wilgraham702:
Dear VO,
I ran into this thread and i have a question that i have been looking for who to ask all these while.

I applied for a Student Visa in 2012 and was granted and I differed my admission till July 2013 of which i travelled and i was stopped at the point of entry by the Homeland Office and was asked questions and was made to know that the agency that processed my Visa for me used wrong information in applying for a Visa for me.I was given an option to pay $250,000 to gain access but since i couldn't afford it i took the option to return back to my home country (Nigeria) but before i left,I was given a 5 years Ban and it would make 2 yrs by August 2015 that i was refused entry.

My question is how do i know when my US Entry Ban is over?
How do i know the status of my US Entry Ban?
Would and i hope this wont affect me when next i want to apply for a US Visa even after my Ban?

Please i need answer on this as i dont know the status of my US Entry Refusal Ban as of now...Thank you.

Hello wilgraham702,

A five-year ban starts the day you left the US. You can count from your departure date and see if five years has elapsed. Negative encounters with the Department of Homeland Security or Department of State will of course be considered in your future applications.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

vDonald:
Hello VO
I applied for a K1 visa in 2007, but was denied. Reason given was the officer thinks its a sham. To be honest it was not. I and my partner brokeup as the distance would not allow things work between us. We have since move on (i am married now).
I applied for a B1/B2 visa feb 2015 from the United kingdom where i am presently studying for an MSc but was denied reason, because of the previous K1 denial.
Please how do i sort this out and get my records right.
Regards

Hello vDonald,

You are welcome to reapply for a US visa, however, there is no way to delete your prior encounters with the Department of State.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

blackedwin:
Hello VO,
I and my wife applied for a B1/B2 VISA in June 2012,few months later my wife became pregnant and we decided that we have the baby in the US,in November we contacted a hospital/Doctor in the US ,paid all the required fees.Then in we traveled to the US December at the POI we told the immigration officer that we were there to have our baby,we were taken to a room where we were kept for close to 45minutes where series of questions were been asked, hospital was contacted and information confirmed and we were later cleared in.we had our baby paid all outstanding fees and equally obtained clearance letter from the Hospital.
Last year we renewed out VISAS and we intend to have our next baby in the US ,same hospital/doctor contacted and required fees paid,but the thought of the last experience is causing some panic in me and wife.what's your advice?

Regards
Edwin

Hello blackedwin,

Sounds like you did the right thing by having all of your hospital and doctor arrangements confirmed and paid for before traveling. This will certainly mitigate concerns that you will be attempting to use public funds to cover your medical expenses. It also highlights that you have the means for your purpose of travel. However, the Department of Homeland Security has a heavy responsibility in guarding our borders, and it is ultimately their decision whom they will question and who they will allow to enter the United States.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

trendsng:
what is the procedure of getting a visa and how much is likely for one to spend while processing it

Hello trendsng,

A tourist visa is $160 and you can apply here --> http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ng

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

jaykai24:
Hi VO, asking out of curiosity, does an Irish passport holder who reside and work in the UK need a visa to visit the state?

Hello jaykai24,

Citizens of Ireland do not require a visa to travel to the US for tourism, business, or transit for less than 90 days. You can learn more here --> http://dublin.usembassy.gov/nivwaiver.html

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

Gokawalker:
Good day Sir, I'm a foreigner from Togo but born n bred here in Nigeria , I was adopted when i was a child by father's boss who are Nigerians. I was given a Nigeria passport and i tried apply for USA conference visa 2 years ago but i was denied but now i am back with parents here in Lag and they stopped me from using the Nigerian passport. I hope i won't have any problem when i apply for USA visa [ any type of visa ] with my Togolese passport? pls reply

Hello Gokawalker,

I'm not quite sure what your question is, but if you're asking if it's alright to apply for [any non-immigrant] visa with a Togolese passport at the US Embassy in Abuja or US Consulate in Lagos, the answer is yes. That is fine.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

deedrizzie:
Good day, pls I'm a student preparing to
take the SAT in two months... pls what are the
requirements and necessary documents for obtaining a
student visa to the US. Thank You

Hello deedrizzie,

We answered all the most common questions about student visas here --> http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/student_visa_faq.html

As it says, "There is not an exhaustive list of documents that the Consular Officer may ask you for at the interview; however, you should be prepared to provide grade transcripts, WAEC scores, as well as scores from any standardized tests that you took to gain admission at your university such as the SAT, GRE, TOEFL or IELTS. You should also be prepared to show bank account statements or other financial documents that demonstrate your ability to pay for your education."

