Erasmus Students with Visa Problems ****************************************************************************************** * Erasmus Students with Visa Problems ****************************************************************************************** 1. 11. 2012; By: Ivana Herglová; Proof-reading: Maria Constanza Labra-Odde a Andrew Sweene English Digest The Erasmus programme is the easiest way to spend one or two semesters abroad for the majo from the countries of the European Union, the EEA/EFTA and the candidate countries of the The rules of the Erasmus programme ensure participating students don’t have to pay any tui usually, they also have top priority in receiving university accomodation. Additionally, h in countries where the native language is less frequently spoken in Europe (such as Czech) sufficient amount of courses in English (or other frequently-spoken European languages) fo For students requiring a student visa however, the situation becomes more difficult, as pa the Erasmus programme or even arrival into the country of their host university is more co For a series of articles of the 25th anniversary of the Erasmus Programme, we have asked T studying at Charles University in Prague in the year 2011/12 to share their experiences in visa: Nilüfer Deniz Baş studies English at the Ça? University in Mersin and during 2011/12 was e Erasmus student at the Faculty of Education of Charles University. Zerrin Gurkaya comes fr University in Ankara, and through 2011/12 studied English at the Faculty of Arts, also at University in Prague. Nilüfer, Zerrin, you are one of several students who had considerable problems in getting visa on time. The Czech Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is responsible for issuing the in the Czech Republic has a 60-day limit to issue a student visa. How long did it take in Zerrin: I was able to apply for the Czech long-term visa on the 27th July 2011. The embass saying that the visa was ready as late as the 10th October 2011. I said that I was able to visa because even getting an appointment at the Visapoint website took a really long time is an online system on which visa applicants to the Czech Republic must apply for an appoi embassy to be able to apply for a visa). Nilüfer: I received my letter of admission for the Erasmus Programme at Charles University week of August 2011. Actually, I was expecting my documents to reach me earlier, but unfor took quite long to transport my letter from Czech Republic to Turkey. Then, on 15th August the website of the Visapoint system to arrange a visit at the Czech embassy. I got an appointment for the 19th of September, which was more than one month later; and I for the appointment day. On the 19th of September, I went to Ankara to apply for my visa. for the short-term (Schengen) and long-term visa. I had to apply for the “touristic“ Schen to the “study“ visa because it takes more than 60 days to get the long-term visa. But it t week to get the Schengen visa – which is valid for 90 days. (note: since summer semester 2 cannot apply simultaneously for the Schengen and the longterm visa, what makes the process complicated.) After one week, on 26th September, my Schengen visa was issued and I finally bought my pla Prague for the 1st October, as I really did not want to miss the very first week of the co University. Once in Prague, I was waiting and hoping for my long-term visa to be approved The weird thing is that when you are informed that your long-term visa has been approved, return back to Turkey to get this visa, which means paying for the transportation (plane-t As I am just a student and only have a limited amount of money, it was really difficult fo a high amount of money for transportation again. I still cannot figure out why it is so ha for a student. The European Office of Charles University sends letters of admission to visa students usua beginning of July (in the case of winter semester and full-year arrivals) or at the beginn (in the case of summer semester arrivals). If the 60-day limit to issue the student visa w honoured, then all our Turkish students would be able to arrive in the Czech Republic on t any other time losses? Zerrin: I was able to gather all the documents necessary for the visa application just bef appointment at the Czech embassy (I applied for the appointment in advance to spare the ti letter for the Erasmus study stay was ready on the 19th of July of 2011. Luckily, my instr in Prague at that time and she didn’t mind picking it up for me and bringing my documents Otherwise, I wouldn‘t be able to go to my appointment at the embassy since the shipment of Czech Republic and Turkey takes at least ten days. So, it was a race against time. I hope experience this problem anymore… As I have said earlier, it may take really long (several weeks or even a full month) to ar appointment at the Czech embassy via the Visapoint website – it is not an exageration. You all the time, sit at the computer, checking the website again and again, to see if there w cancelation or an appointment time added. When I asked the people at the Czech embassy in Turkey why it is so hard to even make an a they answered that the Visapoint system – which we have to use – is not managed by them bu from the Czech Republic and no one can control it directly in Turkey. That is why they can number of the offered appointment times. This is the real problem. I was able to arrange m 20th of June 2011 for the next week, which seemed quite okay. However, my visa process too days in the end. Nilüfer: Unfortunately, I got my letter of admission as late as in the second week of Augu to arrange the appointment at the Czech embassy via the Visapoint system before I got my l Charles University. It would have been meaningless if I had applied for the visa appointme I didn’t know when I would finally receive my admission documents. I do not think that the distance between Czech Republic and Turkey is so big, but I got my Charles University more than one month after the European Office sent it to me. Because of late to get an earlier appointment in the Visapoint system. To explain briefly, Visapoint system is a website used by the Czech embassy in Turkey. It applicants to arrange an appointment at the embassy. You enter the website, choose the typ you need, and then the free appointment dates are offered to you. Normally, it is quite ea appointment via the Visapoint system. But in certain times, for example, when future Erasmus students are applying for a visa, t system may either not work at all, or give you a free appointment time that is too distant You can be offered an appointment date as late as one and a half month later, which