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Post by sarah1 on Feb 1, 2006 0:04:25 GMT 1
I have just seen the following, and wonder whether some of the good folks on this forum might want to sign it. www.britishcroatian.net/visacampaign/index.htmlIt is a petition asking the powers that be in the UK to stop the visa requirement for Croatian citizens. I live in hope! |
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Post by seka on Feb 1, 2006 0:52:28 GMT 1
Good idea, I hope for a good response.
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Post by ROG on Feb 1, 2006 3:23:02 GMT 1
It will only create impression that Croatians are willing to "beg" for visas, so I hope Croatians will not participate.
In other hand, if UK citizens think that UK government should take in account Croatia's open borders for UK citizens (even they are uber-complaining about Croatia all the time) in same way, and will sign petition - they have my respect.
Fact is that visas on Croatians are not economical or security issue, then clear political decision, anyway.
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ianl
Full Member
Posts: 80
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Post by ianl on Feb 1, 2006 7:29:05 GMT 1
I find it an acute embarrasement that my government treats Croats in this way and I tried to sign the petition but couldn't get it to work. I emailed them about it. I use Mozilla Firefox, perhaps that was it. (I refuse to even open Internet Exploder as every time I do, I have to clean my machine of spyware).
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Post by Ribaric on Feb 1, 2006 8:54:59 GMT 1
I heard it a little differently. I understand that there was a bi-lateral agreement on open borders between the UK and Croatia but the UK put a stop to it when too many people showed up with Croatian passports but were clearly not Croatian. I don't know the details.
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Post by sarah1 on Feb 1, 2006 11:18:45 GMT 1
As far as I can remember visa's came at the end [November I think] of 1999. It was then when there was talk in the British press about sanctions on Croatia. At first I hoped it was a temporary thing, until I saw the building where you go to get visa's.
All I know about visa's is the following. When my husband wants to visit my family [his in-laws] we have to go through this ritual humiliation. When we go to the UK, we stay no longer than a week there - it is normally for some family occasion. But he has to have a formal letter of invitation from someone in my family saying that he is welcome for Christmas/birthday party etc. He has already had six visas, and for the last two he has had to show BON 2. For the life of me, I do not understand why he needs to show this - they say it is because he works in a family firm.
The thing I have found in my limited dealings with the Embassy [and this is only related to visa's] is that they have a very strange idea about what being diplomatic means. On the whole, and from the accounts I have heard from others, they are frequently quite rude to people. They appear to take this very arrogant starting position that everyone who wants to visit Britain is secretly planning to run away and live there.
On the other hand, when my family and friends come here - they have no problem crossing the border. At most they are asked where they are going, and reminded to register so they don't have problems during their stay.
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Post by brightside on Feb 1, 2006 11:49:56 GMT 1
Definitely humiliating. Some of the people I know and who you'd think are supposed to visit Britain, since they've studied English, English literature, history and culture at the uni, are obstinate not to go until the visa regime is revoked. Some of these people are still students and cannot afford to pay nearly 700 kunas just for a visa. I won't even comment on the *how humiliating it is* to be treated as though you were a sleazy criminal when applying for a visa. I had to bring proof that I was a student and answer I think 11 pages of ludicrous questions about myself, my family and my possible relations to any terrorist organization (!!!  ... with all due respect to the people at the Embassy, I don't think a terrorist would admit that he was a terrorist  ), my cousin in London with whom I was supposed to stay for only two weeks had to send the Embassy a formal letter of invitation as well as detailed info about her salary. If I had known she'd have to do the latter, I wouldn't have accepted to visit her in the first place. Up to last year, visa cost 418 kunas. Now it's nearly 700 kn. |
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Post by Ribaric on Feb 1, 2006 11:50:46 GMT 1
Isn't it ironic that those in the diplomatic service are anything but! My experiences with the US, Russian and Belorussian visa "fuhrers" is the same. Aren't these people public "servants". I do empathise your situation and doubtless it's the same for countless others, I guess these people are accustomed to being lied to and eventually treat everyone with suspicion. You could argue that it Croatia's fault for having a free-for-all back in the 90's. I'm sure if the situation were to be reversed........