Of course, you will also need an I-20 and confirmation sheet.


Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

simonjo:
The US visa is the easiest and fastest of embassies
that I have visited.
I had a blank passport, little earnings and with no documents check given the visa.
30 seconds interview process and I was out.

Hello simonjo,

We're glad the process went smoothly for you! Enjoy your trip.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

Kay213:
Hi VO,
Good day to you. I applied for K1 visa and my fiancé applied/submitted for me in the US february 2015. I want to know the estimated time i should wait for them to send my case to Lagos. I will happy if i can just have the idea months. I can't want to be with my baby.
Thanks and looking forward to hear from you.

Olukayode

Hello Kay213,

You should check out the immigrant visa thread --> https://www.nairaland.com/1792591/u.s-immigration-questions-ask-u.s

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

Luckysoj:
I have been rejected twice base on the facts that my dad apply for a K1 visa but never went ahead with because of change of mind at the long run any time I go or my brothers we are been denied the opportunity please what can we do on these case

Hello Lukcysoj,

Your understanding of your refusal might be different from the realities. If you were denied 214(b), then the only way to change the adjudication in future applications is to make sure you are able to thoroughly demonstrate ties during your interview.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

Sbsspaces:

Hello VO,good job u doing , may the LORD reward u. Pls I applied for visa b4 I got married wt a particular date of births for my parent where it was stated in d form,but I was refused. I re-applied after a yr den I was married but d mistake I made was dat i inserted Anoda yr(dob) for my parents.and we were all refused myself , hubby nd son. Don't knw if dat was d reason and how can I correct it. Cos I want to reapply again. Thnx in anticipation. God bless.

Hello sbsspaces,

It is unlikely a mistake on your parents' dates of birth was the reason your applications were denied, but you are welcome to reapply and explain the situation to the consular officer.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

veecee29:
Hi VO,
My sister n my mum were granted visas i 2013.Upon collection of the passports,my sister lied to my mum that her's(mum's) visa was denied.She also refused to give my mum her passports till now.I recently found out that my mum was granted a visa because she confided in a close friend who in turn told me.My question is this,is there anyway ur office can come into this case to get my mum her visa by summoning my sister?Is it a crime for someone to seize someone else's visa?

Hello veecee29,

It is absolutely a crime to steal someone's passport. We urge your mother to contact the Embassy or Consulate soon and inform them of the theft so that we can cancel the visa. If she reports the passport as stolen to the police and is issued a new passport, we can also reprint the old visa for the remaining validity (if there is any). If the visa would have already expired by now, we still encourage your mother to reach out to the Embassy directly and apprise them of the situation.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

emwye:
Morning VO,
Great job so far! I'm currently on my 1st H1-B visa which will be expiring in 2016. My employer recently gave the lawyers the go ahead to commence the green card application but then halted it by giving me the reason i paraphrase below
"in light of the current downturn in the industry, we would find it difficult to prove that we cannot fill your spot with a qualified American".
I'm not very sure that's valid excuse but my knowledge on such matters is limited. Could you please shed some light on this issue if you can. Thanks.

Hello emwye,

We recommend you learn more about Lawful Permanent Residence status by visiting the US Citizenship and Immigration Services' website --> http://www.uscis.gov/tools/glossary/lawful-permanent-resident-lpr

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

lovesavvi:
Good Morning VO , pls I av booked d appointment with my passport dat is goin to expire by dec, and my appointment is august, andam plan to go nd renew my passport b4 my appointment, what do u think I can do? Thanks

Hello lovesavvi,

Just bring both passports to the interview!