makes application process more difficult and postpones the arrival to your destination, in my ca Faculty of Education of Charles University. How long did it finally take you – from the time you received your letter of admission fro University – to recieve the visa? Zerrin: Despite all the problems of shipping my admission documents or the Visapoint syste get a really good appointment date. However, since my visa process took longer than usual, to get my visa in 76 days. Nilüfer: It took only one week to get my Schengen visa issued, which was valid for 90 days term visa expired at the end of December 2011. Then I had to return back to Turkey to get visa which was finally prepared at the end of autumn, on the 18th of November. I visited t in Ankara to get my visa in the first week of January 2012. So, it took me approximately 5 my long-term visa (if I would have returned to Turkey immediately when the visa was prepar exactly 60 days; but as I have explained before, the plane tickets are expensive and I cou go home twice in such a short period of time – in November and then again for the Christma winter examination period in late December and January). In the beginning of February I ca for the summer semester. I tried really hard to get the Czech long-term visa since the beg 2011. But I think coming to Prague was worth it. Your friends went on an Erasmus exchange to other European countries at the same time as y Prague. If you compare the length of time they needed to get their study visas issued – wa same, longer, or shorter, compared to the Czech Republic? Zerrin: Definitely shorter, at most it took them one month. Nilüfer: Most of my friends went to the University of Poznan in Poland. And fortunately, t have any problems with getting their visas issued at the Polish embassy. They got their lo approximately in one week time, which is much shorter than getting a visa for the Czech Re One of my best friends also applied for a study stay in Prague in the summer semester 2010 unfortunately the Czech embassy did not approve his visa. In the winter semester 2011/12, for Portugal easily and studied there. You both decided to prolong your study stay at Charles University from one semester to the Nilüfer, you tried to apply for the prolongation of your study-visa back home in Turkey, a tried at the Foreign Police in Prague. Were there any differences in procedure? Nilüfer: Since I got my long-term visa as late as in January (and used my Schengen visa fo semester period, till middle of December), the Czech embassy in Ankara only took my prolon issued at Charles University (Admission Letter and Accommodation Contract for the summer s along with several other documents), and never told me that I should apply for the prolong long-term visa. The problem was that at the end of the summer semester 2011/12, I had real was valid only for 108 days and not the expected, and usually approved 180 days – so final for a prolongation of the validity of my visa anyway, in the Czech Republic. Zerrin: You don’t have to deal with registration on any websites or other technical things for prolongation in Prague which is a good thing, and the required documents are the same. almost impossible to find a person who speaks English at the Foreign Police office, so thi problem for me. It is also the main reason why I couldn’t get my visa prolongation up unti summer semester, since I was not able to ask all the important questions in the beginning, actually a huge problem. If the police know that your prolongation is in process, you are can say that the process is even slower when you apply from Prague. On the other hand, there is another issue which I cannot pass without mentioning. I think staff at the Foreign Police office doen’t know the exact rules of the visa prolongation pr first appointment, the officer didn’t tell me that I need a proof of health insurance. Lat in Turkey for a visit, they sent me a letter stating that I need health insurance. This is complete my documents later on. At the same time, one officer accepted one of my prolongation documents, but another offic my friend’s document, although they were exactly the same. Later, I also had to change my friend, because it was considered invalid. To sum it up, what were the biggest problems for you during the visa process? Nilüfer: Waiting and killing time were the biggest damages of the the visa process. Someti unfair because European people do not have any problems to enter any EU country they want not a part of European Union, so it’s alright. I accept I have to deal with many documents for a visa for 60 or more days is too long, I think. We live in the 21st century. There is technology that one can imagine – it would be great if it could speed the process a bit. Zerrin: In one word, time. Correspondingly, financial and emotional damage. Has studying through Erasmus in Prague been worth all the trouble? Nilüfer: Even though I had difficulties with getting the visa issued and admission documen time, I am really happy to be here, in Prague. I think it has been worth all the difficult I have good relations with my teachers and friends. Everyday, I am learning new things and the Erasmus Programme for it. I have many new friends and I am learning about different cu I also have good friends among Czech people. I love to see the smile in their faces when I also like to learn about my country. I can say that Prague is my second hometown now. I lo Especially, I like to feel the atmosphere when I walk in the streets. My friends and I had the chance to see also other cities in the Czech Republic with the pe organization of the Erasmus Club (of the Faculty of Arts). I went on a trip to Karlovy Var Karlštejn, Český Šternberk and Kutná Hora. I also had the chance to see many perfect balle with the Erasmus Theatre Club. Yes, it was definitely worth it! Zerrin: The moment I stepped to Prague, I forgot all my troubles; this city has charmed me stressful and wearisome period of the visa process, I had lost all my enthiusiasm and I wa that I had choosen Prague for my Erasmus study stay; but now I am so content that I have e studies here. Prague is so beautiful, alive and also mysterious, that I enjoyed exploring of my Erasmus period. It amazes me everyday! At the same time, I am also very happy about studying at Charles University; my department International Relations offices, International and Erasmus clubs and organizations work a possible for us to have a good time here. Thanks to the Erasmus Theatre Club, I have devel of going to operas and ballets very often. And also other events, trips, the equipment of libraries, etc. are the things that I am very content with. Thank you for the interview.