Visa issues

2 hours ago, RayCee said:

Absolutely. Here's a picture of a Brit last year trying to make it to the airport.

 

Okay...Okay...but what about Iceland?...its very warm there with palm trees on the beach...I have some nice priced lots...you interested?

Just reading that Chase Stanley is stymied in Australia waiting on some weird kind of Visa so that he can get into the UK!?!?!?!?   What the blankety-blank-blank is going on?  He has been with TWP for the last 2 full Championship seasons and I don't recall there being any Visa issues for him.   Or, is this the precursor to what manu266 is predicting 2 or 3 posts up?

He probably hesitated on what visa to use. If like him you are eligible to the ancestry visa, this is probably the best option since the visa is valid for 5 years, can lead you to permanent residence and even citizenship, you don't need a letter from your employer or the governing body and if you enter on another visa you cannot switch to ancestry so you lose a big opportunity.

The other 2 visas that can be used by sportsmen are the tier 2 and the tier 5 visas and for both you need an intervention of the RFL and the team itself. From the documentary we have learned that Wolfpack overseas players use the short term one, the tier 5 which is probably a mistake because it is harder to get readmitted with this one.

Anyway all visa applications take max 3 weeks so he shouldn't miss too many games.

6 hours ago, manu266 said:

He probably hesitated on what visa to use. If like him you are eligible to the ancestry visa, this is probably the best option since the visa is valid for 5 years, can lead you to permanent residence and even citizenship, you don't need a letter from your employer or the governing body and if you enter on another visa you cannot switch to ancestry so you lose a big opportunity.

The other 2 visas that can be used by sportsmen are the tier 2 and the tier 5 visas and for both you need an intervention of the RFL and the team itself. From the documentary we have learned that Wolfpack overseas players use the short term one, the tier 5 which is probably a mistake because it is harder to get readmitted with this one.

Anyway all visa applications take max 3 weeks so he shouldn't miss too many games.

Thanks for this info manu but why are he and/or the Club just dealing with this now?  Over the last 3 years we would pontificate about teams leaving the Visa/Travel Card application process to the last minute and finger-wag at them for doing so.  Is this a case of deja vu?

3 hours ago, Cameron Highlander said:

Thanks for this info manu but why are he and/or the Club just dealing with this now?  Over the last 3 years we would pontificate about teams leaving the Visa/Travel Card application process to the last minute and finger-wag at them for doing so.  Is this a case of deja vu?

To be fair with the Wolfpack admin team you cannot compare travel authorization needed by visiting players in Canada with work permits needed by overseas players in the UK, plus they also have to manage work permit in Canada for the entire team, players, coach, trainers... No matter the colour of their passport, unless they are Canadians of course.

Also I don't think her Majesty's government has a box in their visa form for a team like the Wolfpack. That would be interesting to know if any other foreign team is based in the UK and uses non eea citizens. They would probably have a system in place for visa procedures, but I don't know any other team in that specific situation.

That being said, after 3 seasons in the system, not being able to identify the right visa to use is indeed not acceptable. I'm no expert in visa but I worked with expat workers, a quick reading at the visa definitions and it's clear to me that overseas Wolfpack players need the tier 2 visa, the long term one, otherwise reentry could be problematic.

I have also seen NHL teams waiting for visa for their new players, so it can happen in any league. Like I said last season, see it as a player suspended for admin mistake or incompetence.

On 20/01/2020 at 10:48, Kayakman said:

Okay...Okay...but what about Iceland?...its very warm there with palm trees on the beach...I have some nice priced lots...you interested?

Iceland, a great place for pre season training.

2 hours ago, RayCee said:

Iceland, a great place for pre season training.

Warm lots facing the sun for sun tanning...good deal!

On 19/01/2020 at 12:33, RobertAM said:

Please stop pontificating. Unless you are a specialist in this area my opinion is as valid as yours. I will try and make my position simple for you. If an individual has paid his debt to society and poses no danger to the public as determined by a UK court what right does a Canadian bureaucrat have to deny that person entry to this country?

And the reason I am "going off" on it is I do not want any visiting club or their fans to claim the Wolfpack only won because their team was short players. This has happened in the past and we can assume it would happen in the future. That is all.

I teach Law, and the curriculum includes international law and Canadian immigration policy.

Cooperating nations that have mutual visa waiver programs have access to detailed information about potential travelers beyond just what is in the passport. This means that Canadian immigration officials are not simply taking the UK court's ruling on expunging the conviction, they are actually looking at the offence in question applying Canadian law to the conviction to decide if they meet the Canadian definition of pardon eligibility.

In the case of a denial, it is never the decision of a single person; it is always reviewed by a superior before the decision is issued to the applicant. The applicant can then file an appeal over the decision which would be reviewed by a separate division within the department.

48 minutes ago, Lamport Life said:

In the case of a denial, it is never the decision of a single person; it is always reviewed by a superior before the decision is issued to the applicant. The applicant can then file an appeal over the decision which would be reviewed by a separate division within the department.

Interesting. But this is the procedure when you apply at the High Commission or consulate right?

If you are denied at the point of entry, is there a review by a superior and an appeal on spot? Or do you have to go back where you come from and then appeal at the High Commission?

4 hours ago, manu266 said:

Interesting. But this is the procedure when you apply at the High Commission or consulate right?

If you are denied at the point of entry, is there a review by a superior and an appeal on spot? Or do you have to go back where you come from and then appeal at the High Commission?

You are always sent to secondary inspection if the customs officer at the port of entry (e.g. airport) believes you might be ineligible to enter the country. 

Well thank you for the clarification..it all sounds a bit "holier than thou" though. I hope common sense prevails, we had enough stick from L1 and Championship clubs when they couldn't field full squads, I wouldn't want to see it escalate now that the big boys are coming to town.

This Article Appeared on a UK Website a Few hours ago

https://inews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/toronto-wolfpack-super-league-wages-late-sonny-bill-williams-visa-553387

Regarding VISAs, my understanding is Super League has an agreement with the Home Office and Clubs that are full members get different VISA rules and preferential treatment.  Super League didn't want to make Toronto a full member; therefore, TWP has to play by a different set of rules than everyone else.

This issue has been apparently made known to the RFL for some time and nothing was done about it.  Also, the rumour is SKY have gotten involved and are threatening to withdraw funding completely for breach of contract should TWP not play.  This would basically mean bankruptcy for the majority of Super League clubs.  It's all over facebook atm.  

On 18/07/2020 at 12:24, CanadianRugger said:

Regarding VISAs, my understanding is Super League has an agreement with the Home Office and Clubs that are full members get different VISA rules and preferential treatment.  Super League didn't want to make Toronto a full member; therefore, TWP has to play by a different set of rules than everyone else.

This issue has been apparently made known to the RFL for some time and nothing was done about it.  Also, the rumour is SKY have gotten involved and are threatening to withdraw funding completely for breach of contract should TWP not play.  This would basically mean bankruptcy for the majority of Super League clubs.  It's all over facebook atm.  

The phone calls have been...it will all work out in the end....relax, its business.

Hope it does