CareersNG

All, this is a narrated experience of anF1 visa applicant...who eventually got his visa for fall 2005. Kindly go thru this...more to come!!
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My Visa interview at the Lagos consulate...9 am
I am not giving the counter number..wud unnecessarily get peopel reading this tensed.... Am going straigt to the i/w..

And mine was one helluva i/w i shud say!!!


Me: Hello. Good Morning mam
VO: Wats ur name...(Snubbed me)
Me: Abiola.
VO: What do you do?
Me: I am working with X.
VO: What do you do there?
Me: I am working as a systems engineer.
VO: So what do you do? (busy going thru the DS forms and the I20)
Me: I work there as a Systems engg...A database architect for my team.
VO: what Databases?
ME: I am into a Data Warehousing project...and strt explaining
VO: ( cuts me off) How Long?
Me: 8 months now
VO: where did u do your bachelors?
Me: From So and so coll, Univ of Ado-Ekiti
VO: Where? Which univ?
Me: Univ of Ado-Ekiti mam
VO: With what/?
Me: With IT
VO: Why do you want to go to Syracuse?
Me: Told her
VO: (Totally disinterested in my answers) You have any relatives there?
Me: No
VO: How many siblings?
Me: 1 Brother... In school (Smiled)
VO: (Still Stern)Okay. So what does your dad and mom do.?
Me: Dad works with so and so and mom is a banker
VO: Which company? What is it?
ME: It is under Mike Adenuga group mam
Vo: Okay. How much do they earn ? (Stern)
Me: X Naira / annum
Vo: Show me the statements supporting that they can fund you
Me: (showed my CA statement)
VO: (Peered thru it fr 2 whole min..din underastand..rudely) I dont understand this.Looks like you have just got in the money.
Me: (With force) Mam thats my parents earning for 20 years...And if you look at the column headings they are all in naira. The total liquid money is X Naira.
VO: Show me your mothers passbooks ( Bored )
Me: Here mam..
VO: Why is there only so much money here and ur Ca stements say this much?
Me: Mam the money is spread over 4 accounts.
Vo: Why not in one account?
ME: I haev a joint account with my mom and dad . We can open joint accounts.
VO: Okay. So How did this entry come in here? It seems recent.
Me: Mam this is the credit facility extended by the bank to their employees.
VO: Why this.?
Me: Mam this is the GPO maturity money
VO: why this?
Me: Mam thisi s so and so.
VO: show me the other Pass books.
Me: (Pushed in the others)
VO; (Saw the second one...)Hmm okay..(By the third pass book pushed all the docs out of her window ) And said disinterestedly...Approved
ME: Approved mam?
VO: yes Approved
ME: ( still cant beleive her..she was being rude...) Any more q's mam?
VO: No.
Me: When can i collect my passport( wanted to cnfrm its gonna be with her)
VO: between 5-6
Me: Thank you so much mam
VO: ( by that time she was callin the next number in)

Mine was the one that was least expected...i had admits frm 7 places..all that i got admitted to..Had a good profile..but she wanted to knw only my finances..But then i was prepared fr the wors t i shud say

Anyways...its over..I am goin to syracuse... 5 years visa granted...

Was tuff..looked liek a stress i/w..Nevertheless...

God luck to people...

And one small advise...if ppl tell this i/w is difficult don heed to them...be confident..don keep a track there on who got visa adn who did not and get tensed...
Be prepared with all the entries in your passbooks,Keep your kool and i am sure ull wud get it!

Cheers!

I hope this will help someone!
Gb!

_________________
Building a Solution Colony. Gb!

i think say u wan discuss VISA stuffs in general ni! Abi how much e be now? Since US give innocenti like me wahala, man suppose seek other sources.

Bns,
yeah i will discuss visa stuffs generally.
its a series..and i plan to cover visa processing for many countries as i can.
the other advantaghe is that you will be able to interrupt, ask me real time questions and get real time, specific answers.

Gb!

_________________
Building a Solution Colony. Gb!

I really do appreciate this too... I would want some assistance. I work with PHCN, Ikeja, as a computer/IT personnel, just started with this firm just last year. so I don't really have a fat pulse, so to say, but really want to travel by every possible means.

What would advice? Even if it is to say that I shld be patience and gather some more money.

What are the necessary steps to start taking, for my dream to come to past.

Arubi, Lucky (B.Sc Computer Sc. Unilag)
Power Holding Coy of Nigeria Plc.
Ikeja Distribution Zone

08029207291

Lucky,

To start with, i will like to understand the purpose of your travelling; do you plan to relocate .. or do you want to go for your Masters degree, or for a visit or what?
Each path is peculiar, so we need to start from there.

Talk to me
Gb!

_________________
Building a Solution Colony. Gb!

i need to apply for a uk student visa but i want to know d necessary things i need to attach to make me get it.i would be going for a masters degree.i really need help cos i heard dat since d age ban lift it as been difficult to get.

