on bantaba who is 20-30 and single who HAS managed to get a visa? Can you tell me HOW you managed it so I can pass on the advice.
PERHAPS I should offer to marry him?! LOL!! No wonder they are keen to get married to an english women. Its the only way out of the country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Alhassan
Sweden
813 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 10:59:00
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
A friend of mine in Gambia emailed me yesterday. He has been refused a visa for the second time. His Sister lives in the UK and he wants to visit her for a holiday. She has invited him.
What is his crime? He is SINGLE and has NO CHILDREN.
The same old story. They think he won't go back.
I am SO sorry for him. He loves and misses his sister. He just wants to visit her.
Is there anyone on bantaba who is 20-30 and single who HAS managed to get a visa? Can you tell me HOW you managed it so I can pass on the advice.
PERHAPS I should offer to marry him?! LOL!! No wonder they are keen to get married to an english women. Its the only way out of the country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gambiabev,
He is not the only one who has been refused. I have made enquries with the Swedish migration authiorities as I live here and the answer isthe following. Youths between 20 and 45 has very small chances in obtaining visas and permits. Even musicians have the same problem. The reason is that the said youths do not return home because they have no reasons to. The other reason is that Sweden is tired of Gambians smuggling drugs and trafficking in the center of Stockholm. I only know about Gambians as I only asked about them. For some months ago there was a live TV program about the problem of the Gambian youths in Sweden. Gambia is a very small country and Gambians in Sweden are not many , but we have the gratest number of culprits in jail here for drug and violent crimes. This is the greatest problem Gambians have in Sweden. To deal with the problem one has to talk to all parties concerned. The biggest problem lies on the Gambians who think that only drugs can give money. Gambians think that they can be millionires over night. This is the problem here. Nowadays even Gambian women are being jailed for drug trafficking and smuggeling. Gambia has a big problem if they do not deal with this problem.
Before the drug problems escalated, Gambians hade no problems in obtaining Visas and permits to come to Europe. This is something many of us have experienced. Nowadays the immigration authorities have even realised that a person could serve a jail term and return to Gambia . Then changing all particulars, obtain a new passport and then return to the same place and commit the same crime again. These are all facts. There are already some of them in jail in Sweden. In my opinion, the Gambia government must give correct information to their citizins. The American Council responsible for visas in Banjul have pointed out some of these facts in an intervew with the Gambian newspappers.
We must find a way to solve this problem, otherwise little Gambia has many feature drug dealers and adits to rehabilitate.
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 13:14:54
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i agree with you on that Alhassan, it is for this reason I have not tried to help some gambians to come to britain, I believe they will come back, but when you speak to the UK embassy they have the same reasons that sweden has.
I do believe that some Gambians are not Gambians, but have bought a Gambian passport and try their luck to get into UK by posing as a Gambian.
It should be addressed as soon as possible because they good gambians are being penalised because of this.
Thge Gambian government sponsors a few young men to study abroad but the family in Gambia is involved he has to put up the family land as collateral and if he does not return they take the land.
harsh but you should see the drop in applications. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 14:48:32
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Read BornAfrican's thread on the 'semester' problem of the 90s (General Forum, 'WEDDINGS'); a very enlightening piece.
It is terrible that this seems to be going on, and I agree that the Gambian Government should do something about it. These people do not only create problems for themselves and their families, they give ALL Gambians a very bad name.
Of course if you and your family are starving it is a big temptation to make quick money with drugs, and of course the basis of the problem is the demand for drugs in the industrialized countries. But if the Europeans/Americans want to have drugs, they should traffick them themselves. Africans should refuse to do the dirty and risky 'work' for them. |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 14:55:09
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| Jambo in reality even if a non EU resident and is not white with a secure job, a healthy bank account and wants to come to the UK for a vacation with no intention of overstaying in most cases their application are denied. |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 14:59:01
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| Serenata just imagine if immigration officers were really on the ball and searched those who they wouldn't expect to be carrying drugs they might suprise themselves by doing a really successful job. |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 15:09:06
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Sister Omega, I heard that there are notorious drug traffickers among the corps diplomatiques of various countries.   |
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Alhassan
Sweden
813 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 15:46:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Sister Omega
Jambo in reality even if a non EU resident and is not white with a secure job, a healthy bank account and wants to come to the UK for a vacation with no intention of overstaying in most cases their application are denied.
Sister,
Such a person is always granted a visa in Sweden. I do not know of the other EU countries. The biggest problem as Jambo said is the unlawful trafficking of the Gambian Passport. There are many non Gambians who have managed to accure pappers illigally. The screening is better now, but it is still a problem. I remembered in olden days when people use to go the the immigration office witha brifcase full of Gambian passport. When Gambians go to find you end up giving a lots of bribrey to get one as a citizen. Bribery is very common in the Gambia. In all sectors, bribes can take you a long way. You don't need much education, just let your parents be known or be among the known. If you try to talk to the Gambians then you are lebeled as a polis colaborator or informa. Gambians are very difficult to deal with . They are fund of using the back door which is closing for every day. I hope we find a solution soon. |
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toubab
Gambia
92 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 15:54:56
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| I don't doubt many drugs and weapons are bought through in dipomatic bags all over the world. A few weeks ago we were shown a compound in SerreKunda that deals in drugs, bought into the country by diplomats,they were expecting brisk business during the forthcoming AU!! And the compound had a couple of police outside for protection.! |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 16:14:13
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You know what I wasn't even thinking about diplomats but just randomly it's kind of obvious if someone doesn't fit the profile then it is more obvious to approach them because often criminals are one step ahead.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 16:14:52
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toubab, this is strong stuff. If such people are protected by the police it is probably naive to think that the Government would do anything about drug or weapon trafficking.
Sister Omega, I know what you mean; average (and white) looking people are less bothered, but they may be more criminal than others. |
Edited by - serenata on 14 Aug 2006 16:19:32 |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 16:25:08
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| True that's why it's much easier for them to become socially mobile. |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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toubab
Gambia
92 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 16:39:47
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| Us mere mortals have no idea what is covered up by 'diplomatic immunity', if my memory serves me right the gun that killed Yvonne Fletcher during the Iranian Embassy seige was bought into the country in a diplomatic bag. Drugs are big money whatever country you are in, and The Gambia is no exception unfortunately |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 16:49:37
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| True, and as long as people are stupid enough to take drugs, I see no change. The key to a solution is lying there, and nowhere else. |
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toubab
Gambia
92 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 17:00:21
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| Well you'll be pleased to know I get pulled by customs every trip, at Banjul, Gatwick and Kingston JA airports, and in Kingston they do a thorough job! So they must be looking outside of the 'norm', or I look highly suspicious. |
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Formby
United Kingdom
246 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 18:14:36
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I too get stopped every single time. I read recently that they look for women travelling on their own in a certain age bracket (25-45), the reason being because they assume we are muling drugs. It's got to the stage now where I just go and open my bag for them. The most I ever have are a few mangoes and they even agrue about them.
But getting back to the OP and associated posts, this troubles me as I am currently trying to organise a female friend of mine to come over. We haven't submitted the paperwork yet. Is it likely to be similar for young women as men, I wonder? The bumf on the FCO website doesn't suggest that these limitations apply. |
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