Bill Gates Denied Visa To Nigeria

Xight notes a Gizmodo story that is a few days old but hasn't gotten a lot of play. It seems that Nigeria recently denied Bill Gates a visa to travel there on his recent trip to Africa. The initial denial was "on the premise that they required proof he would not reside in Nigeria indefinitely, causing a strain on social services and a general nuisance for immigration." The comments to the post are worth reading too.

Comments

That's the language the US uses

[bogaboga]

The initial denial was "on the premise that they required proof he would not reside in Nigeria indefinitely,..."

This kind of language is what [African] applicants for US visas face when denied US visas at the many US visa posts across the continent. I guess it cuts both ways.

Re:That's the language the US uses

[ScentCone]

I guess it cuts both ways.

Yeah, other than the whole part where "he donates billions of dollars for health care and education" in that miserable country and its continent. Yes, there's SUCH a risk of him being a strain on their social services. African applicants for US visas face reality when they apply to come to the US. Nigeria denying Gates a visa isn't even remotely the same thing, and suggesting that it is cheapens the work and patience that would-be immigrants to the US have to show if they're not going to be illegal.

Re:That's the language the US uses

[akintayo]

I think you might find that Nigeria does have a problem with illegal immigrants. While most people don't have billions to donate like Mr. Gates, the majority of VISITORS to the US do not want to stay and while visiting do contribute to your economy. And they are required to prove they will not be a burden, so I am not sure why he shouldn't be required to do the same.

Nigerian economics

[The_church_of_funzie]

Someone was just looking for a bribe, that's all.
Nigerian economy is in a crapper.

Wha huh?

[Jarjarthejedi]

What in the world? Okay, this is just plain weird. First that they would deny Bill Gates a visa, I mean, unlike what many /.er's seem to think he's not exactly an evil guy or anything, it's not like he tortures puppies for fun or something. Second what kind of lame excuse is that they offered? I highly doubt Bill has any plans to move permanently to Nigeria (no offense to Nigeria but it's not quite the same as the US in terms of high end services) and that he would be a burden on social services is absurd, he's one of the richest people in the world, how could he strain social services?

This is by far one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen...

Well actually, he is an economic burdon

[argoff]

Proprietary software will attack their IT infrastructure and soak away profit in the form of opportunity costs, computer security costs, saturated network bandwidth due to compromised systems and bot networks,
and attack carer mobility, self sufficiency, R&D, learning capacity, and growth ability of the people who work with the proprietary infrastructure.

Seriously, there is a reason why billion dollar data centers from google, to amazon.com, to wall street are using Linux and open source software in their data centers up and down the chain.

Re:Is this news? Does this matter?

[heinousjay]

Nerds can't be objective. One of the key defining characteristics is that they think they know everything, and along with that comes the need to spread the good word.

No big deal

[Black Copter Control]

Not everybody in Nigeria is necessarily going to know who Bill Gates is -- and even somebody who did would probably look at the name and presume that (since it wasn't handled at the diplomatic level), this must refer to some other Bill Gates than the one we (here on slashdot) love to hate.

"and besides -- if it really is that Bill gates:

1. It should be easy enough to prove that he won't be a mooch on Nigerian social services, and
2. He has enough money to pay some lackey to handle this for him.

... and then, there's the geek factor of being able to say that "I told Bill Gates that he was too cheap to let into Nigeria."

Re:Most likely a political thing.

[Shihar]

Giving a guy who is about to dump a few billion dollars into your nation "a taste of their own medicine" is by far the stupidest idea I can possibly think of. I don't rate Nigeria's government all that high in terms of competency, but unless the winners of the special Olympics have taken over the nation, I doubt this is some veiled attempt at diplomacy.

I am pretty sure Nigeria doesn't have a big problem with Americans illegally immigrating into the nation. The most likely reason for this is simply that someone didn't get their bribe, doesn't really give a shit that Gates is looking to save a few million lives, and so found a piece of paper with a check box missing in it to deny entrance in hopes of getting his fair share to correct the 'misunderstanding'.

Re:Bill Gates purchases minor country

[whitehatlurker]

Not sure why this is labelled "funny". Something like that might turn the country around.

Re:Fuck you.

[Anonymous Coward]

Most [Australians] are descended from the best and brightest who escaped the shitty hell of other nations, such as your own.

Uh, dude, how many Americans "escaped the shitty hell" of the United States to become citizens of Australia? I'd guess very few did.

Why don't you stupid fucking yanks ever mention how you are all the offspring of a bunch of fucking religious nutters?

To paraphrase something I read recently, "Only a tiny percentage of America's original settlers were "religious nutters". Most of us are descended from the best and brightest who escaped the shitty hell of other nations..."

Or what about mentioning the genocide you perpetrated on the Native Americans?

Erm, kind of like this? http://aboriginalrights.suite101.com/article.cfm/aboriginal_holocaust

If you want someone to laugh at, take a look at the fucking inbred retarded rabble across the Tasman Sea, in New Zealand. They actually believe they are still a pommy colony! The place is like a Coronation Street fan convention.

"It's wrong to make fun of Australians, but right to make fun of New Zealanders." Sure, okay.

Australia, the country you are lamely trying to make fun of, out America'd America decades ago.

Uhuh. Having met a few Australians in my lifetime, I can say that at least some Australians like to think of themselves as being "Yanks downunder". I have no idea why the hell they think that, nor can I understand why they'd even want to be (or just imitate) us! Haven't you ever heard of a guy called George W. Bush? Yeesh!

Or did it not occur to you just why it is that Americans spend so much time obsessing about us?

Oh, now that's just hilarious! I'm sorry dude, but it is.

Funny?

[nurb432]

No, not really. Finally someone actually enforces their laws. Bill should get no more special treatment over anyone else.

Re:Reminds me of an old story...

[mcsporran]

Don't do this.... Customs guys are not known for their sense of humour, particularly when it is an offensive joke, that they've heard literally thousands of times before.
I know of one English guy, who told me of his arrival in the country, where his friend had filled out the criminal record question on the immigration form, with exactly that: "I didn't think you needed one any more...". Customs took one look at it, he got taken off for a private interview, and ended up heading back to Heathrow the same day.

Thousands of £'s to see the inside of Sydney airport, can't come back for years, holiday they had planned for years ruined.

Pretty funny huh ?

Re:Reminds me of an old story...

[DiscoFreq]

I heard you better don't tell such jokes at US airports ;)

Re:Misreading

[maxwell demon]

Nigeria is currently the most corrupt country in Africa

So maybe Bill Gates just didn't pay enough bribe?

Re:Reminds me of an old story...

[jrumney]

Don't do this.... Customs guys are not known for their sense of humour

Oh, they're known for their sense of humour alright. Its just not the sort of sense of humour you want to be on the butt end of.