_________________
Love is the basis of all things.

Dolapo,
Read below and follow religiously..
Remember that packaging is the key to success in UK visa application, as you may not need to appear physically
Let me know if you still have concerns
Gb!


IMPORTANT NOTICE - NEW VISA APPLICATION PROCEDURES


The British High Commission announces that new visa application procedures will be introduced in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Enugu, Benin City and Warri on Friday 31 March 2006. This is part of an important series of improvements to the UK visa operation in Nigeria, all of which come into effect in March.

With effect from Friday 31 March dedicated visa application centres, run by the visa service company VFS, will open in Lagos (Ikeja and Victoria Island), Ibadan and Port Harcourt. Trained staff will take the visa fees, accept the applications and explain the latest visa rules. Customers in Warri, Benin City and Enugu will be able to lodge their applications at UPS centres in those cities where the same range of services will be available. All applications, from both the VFS and UPS centres, will be forwarded to the British Deputy High Commission in Lagos for processing.

This follows the opening of the VFS application centres in Abuja, and new UPS centres in Kano and Kaduna on 17 March.

Customers wishing to apply for a UK visa should lodge their applications at one of the application points listed below. Only those who require a visa in a genuine emergency should contact the Deputy High Commission direct.

The British High Commission will aim to process all applications as quickly as possible. Passports, endorsed with a visa if the application is successful, and other related papers will be returned to the application point. Some customers will still be required to attend for interview, and in these cases, we will provide an appointment date and time. Customers who do not qualify for a visa will receive a refusal notice explaining why.

A service charge of N3500 per passport inclusive of VAT will be applicable in addition to the appropriate visa fee - see separate visa fee notice.

Guaranty Trust GT Bank has been contracted to collect UK visa fees and VFS service charges.


Visa Application Procedure
We recommend that you complete your visa forms online at the VFS (Nigeria) website. This allows you to visit an application centre by prior appointment, saving you unnecessary waiting time. You can make an online application in 4 easy steps:

1. Obtain a fee receipt from a designated branch of REQUEST – see above. Please carry a photocopy of your passport data page when you go to the bank.

2. Complete your visa form online at the dedicated VFS (Nigeria) website

3. After you have completed filling out your online form, the website will show you a listing of application centres where you can submit your application, along with a calendar of available appointments. Please select a centre and the appointment date/time.

4. Print out all the forms indicated by the website, and submit the printouts along with your passport photograph
photograph
fee receipt, and all supporting documentation. VFS staff at the application centres will then guide you through the application process.


Please arrive at the application centre on around 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. You will be directed to a "Priority" queue for online applicants for a speedy submission process. You are also welcome to submit your application at an application centre without a pre-arranged appointment having first paid the fees at one of the designated GT bank branches.



UK Visa Application Centres

LAGOS
VFS centres (opening 31 March)

1st Floor, Feyide House,
PC23 Engineering Close,
Victoria Island
Lagos, and

37 Sobo Arobiodu Street
Ikeja
Lagos

PORT HARCOURT
VFS centre (opening 30 March)
11 Okpobo Crescent
GRA 1
Port Harcourt

IBADAN
VFS centre (opening 30 March)
11 Okunla Abass Street
New Bodija Estate
Ibadan

BENIN CITY
UPS centre (opening 30 March)
31 Airport Road,Benin City

WARRI
UPS centre (opening 30 March)
2 Effurun/Sapele Road
Enerhen Junction
Effurun
Warri

ENUGU
UPS centre (opening 30 March)
87 Ogui Road
Enugu

ABUJA
VFS centre (opened 17 March)
7 Ganges Street
Maitama
Abuja

KANO
UPS centre (opened 17 March)
8C Murtala Mohammed Way
Opposite Kano Club Golf Course

KADUNA
UPS centre (opened 17 March)
5 Ali Akilu Road
Kaduna

Applications from Abuja, Kaduna and Kano will be processed by the visa section of the British High Commission Abuja

_________________
Building a Solution Colony. Gb!

Gbolahan,

I quite appreciate your response and your concern in all this...

I really need to make you see where I am coming from... I left Unilag since 1999/2000 and since then I have not had any form of addition qualification, like in the professional fields of my course.

I would really loved to go for Schooling, like post graduate courses over there and also to settle there for some time, just to gather myself together.

If I had had some professional courses, which I am still trying to acquire, if possible before I could make it...

Arubi, Lucky (B.Sc Computer Sc Unilag)
Power Holding Coy of Nigeria Plc
Ikeja Distribution Zone, Alausa

GB
How you doing?
I am contemplating going to the states for my vacation(or visit), probably for 2 or 3 weeks. i work in a big coy in lag.
Kindly put me thru some of the likely documents and questions that might be asked during interview cuz sometimes they ask for documents outside the ones listed in their requirments. And how much you think is required of my bank statement
Thanks
Kola

Hi GB.
I intend going for U.S F1 student visa interview, I've tried to get information on most of the documents required but there is one that i just don't understand. They say the interviewing officer is to assume that every applicant is an immigrant and it is your duty to prove otherwise, the problem is I don't know what documents exactly is needed to prove that I don't want to immigrate.