As for the UK being the only place with restrictions, I think this is because it is the preferred destination for 90% of all economic migrants (I'm guessing here), it's the economic situation there and, of course, so many young people learn the English language, why go to France or Germany where jobs are hard to find and the language is not one possessed by so many youngsters?
All the same, some civility would cost nothing.
What's a BON 2?
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Post by mambo on Feb 1, 2006 13:09:35 GMT 1
Bon 2 is basically a print out your bank makes about your last status of your account. Simply said it is a very official 'last statement of your account'.
You have to present this thing if you want to lease a car, want to have a loan, want to apply for many services. The banks charge approximately 100 Kuna for this thing and if the thing is e.g. 2 weeks old some even ask you to make a new one.
In normal countries you simply have to show your last bank statement and that is it.
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Post by Ribaric on Feb 1, 2006 14:26:41 GMT 1
Ahhh! I see. Thanks for that. It'll be finger-prints, eye scans and DNA read-outs next |
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Post by sarah1 on Feb 1, 2006 15:34:10 GMT 1
BON 2 shows the financial status of the firm: balance, whether the firm is 'blocked', what loans the firm has etc...
Therefore in order to get a visa, my husband has to show the Embassy the financial status of the firm he works for and not just his own. Like Brightside's cousin having to give details of her salary, this can be quite an awkward thing to ask from one's boss/friends/family.
I quite understand that Britain has this label as a destination for economic migrants, and concerns about who is crossing its borders. But you are more than right Ribaric, a little civility would cost them nothing. The stories my friends tell me about their reception when they go to get visa's makes me feel very ashamed.
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Post by ROG on Feb 1, 2006 16:06:36 GMT 1
hmmm .. where you pick this informations ? There is no significant number of emigrants from Croatia (especially Croats) entering UK. I would really like to see numbers.
Visa was (and still is) there to keep "balance" in region considering emigration. Fact is that UK is preferred destination for Serbian emigration, and treating Croatia anyhow different was (and still is) just against UK's "political religion on Balkan".
Of course, UK has all rights to decide what is best for it. But now when UK citizens started to buy properties in Croatia in significant number, UK should reconsider their decision in benefit of their own citizens.
It won't be nice to see Croatia establishing "quotes for real estates" permissions on UK. Sort of "visa per permission plus expenses". And this is very seriously considered option.
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Post by Ribaric on Feb 1, 2006 22:13:10 GMT 1
I didn't say Croatians, they can't because of the visas. However, thousands of Poles, Lats, Estonians, Lithuanians, Baltic Russians, Slovaks and a few Czechs and Slovenes are going there. Believe me, slavic languages are now heard throughout the UK and the ROI. Their reasons are the same, opportunity, open society and the English language. Others from the rest of eastern Europe and North Africa would follow but they don't get the chance - like Croatians.
The UK doesn't give a monkey's about Serbia or Croatia, like you say, they are interested in their own concerns. There is no Balkan policy other than anything which is of interest to the UK (pipelines etc), just like all the other states.
The same applies, HM Govt has little political interest in those Brits who buy property abroad, it sees no mileage in having a policy about it, a handful of votes is about all there is. Just the reverse is my experience, my embassador would say to me "well you chose to live here!"
So true, UK Govt does nothing for me here.
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Post by quest on Feb 3, 2006 23:48:09 GMT 1
There is no significant number of emigrants from Croatia (especially Croats) entering UK. I would really like to see numbers. Why would a government take care of someones ethnic background??? All individuals with a croatian passport are Croatians.  |
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Post by gmh on Feb 4, 2006 15:05:12 GMT 1
Unfortunately that doesn't always seem to be the case.
Some how the Serbian war criminal Dragan who is about to be deported from Australia, managed to get hold of a Croatian passport at the end of the war. He is definitely not Croatian.
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... with all due respect to the people at the Embassy, I don't think a terrorist would admit that he was a terrorist 
), my cousin in London with whom I was supposed to stay for only two weeks had to send the Embassy a formal letter of invitation as well as detailed info about her salary. If I had known she'd have to do the latter, I wouldn't have accepted to visit her in the first place.