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

oluwa4me:
Goodmorning VO,
About 2 or3 years ago,I applied for an F1 visa,paid the necessary visa fees on 2 separate occasions.But,in both I was unable to attend interviews because of very busy schedule.Now am applying for a B1/B2,in the Ds 160 the Question that asks if"has your application ever been withdrawn at. port of entry"? do I fall into this category since on both occasions I didn't attend interviews.Thanks.

Hello oluwa4me,

No, you do not fall into that category simply by not attending your interviews.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

amilimos:
Good day folks,

I have a quick question. Can anyone direct me to a thread regarding the Dropbox Renewal Program? I already have extensive knowledge from the US Embassy website about this program.

However, I meet all the requirements but seem to have difficulty discovering where to submit my I-20 and TRANSCRIPT during the renewal process.

I currently plan to return to Nigeria to get a new F1 visa. Can anyone provide information about this please?

Regards,
Halim.

Hello amilimos,

Thank you for visiting our website! Simply bring your I-20 and transcript with you to the DHL drop off location and it will be submitted with your confirmation page and passport.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

temmysammy:
gudevenin VO,i applied for b12 visa on two occasions last year,but was denied on d two occasions,but during d last interview,d VO accused me of having a fake kenya visa on my passport,which may b true because someone helped me in gettin the kenya visa,so that i wont go to d embassy with a virgin passport.so pls VO can u advice me on what to do because am thinkin of applyin again anytime soon.

Hello temmysammy,

The US Department of State does not tolerate fraud or misrepresentation of any kind. This can lead to a permanent ban from receiving visas to the US. Your decision to forge a stamp and lie in your application has damaged the likelihood of receiving visas in the future.

We encourage all applicants to be honest both in filling out forms and in person. Plenty of applicants with no travel history are issued visas each day.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

lizzyslaw:
Gd Morning VO,

Please I have an interview visit scheduled for 21st i.e next tuesday. I intend to travel for a scientific conference. I am an academic in one of the Federal, Universities in Nigeria, married without kids but because of a recent series of ART procedures I engaged in my bank balance is kind of low. My question is, will my bank balance be a consideration as to whether or not I would be granted a visa?

Thank you

Hello lizzyslaw,

Sorry we are late getting to this. Statements of account are not required for B1/B2 visas. Simply be transparent and honest regarding your situation during the interview (which likely already happened).

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

ajetunde:
Hi Lagos VO,

I had an interview yesterday The Consular officer asked the following questions;

Why am I visiting the US - To attend a Twitter global partner summit.

How much I earn monthly - I answered.

Where I work - I answered.

She asked for the invitation letter and I provided that and then she asked why I went to India (Travel history on my passport) and I explained that I was there to attend an induction with my former employer. And that's it, no visa. No reason either.

I work in a company that partners with Twitter in South Africa and Nigeria and we work together with the Twitter team, the invitation is to put together a summit for us to have a one on one with Twitter executives, sales leadership, product teams in San Francisco and it's very important.
I was there with my colleague (different VOs) and she got the visa.

The summit is from 5th to 8th August. Please, is there anything I can do? I can have someone from Twitter HR send a personal email on my behalf if that will help. Am I qualified for an "Urgent Business Travel "?

Thanks.

Hello ajetunde,

You are welcome to reapply. You can request an expedited appointment, but there is no guarantee that you will be granted one.


Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

sutton09:
We humbly request for expedited visa appointments for 5 members of the Nigeria Team competing in the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship for students to be held August 9th -12th 2015 in Dallas, TX. The scheduled date of appointment is 10th August 2015 which would make it impossible for Nigeria to be effectively represented at the World championship.

Last year, two of our 2014 national winners, Olubunmi Agusto of Day Waterman College, Abeokuta, Ogun State and Adonijah Airede of Regent School, Abuja, FCT represented Nigeria at the 2014 Microsoft Office World Championship held in Anaheim, California, USA. Olubunmi emerged second in Microsoft Word 2007 category at the World Championship and she has become the first African to emerge among the top three since the first edition of the competition 13 years ago.

