Re: [102attendees] [103attendees] Visa problems - need a different invitation letter

[John C Klensin <[e-mail]>]

Hi.

If only to keep mailing list traffic down, can I encourage
everyone who is speculating on what type of visa is needed to
find the note that Andrew Sullivan posted on the subject a few
weeks ago and reread it carefully.

WIth a very small number of exceptions, the final decision about
what category of visa is, or is not, required belongs to the
authorities at the border when you try to enter the country.  If
you appear with a tourist visa or waiver and they ask questions
and conclude that category is inappropriate, you are either
headed home or in for a long conversation (and maybe an exercise
in filling out forms) while your status is sorted out.  If you
have a letter from you local consulate or a copy of their web
page indicating that your choice was consistent with their
guidance, the actual border authorities might accept that as
evidence that you should get in on that category of visa, might
accept it as evidence that whatever decision you made was made
in good faith, or might ignore it entirely. 

Again, Andrew's summary and comments are much better than mine.
But my point is that these decision belong to border authorities
in the country you are trying to enter and we really cannot
accomplish very much (other that causing noise on the lists) by
crowdsourcing opinions about what is needed or appropriate.
This is one area in which IETF Consensus, even if it existed,
would be of little value.

best,
    john