Adbash:
My Experience at Abuja VFS office
Date: 27th July
Program Applied for: PhD
Docs Submitted
1. Properly filled visa application form with two passports.
2. International passport with coloured copy of the data page
3. Study plan/statement of purpose
4. Photocopies of my certificates from Primary school to Masters level (Original copies of my first and second degrees are in Korean)
5. Admission documents such as original certificate of admission letter, certificate of scholarship from the school, certificate of sponsorship from my professor, my professor's certificate of employment, certificate of incorporation of the school.
6. Official letter from all my HOD.
7. letter of introduction from my employer.


Conversation with the desk officer at VFS office, Abuja

I got there around 3.30pm because I was coming from Ilorin. There were only two people, a guy and a lady, attending to people. It was a lady that checked my documents but after checking them she refused to accept them.

Her reasons:

1. statement of account is missing
2. I didn't notarize my documents at MOE and MFA.
3. I didn't do affidavit of my certificates.

I was trying to explain to her that the certificate of financial support from my professor should suffice for the requested statement of account and also since I am submitting my original certificate of admission that I didn't need to notarize my documents again or do any affidavit but all my explanation fell on her deaf hear. The other guy (should be her senior colleague) now told me to go and look for what the lady said was missing by giving me the checklist of documents required.

I left the VFS office angrily though Will10 had previously told me to collect statement of account of my professor and notarize all my documents but the admission officer of my school insisted that I have all the documents needed for my visa with me.

Immediately I got to my lodge, I mailed the Korea embassy informing them of my experience and the documents I presented. I also called admission officer of the school to help me call the embassy by informing them about my documents rejection at the VFS while also called my professor to send me her statement of account.

At around 9.30a. m. on Friday 28 July, I got a mail from the admission officer that she had spoken with them at the embassy that I should go back to VFS office with all the documents I had with me. I also got a replied mail from the embassy apologizing of how I was treated in the previous day that I should go back to the VFS office with my documents.

I got to the VFS office around 11a. m. on July 28 and I met only the guy, the other lady wasn't on sit. I presented my documents like I did in the previous day and the looked at me and called out my name. He checked through and asked if I will be coming to pick my visa back or use courier for the delivery. He then gave me a teller to make a payment of 32,900. 21000 for visa fee, 7000 for VFS service fee, 400 for SMS charge and 4500 for courier service.

I got a mail from VFS on August 10 that my visa has been processed and deliver to courier agent. I got a call from courier agent on 14 of August to pick up my visa.

I got D2 with 2years visa.


*sorry for all typo, it is not easy typing with phone.

WILL10:


Hello smartsolus,
It's almost impossible to apply for an academic visa using a valid conference/business visa in Korea b'cos they are clearly not in the same category of Visa status here in Korea. You may most-likely be asked to return home and seek a fresh Acada visa.

However, you could work-out your ways around the system when you are here, by having it extended based-on G-visa status(possibly), then gather enough cash here and possibly return home to re-apply for acada visa(if that is truly what you want). It all boards down to your arrival here first!
I suggest you have your documents very-ready(as if you are about to seek admission), whenever you are coming over here, so you can throw-in your applications to institutions immediately while still having a valid conference visa. It pays to have a valid visa in a foreign country, Please do not be caught off-guard and do not be tempted to overstay your visa in Korea! Fore-warned is Fore-armed!

I hope this helps.
Cheers

Everest1989:

Please I am a little bit confused on something... after legalization and authentication of my degree certificates at the ministry of education and foreign affairs... do I still need to take it to south Korean embassy for authentication again? because when I called them, they said they didn't understand me.

WILL10:


I guess some members of this house are really getting this legalization and authentication of degree certificates mixed-up!

Here is a lil helpful information.

1. Legalization and authentication of degree certificates can only by done by the foreign affairs/MOE of the issuing country. For instance, If mine were from Universities/institutions in Nigeria, then only the Nigerian foreign affairs ministry/MOE could have them verified and authenticated.
2. However, any document could be notarized/attested by a notary public, irrespective of the issuing country.

To answer your questions, No Sir! You do not have to re-authenticate any document again. All you need do is to make clear copies of the already authenticated documents and have them notarized/attested by the public notary officer(commonly found around the Nigerian court premises), prior to your visa applications at the SK embassy.

Try not to complicate issues for yourself and the SK embassy.

I hope this helps.
cheers
@ will10

I need ask you some personal question my email bilijim@yahoo.com and its urgent pls

WILL10:


I guess some members of this house are really getting this legalization and authentication of degree certificates mixed-up!