If no documents are needed then what are you to tell the interviewer to convince him/her that you just want to go study?

Your help would be highly appreciated here.

_________________
The journey of a thousad miles begins with one step

Sorry for the long silence,
dafman, you need to convince the interviewing officer that you have so much at stake here and that you can not just run away.
documents like..
land papers (C of O) in your name.
a robust bank account.
investment certificate.
a booming business.
a viable job offer already on ground, just awaiting your gradschool completion.
your parents bulk and maybe something to show that ur position in the family will naturally earn you part of it.

in all, you need to be able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that you have so much here, and that you arent a begger by any standard.
they already have a chart for standard of living..and you need to prove that you are far above the minimum.

Another easy way to show is your scholastic record, your financial aid, school fees payment receipt etc.

They are looking for assets to their economy, and you need to prove that you arent a liabilty by any defeinition.
lemme know if you need any more info.
wish you the best.. remember.. packaging..

Brandiesi,
Big company??
well that really doesnt count much if you arent going on a business trip...
your big salary counts..
the last time i was there, an aero pilot, with earning over 4k dollars was bounced. ( big name.. big salary), but a public school teacher, with about 20 years in service was issues visa for her vacation.

Am sure you can deduce your conclusion from this example.

So it aint how much, but more of consistency and a long term cash flow.

We will get there..
Gb!

_________________
Building a Solution Colony. Gb!

Thanks for the info, it's really going to guide me in getting my stuff ready for the D-day.

_________________
The journey of a thousad miles begins with one step

http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2003/jul/232.html


10 POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN APPLYING FOR A US STUDENT VISA

n light of the recent announcement by the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos to reserve two weeks in August to interview only students applying for visas it is perhaps an opportunity to stress the 10 points below. The reserved dates are August 18-August 22 and August 24-August 29 and it is in respect of students applying for F,J or M visas for courses of study that begin in the fall of 2003.

1. TIES TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY. Under U.S. law, all applicants for non-immigrant visas, such as student visas, are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for returning to Nigeria that are stronger than those for remaining in the United States. "Ties" to Nigeria are the things that bind you to your home town, homeland, or current place of residence.

2. ENGLISH. Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview, but do NOT prepare speeches! If you are going to the United States solely to study intensive English, be prepared to explain how English will be useful for you in Nigeria.

3. SPEAK FOR YOURSELF. Do not bring parents or family members with you to the interview. The consular officer wants to interview you, not your family. A negative impression is created if you are not prepared to speak on your own behalf. If you are a minor applying for a high school program and need your parents there is case there are questions, for example about funding, they should wait in the waiting room.

4. KNOW THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT FITS YOUR CAREER PLANS. If you are not able to articulate the reasons you will study in a particular program in the United States, you may not succeed in convincing the consular officer that you are indeed planning to study, rather than to immigrate. You should also be able to explain how studying in the U.S. relates to your future professional career when you return home.

5. BE BRIEF. Because of the volume of applications received, all consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the first minute of the interview. Consequently, what you say first and the initial impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the point.

6. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION. It should be immediately clear to the consular officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will have 2-3 minutes of interview time, if you're lucky.

7. NOT ALL COUNTRIES ARE EQUAL. Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the US as immigrants (like Nigeria) will have more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be intending immigrants. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in the U.S. so be prepared.

8. EMPLOYMENT. Your main purpose in coming to the United States should be to study, not for the chance to work before or after graduation. While many students do work off-campus during their studies, such employment is incidental to their main purpose of completing their U.S. education. You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program.

9. DEPENDENTS REMAINING AT HOME. If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence. This can be an especially tricky area if you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular officer gains the impression that your family will need you to remit money from the United States in order to support themselves, your student visa application will almost certainly be denied. If your family does decide to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa.

10. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Do not engage the consular officer in an argument. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal, and try to get the reason you were denied in writing.

Before applying for such a visa, however, it is important for the applicant to know the eligibility guidelines and prepare proper documentation to show that those guidelines are met. With this information and preparation, obtaining student visa to the United States should be a relatively straightforward matter.

Thanks for the info!

_________________
Fowe.
Choices make or mar Chances ... add extra care to your choices today.

Thanks everyone for your support, you're the best!!

Hi,
I hope this series is still active and moderated.
I av applied and been admitted to a computer professional program in a US university. why i applied for the program was d promise of defering tuition payment until u get a curricular practical training(CPT) placement in a US IT firm where u wil be paid full salary.this is a policy of the school 4 international students and d school helps u secure such placements.

I am now set to schedule my visa interview, Problem is I dnt av any solid financial demonstration as will be required by the Interviewer. Any Idea on how 2 scale through this?

NB: I am currently employed(for 18months now) in an IT company in Nigeria and d coy is willing to provide eveidence they can still absorb me on return.

Thanks for the help. Always

_________________
Fowe.
Choices make or mar Chances ... add extra care to your choices today.

Thanks a lot fowe.i should remember that.