German Embassy To Welcome All Visa Applicants For WC

Prospective Ghana soccer fans to the impending World Cup in Germany next summer have been remindered that the German Embassy is the sole institution responsible for the issuance of visas to Germany.Visas requirements will remaine the origional Shenghen Visa reqirements.

The German Ambassador to Ghana H.E Peter Linder stressed these in an exclusive live interview broadcast on Kapital Radio in Kumasi and Melody FM in Takoradi in his office in Accra yesterday.

"Even though the usual Shenghen visa requirements will be applied, applicants must have a ticket to watch the matches, flight bookings, travel insurance as well as substantial evidence of ability to cater for one's stay during the competitions among other requirements. All this is to ensure that sincere travellers go to Germany", he explained.

"Travel experience will be a determining factor but not a crucial one.This is because then consistent travel experince will mean that the applic! ant is a true traveller" he stressed.

H.E Peter Linder said the Embassy will not put a limit on the number of visas to be issued to Ghanaians, "There will not be a specification on the number of visas to be issued to Ghanaians,and therefore as many applications as possible as will come in will be considered", he said.

"Because of the open nature of the application processes the Embassy is putting together crucial pragmatic measures to start receiving and treating application early next year" he added.

"Every single application will be treated individually,which means that all applicants will be interviewed and screened individually", he said.

The Ambassador despelled reports of group visas, adding that the Embassy is prepared to treat applicants with the needed respect and recognition and successful applicants will be issued visas to watch the World cup.

Asked wheather there will be special treatment for the Ghanaian Media,H.E Peter Linder said, "I am aware that there will be accreditation for the Visas and so the Local Organising Committee headed by Frank Berkembour is taking care of all of that. I am aware of the vibrant Ghanaian sports Journalists and will wish that as many sports Journalists as possible as will want to go can have their way but yet again the regulations and formalities put together by the LOC will have to be respected," he explained.

The German Ambassador said the German Government is mapping up crucial and pragmatic measures to ensure that there is massive security during the World cup.

"Security Measures are not to be discussed in the media but let me assure you that the Germany government is capable of hosting an incident free competition".He assured the world.

He said the German govenment is poised to host one of the best World Cup tournaments and everything possible is being made to ensure that the world will leave the country with indelible make of a successful world cup after the tournament.

The Ambassador was full of praise for the nation for it's first ever qualification to the prestigious soccer fiesta.

"I am particularly happy for the Senior National team,the Blank Stars for their qualification to the World Cup, it is my avowed hope that six weeks from now the team will be able to impress at the Cup of Nations in Egypt which will give them the moral booster for the World Cup", he hoped.

"It is my prayer that the coach will have the eye as he has always had to select the right players for the right matches at the CAN 2006 and also for the World Cup".

He commended the Ghana Football Association, the Ministry of Education and Sports as well as Goldfields Ghana Limited and Ghanaians in general for their diverse massive contribution which helped qualify the nation to the World Cup.

"My wish is that Ghana will not meet Germany in any stage at the World but the finals.This is because then i will not know which team to root for".He said His H.E Peter Linder welcome Ghana and the World to the world cup.