This year, 6 national winners and 2 teachers are representing Nigeria and it would be so disappointing for these children if after working hard for 7 months to emerge national winners, they cannot get visas to participate in the world championship. Delta Air Lines has offered free economy return tickets to the team.

We applied for emergency appointment but received an email on the 10th of July stating our request has been denied. We have submitted a letter of request to the consular section and received an email today acknowledging receipt of our letter. They asked us to request an emergency appointment which we already did and were denied.

Please note that we can only book visa appointments when winners emerge at the end of the competition. We also had to renew expired international passports before applying for visas.

We would really appreciate your assistance in this matter.

Hello sutton09,

According to your statement, you appealed using the appropriate channels and were denied. There is nothing further we can do to assist at this time.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

obanqua:

Hello V.O,
I compliment your for this insightful review on this platform.
I was denied US Visa in 2002, then I was a student and I used 'arranged' documents and since then I haven't ventured outside the shores of Nigeria.
Now I am married, working and equally running some side business i.e. I am well to do, and thinking of getting the e-passport.
1. Can I apply with a Virgin passport?
2. Do I have to get another Visa before my application?
3. Which is better; lone application or joint with my wife? (we are just visiting)

Thanks in anticipation.

Hello obanqua,

As we've said several times today, a virgin passport is better than one with forged stamps. Many people's first visa is to the United States. We will not advise you on your application.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

specilex:
Hi VO,

How long on the average does it take for an H1B to EB Green Card filing.EB2 and EB3, from PERM to AOS

Thanks

Hello specilex,

For IV questions, go here --> https://www.nairaland.com/1792591/u.s-immigration-questions-ask-u.s
For USCIS questions, go here --> http://www.uscis.gov/tools/glossary/lawful-permanent-resident-lpr

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

ori777:
Hello VO,
I read online in 2 separate documents that eligibility for drop-box is 1 year/ 2 years. Which is correct?
Also, is it advisable to do drop box since I used my B1/B2 for birthing and I'm not allowed to send my proof of payment of my bills with drop box application?
Thank you.

Hello ori777,

If you are applying for a B1/B2 visa, then it must have expired within the last two years. For Fs, Hs, and Ls, it must have expired within the last year. You are encouraged to apply via dropbox if you are eligible, and if any documents are needed, we will call you in directly.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

babs01:


weldone sir, pls i got an offer from USA dat directed me to usiservice@usa.com as the United States immigration email address how authentic is the said e-mail address?

Hello babs01,

That is not a legitimate account.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

kelvdim:
Dear visa officer,
Am going for a conference on the 30th of august 2015,the nearest available date for interview is 15th of september 2015.I have submitted my ds160.Is it possible to get another appointment before 30th august?

Hello kelvdim,

You may apply for an expedited appointment but it is not guaranteed that you will receive one. In the future, apply as far out as possible.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

pragmatistm:
Good evening VO. I wish to apply for phd study in us. what visa preparations do I need?

Hello pragmatistm,

If you want more information regarding educational opportunities in the US, please go here --> http://educationusa.state.gov/

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

azeezya2007:
Hello Nairalanders, my brothers from another mothers,
fellow Nairalanders kindly advise my brother got his non immigrants visa March 20th on medical for himself and his son that needs medical attention but due to the health complications of the child the dector in Nigeria advice that his current treatment should completed before visiting the USA ie on a grand that if there know any improvements recorded. Please advise what he should be expecting at Port of entry and what he must do to avoid any delays at the port of entry.

Hello ayeezya2007,

It is not entirely clear from your post what the nature of your concern is. Your brother should bring with him all of the documentation regarding the planned medical treatment in the US, and any grant information available or demonstrations of financial means.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

victosin002:
Dear VO,
is it possible to still be given b1b2 visa if my parents just got a greencard or not to mention it in ds160 form at all since it ll show no tie to Nigeria.

