On 25/01/16 08:55, Wouter Verhelst wrote:
On Thu, Jan 21, 2016 at 11:54:01AM +0100, Daniel Pocock wrote:
That message wasn't asking them to do such a thing, it was only written out of respect for those contributors to our community who either can't attend or have to waste a significant amount of time and energy on such things in order to do so.
Be that as it may, we (FOSDEM) are not going to put ourselves at risk of legal problems just so we can make it easier for people to attend.
If we *can* make it easier for people to attend *without* putting FOSDEM vzw at risk of legal repercussions in case a person we don't actually know disappears, we will do so. Writing formal invitation letters from an automated website doesn't fit that bill, however.
As a holder of an Indian passport, I've never had a problem attending Fosdem ( 7 so far! ). Except for the one year when I tried to use a sponsored / invited visa. That was far more painful for everyone involved, than just asking for a tourist visa on the cultural tickbox ( and supporting it with Fosdem's details ). Avoid agents, approach the embassy directly. And be ready to prove support ability and travel cover for the duration and have suitable insurance cover. regards,