Here is a lil helpful information.

1. Legalization and authentication of degree certificates can only by done by the foreign affairs/MOE of the issuing country. For instance, If mine were from Universities/institutions in Nigeria, then only the Nigerian foreign affairs ministry/MOE could have them verified and authenticated.
2. However, any document could be notarized/attested by a notary public, irrespective of the issuing country.

To answer your questions, No Sir! You do not have to re-authenticate any document again. All you need do is to make clear copies of the already authenticated documents and have them notarized/attested by the public notary officer(commonly found around the Nigerian court premises), prior to your visa applications at the SK embassy.

Try not to complicate issues for yourself and the SK embassy.

I hope this helps.
cheers

gammarays:
Thank God i stumbled on this thread.
an agent told me of south korean student visa
He said they dont require sponsor account statement like other countries,that i submit my documents and pay for tuition fees.
How true is this before i enter one chance?
urgent reply pls
WILL10 and co

WILL10:


A read-through from the start of this thread should keep you abreast and even almost turn you into an agent too.

Also try visiting this link http://nga-abuja.mofa.go/english/af/nga-abuja/visa/issuance/index.jsp and this link: http://www.vfsglobal.com/Korea/Nigeria/D2_Visa.html

Goodluck as you have now become an agent too.

Everest1989:
@WILL10...thanks a lot...I have clearly understood what all these are all about. A lot of people have confused themselves concerning this issue of authentication/legalisation of certificates at the MoE/MoF and heading to the embassy for the apostilization stamp... in accordance with the research I have carried out, once you have authenticated/legalized your documents at the both ministries, you don't need to go the the embassy for the apostilization...
Nigeria is one of the 21 apostile countries in the world...So, an applicant from one of the apostile countries who is seeking admission into South korea/ foreign country must authenticate/legalize his/her documents at MoE/MoF in his/her country...but an applicant who is not from the 21 apostile countries must visit South Korea embassy in his/her country for apostilization of certificates... this is my understanding and I stand to be corrected. (Although some schools may request both from ministries and embassy).
before you send your original authenticated/legalized copies to South Korea, make sure you have the notarized photo copies to avoid embassy wahala.

acadollar:
*GOODNEWS* I've found about the school that can change ure status if u come with conference or tourist visa and u still have a valid visa..sch fees is 1000 dollars

pmax:
.




Pls I'm quite confused here,after you authenticate/legalise your certificate at MOE/MOFA, which one is to notarize again,where can such be done?

And another thing is when you mail some of this schools it takes long before they reply and some don't.like KIT,they've not replied my mail for weeks. To the gurus in the house, am I likely to face same conditions when I must have paid app: fee and tuition fee?

youngolutosin:


I am interested in getting either a business visa or visiting visa or conference visa. Please I need help.

YoungMil:
Thanks for the response. I have gone through their, I have all it takes....do I n eed sponsor's account, as I have a personal account, but what is the minimum that must be in the account? Do they offer visiting visa? Or what's my best chance of getting the visa?

pmax:



Youngolutosin, can I have your email pls want to enquire something from you.. this is mine up0643@gmail.com ...thanks

Vince09:
Bros is this option still available

acadollar:

you can migrate with conference or business visa also

chisco82:

Is very possible sir, is what you can do even by yourself as soon as you enters korea.
All you need to do is to change your status either to Student visa, Assylum visa or even Bussiness visa (but this one will cause you alot of money because you will need to invest into their economy) so let it not be a base at which he want to collect more cash from you.
Thanks.

acadollar:

Ok when ure ready

acadollar:

Is it business or conference Iv? scan the IV, let me see, but next time if u need IV, ask me i can send it to u

YoungMil:
At chisco, I need help getting south Korea visiting or conference visa....my aim is to study but I cannot afford the tuition now....just thought if I can hustke, make good cash and apply for a master course in I and Communication Engineering. Your response will be highly appreciated.

chisco82:
mail me @ amiabledarlingto@yahoo.com

Rapahel1116:
Men
...meals in Korea are extremely cheap....shit ...u can eat a good meal for 200naira sef

YoungMil:
@ Acadolla please I need IV cos I will be applying on the 18th of Sep 2017...that's this month but please I need your guidance....if it's a business IV, how much will I have on my bank account and also do I need a sponsor's account like a company's account? ....

acadollar:

You can pm fr IV, you need bank statement too

Rapahel1116:
Men
...meals in Korea are extremely cheap....shit ...u can eat a good meal for 200naira sef