Hello victosin002,

You should be honest and transparent in your application and interview. If is far worse for us to discover your ties and your attempt to cover them than it is to acknowledge their LPR status.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

afislonge:
Hello VO,

Need info on completing my DS-160 form, under Travel Companions Information ( Are you traveling as part of a group or organization? ) section, i indicated no and supply my two kids information(have b1/b2 visa) , i want know if that's correct and at what point will i indicate their visa information in the cause on my application

Thanks

Hello afislonge,

Putting your travel companions down in that section (whether they be friends, family, or colleagues) is appropriate. If you were traveling as part of a large group, that would have also been the right place for that information.

Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

abujaniv:

Hello lizzyslaw,
Sorry we are late getting to this. Statements of account are not required for B1/B2 visas. Simply be transparent and honest regarding your situation during the interview (which likely already happened).
Regards,
Abuja NIV Team

Dear VO,

Thanks for getting back to me. I was really stunned. In under 2mins I was shown the door with the blue form and refused under 214b. No ties?

I was honest to the t. Be married 8 years this october, hubby works with a multinational company, we live in our own house. Attending conferences is one of the ways academics building their cv's. Even the sister I planned to visit is moving to ghana in september. I bet the officer thought I had no plans to come back.

I have worked too hard on my paper to give it up. She did not even look at one document. Not the letter of introduction from the registrar 's office, not the letter of invitation from one of your recent award winning staff, not the evidence of payment for the conference and accomodation. I am currently in the 2nd year of my Ph. D studies, I want to carve a nitche for myself because I am working in an area that no one else in my faculty has bothered to look into. She asked about sponsor and I told her that tentatively I am sponsoring myself while waiting for my tetfund approval. Was that too honest?

She asked if I have kids and I said no. Am I currently pregnant and I said no! So if I had kids, I would have more ties?

Jeez, is it a Crime to be reproductively challenged? I Declare here and now that I do not care about staying in the states. If I had been granted a visa, on the 1st day of october immediately after the conference I would have been on the next flight out.

I love my Job and I intend to become a Prof. in the not too distant future. America is just the first of all the places I intend to go.

Thank you Dear officer.

lizzyslaw:


Dear VO,

Thanks for getting back to me. I was really stunned. In under 2mins I was shown the door with the blue form and refused under 214b. No ties?

I was honest to the t. Be married 8 years this october, hubby works with a multinational company, we live in our own house. Attending conferences is one of the ways academics building their cv's. Even the sister I planned to visit is moving to ghana in september. I bet the officer thought I had no plans to come back.

I have worked too hard on my paper to give it up. She did not even look at one document. Not the letter of introduction from the registrar 's office, not the letter of invitation from one of your recent award winning staff, not the evidence of payment for the conference and accomodation. I am currently in the 2nd year of my Ph. D studies, I want to carve a nitche for myself because I am working in an area that no one else in my faculty has bothered to look into. She asked about sponsor and I told her that tentatively I am sponsoring myself while waiting for my tetfund approval. Was that too honest?

She asked if I have kids and I said no. Am I currently pregnant and I said no! So if I had kids, I would have more ties?

Jeez, is it a Crime to be reproductively challenged? I Declare here and now that I do not care about staying in the states. If I had been granted a visa, on the 1st day of october immediately after the conference I would have been on the next flight out.

I love my Job and I intend to become a Prof. in the not too distant future. America is just the first of all the places I intend to go.

Thank you Dear officer.

lizzyslaw,

You received a generic letter for refusal under section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. It's a long read, but it's public information if you want to dig into the whole thing online...

The point here is that "ties" are only part of the equation and having children is not a requirement. Most visa interview are conducted in about 2 minutes because of the number of applicants we have to meet with every day. I personally interviewed over 130 individuals yesterday! A lot of applicants, I am sure, think they conveyed information about their intent much better than they actually did during the interview. This is why they are always eligible to re-apply. We don't normally recommend that folks re-apply within 90 days but if there is a pressing need for them to get to a special event and they feel that they can convey that message in another interview, you are always welcome to reapply and will be given the opportunity to interview with another officer.

justwise:


@twvisa



Please allow the VO to answer questions here, this is Q&A thread between the VO and members only.

Thank you.

Okay, sorry i never knew. I thought it was a general thread.