Ireland`s visa so easy to get! (Part-VII)

Uday Hakim, back from Dublin (Ireland): I got the Ireland visa in just two hours! It was the stories of couple of years back that the readers had already known. Now, I would like to tell you this year's story (2019). It took three days only to get the Ireland visa this year.

Actually, these things (visa works) are performed at the eleventh hour. One of these things I have learned remaining in the cricket sponsorship activities is that. Who buys Cricket Ground's Instedia Rights, has a tendency to sell at higher prices. On the other hand, the buyers are waiting on how to buy at the lower price.

The issues, however, are to be solved at the very end. As a result, the representatives of the sponsoring organizations fall in jeopardy. Especially, more time is needed to get visas from the countries like Europe, America and Australia.

Many of the representatives can’t go to abroad because, in some cases, they don’t get the visa at the end.

The same thing happened in the tri-series that ended last May (May 2019). Walton got the title sponsorship rights few days before the tournament began. I and Firoj Alam were nominated for the Ireland tour on behalf of the organization for tournament maintenance. Meanwhile, the Ramadan (Fasting month of Muslims) was going on then. Eid-ul-Fitr was knocking at the door. We had many works to finish in the office. None of us had time to go to India for getting the Ireland visa.

Meanwhile, as I said earlier- there is extra hassle for getting the Ireland's visa. There is no Irish embassy or consulate office in Bangladesh. Bangladeshis have to get Irish visas from Delhi. However, there is no opportunity to submit a visa application directly to Delhi. The visa application will have to submit in Kolkata. The process would be completed from Delhi while the visa would be received from Kolkata. Bangladeshi visa seekers have to come to Dhaka with visa from Kolkata. That means visa seekers are forced to stay in Kolkata as long as they don’t have visas. How to return home without a passport?

It would not be fair for two of us---Uday and Firoj---to go to India for the indefinite Ireland visa. But what’s the way to get the visa? We then decided to send our colleague Milton Ahmed to India for resolving the visa issues. If long time is needed, it may take him to stay in India as he has valid Indian visa. So, no problem! But yes! There are problems! According to the rules, the same person can’t carry one more passport. It takes approval of the concerned department of the government.

The necessary forms have been collected. All the necessary papers were submitted to the ministry of home affairs to take necessary authorization. Within two days, the authorities of home ministry in Dhaka approved papers. Milton went to India with our passports and other documents in hands the following day.

Earlier, Jet Air had a direct Dhaka-Delhi flight. But it doesn't exist anymore. That means there is no way to go directly from Dhaka to Delhi. Visitors from Bangladesh have to go to Kolkata first. They have to take domestic flight to Delhi after landing in Kolkata.

Milton Ahmed left Dhaka in the night. He reached Delhi by a domestic flight after reaching Kolkata in the morning. Everyone knew that Bangladeshis have to submit visa application in Kolkata. But think a little thing- application has to be submitted in Kolkata. It will go to Delhi via courier. When will it go? When will it be opened? When will it be processed? All things are surely uncertain! It may even be waiting for a month and a half. But you may find no reply! Can't say anything to anyone! Police can charge for having one more passports or having no passports. Police may ask, why do you carry three passports? Meanwhile, my passport has valid visas from various countries including USA and London. Understand how complicated the subject is. So it is the best way to go to Delhi directly. This was the direction for Milton.
 

A lighthouse on the coast of Ireland

I told a story to Milton before his leaving for India in a bid to make him brave in any situation in the visa processes in India. The story is taken from a real account. The story reads---The husband of a newly married woman lives in Dhaka. The woman told a young man in a nearby house to go her home at night. But in the meantime, husband has come home. The young man knocked on the fence of the home at night as per previous schedule. The husband grabbed the young man red-handed. “Why are you here at the night?” the husband asked the young man. “Bhabi (sister-in-law- the women) has asked me to come here in the night,” the young man replied. “Why are you abusing so much? If she does not meet me, then I will leave,” the young man asked the husband---Milton will also return to Dhaka if he does not have a visa.

Mr. Tanvir, a broadcast expert from Bangladesh, is Milton's fellow traveller in Delhi. He is also going to Ireland as production manager. A Bangladeshi broadcast head is going to such an international tournament! That's a matter of pride for Bangladesh. He has been in this profession for a long time. Indian professionals worked under him. He is well-known to them.

I requested Mr. Tanvir over the phone to help Milton in the visa process. Tanvir and Milton went to the same hotel in Delhi. After leaving the luggage at the hotel room, Milton went to the Ireland Embassy at no. 17 house on Malcha Road in Chanakyapuri. There is a BCB official named Asiful Bilash. He went with Shakib Al Hasan's passport. Because of his move to India to play IPL, Shakib's visa application could not be submitted with other players in the national cricket team. He has gone straight to the embassy to get a visa for Shakib. Mr. Tanvir also reached there for his own visa. All of them were trying how to get our visa cleared quickly.

Mr. Bilash visited the embassy several times during that time. So, a few of the embassy officials became friends with him. He has taken Shakib’s visa first and he later requested for Tanvir's one. That's all are done well. But how does he request for two or three more?

He, however, also requested for us as well but he failed to do it. Because the embassy officials would be reluctant to help him more. The same story as usual. The officials requested Milton to submit the necessary papers in Kolkata or through a courier service in Delhi. Milton went to the VFS center but they can’t take the papers. They also asked to submit it in Kolkata. Thus the sun went down.

The next morning, Bilash has been sent again to explain the importance of the matter. “Walton sponsored cricket in your (Ireland) country before. Going again in Ireland, it would be the ultimate benefit for your country. You should prioritize their (Walton’s) works. Ultimately, the Ireland Cricket Board will be benefited,” Bilash told the officials on behalf of Walton. “The senior officers’ approval is needed in this regard,” the officials replied.

Finally, the job is done! The visa application papers have been submitted at the embassy. It is said that it would take three business days. The paper was submitted on Monday. The passport is expected to be returned on Wednesday. But that day is May Day. It is a public holiday. What can be done now? Cricket series are set to begin on May 5. Before that, at least one of us should reach out to the Ireland to see the branding of the field himself.

It’s good luck for us. Within a day, Milton had a similar affair with the embassy officials. It is reported that the embassy will be opened in limited form on May 1st. It is requested that our visas be given on that day. The officials said that the situation would be reported over the mobile phone.

On the morning of May 1st, Milton's mobile rang. The passport was collected at noon on that day. Yes! Everyone of us got a six-month visa. Cricket Ireland, Business Visa!

(Uday Hakim is the advisory editor of risingbd.com and also an executive director of Walton Group)

** Ireland's visa so easy to get! (Part-VI)

** Ireland's visa so easy to get! (Part-V)

** Ireland's visa so easy to get! (Part-IV)

** Ireland's visa so easy to get! (Part-III)

** Ireland's visa so easy to get! (Part-II)

** Ireland's visa so easy to get!