Dencotext:

Hi all,

After many years, God's favorite pikin is in the forum once more to give you guys a little advice.

Well I am in Italy now. If you are going to do your master, and moreover if you are sponsoring yourself, then you do not need to attach any birth certificate from NPC... that was my case. I know my rights so when the (African lady) staff from Italian consular office in Abuja called me on phone asking that I must also bring my birth certificate, I made sure she understood that it did not apply to me... she should go and ask her consular officer... who when he came on the phone told her (after asking me some questions) that it is not applicable to people in my category.

Why is it applicable and when is it not applicable? Although you could choose to do it anyway if you want even when it is not applicable.

If you are being sponsored by your family (you know a thirdparty sponsorship is not allowed) then it is a must that you should attach your birth certificate, even if you are going to do your master degree.

I once worked online with a university and we review docs coming in from allover the world, so I have a firsthand knowledge on how documentation verification exercise is carried out in general, it is not magical... the last person I counseled was a girl who was denied visa here at the Italian embassy in Lagos and she contacted me. By the time I reviewed how she packaged the visa that was denied, and pointed out the mistakes made and how to correct them, she repackaged the visa application as instructed and today she is in Italy. The funny thing is that no two person case that are denied visa may be exactly identical, because our packages are reviewed based on the categories we fit in, but basically there is two major categories which we could be placed
1. whether you are sponsoring yourself
2. or whether another person is sponsoring you
Any one of these two methods greatly change the way your application for student visa would be reviewed. The greatest example being the use of birth certificate not being necessary for those sponsoring themselves (even if you are not going to do a master degree). But becomes absolutely necessary for those who someone else may be sponsoring them, because the names of the one who is supposed to be your parent is stated on the birth certificate and it gives the reviewing officer facts that the person sponsoring you is your father or mother if it corresponds with name on the birth certificate. If it does not, and an uncle or brother is sponsoring you, the birth certificate incriminates you, so you have to attach court declaration of guardian/sponsorship and also prove of the family connection that exist between you and that member. If you fail to add extra documents apart from the court declaration, to prove the family connections, the visa reviewer may be unable to prove that they are your relatives, and so the person would be considered to be a thirdparty. And your visa application would be denied.

In the case of this girl that was denied visa, she was almost screaming at me on the phone that it was indeed her father who was sponsoring her (actually the person was by law her step father, because the mother remarried after the death of her father). But I made her understand how blind her argument was because the visa office would not know this fact, unless your father's name on the birth certificate matches your step father's name, but as it is, they are different. So no matter the court declaration that he is your guardian, it would not make sense. The visa office can only accept family sponsorship, which is a bit different from someone undertaking to sponsor you, that is why guardianship is highly suspicious. So I will add the third category
3. the trickish issue of guardianship

For a guardian to qualify as family and not a thirdparty, you must attach extra documents. There must be a legal or court declaration of sponsorship, and the second document should tackle the motive why they are sponsoring... like the fact they are (1) your husband (2) adopted parents (3) step father (4) relatives or brethren... outside these, someone with no family or legal tie is automatically a thirdparty. And again, each of these subcategories comes with some challenges to prove them. I will only single out two for explanations.... THE CASE OF A STEP FATHER AND THE CASE OF HUSBAND.

Having processed documents for my online university, we can only accept the name change of ladies that got married if they also attach their marriage certificate to explain why their academic documents bears a different surname from their current passport or ID. In that case, no need for court affidavit for name change, because marriage is a legal institution covered by the certificate.

In the case of a step father, as I had to think for some hours or days before I counseled that girl, the process of reviewing is about how legal and convincing your documents are. It made the greatest sense to me, who was well trained to review documents coming into my university from allover the world, that a step father proof can be proven systematically by including the following documents.... a) your birth certificate, which has your late father's name, and mother's name on it (that would be sufficient and more satisfactory than attaching their marriage certificate) b) the death certificate of your late father, c) the new marriage certificate of your mother to your step father d) a commitment letter of sponsorship from the court.... because in truth a step father, who did not born you, is not legally mandated to be your sponsor if they choose not to, so they must commit themselves legally to be considered your custodian. When this girl followed this series of inexplicable steps which I recommended for her, and presented all these documents, along with a letter of apology acknowledging that she realized why she was denied visa based on that fact.... she was granted the visa. She complained that the period to appeal has passed, but I kept reminding her that the visa application was not supposed to interfere with people's destiny if they meet the requirement...so if your university gives you admission, you can still arrive anytime during the first semester which last for about 4 to 6 months.

Chinnypro:
Hi please help me. I need advice. I want to use my friend as a sponsor. I’m not sure what documents I need to provide but after seeing your post I really need your help to know what documents I need to provide
P.S- I sent you a mail

fOFT:
You can proceed with all you have.
About 8 years ago, I used my statement of result because my certificate wasn’t ready.
All the best with your application.

Note: if they ask for your certificate at the embassy, tell them you don’t have it and statement of account will suffice.
Also, NASU is in charge of certificate not ASUU.
Is NASU on strike too?

AutomaticMotors:


Hello Bro I am in the beginning stages of my application for masters at Unibo would my statement of result scale through for DOV at the Italian consulate it is all I have for now....we all know Nigerian universities and their delay in issuing the original cert

fOFT:
Yes, it will pull through.
Note: If you graduated 10 years ago and present statement of result, it could be a red flag.
Try and apply for your certificate asap

fOFT:
Yes, it will pull through.
Note: If you graduated 10 years ago and present statement of result, it could be a red flag.
Try and apply for your certificate asap

AutomaticMotors:


How much is the school fees of Uni Pavia masters Sir? I am seeing 400euro per session if you are a citizen of Nigeria but I can't seem to believe my eyes kindly confirm

AutomaticMotors:


Hahaha thanks for replying

But I just collected the statement yesterday Boss is that good?

iyoma08:
Kindly let me know what you want to know , I will try my best

jadenj:
Hello guys, please I'm kind of new here. I got admitted to university of Bologna. And I was also shortlisted for interview for Italian Grant scholarship. So I'll be in Abuja this week. So I need help with respect to Legalization and Declaration of Value of my documents.
Please your assistance would be appreciated.
Thanks

AutomaticMotors:


Hello Bro I am in the beginning stages of my application for masters at Unibo would my statement of result scale through for DOV at the Italian consulate it is all I have for now....we all know Nigerian universities and their delay in issuing the original cert

fOFT:
Proceed with it

fOFT:
That's correct.
They'll even refund you some money once your family income is below a particular band

fejjiluv:


Good day, I also applied to unibo, can we please go through this process together? Thanks

AutomaticMotors:


Okay Cool

fejjiluv:


Can we connect outside here because I don't really know how it works here

AutomaticMotors:

Okay drop your num

AutomaticMotors:


Wow that will come in handy..... From experience Boss pls recommend between Pavia and Bologna and please how is student employment like is it easy to get work while studying and what kind of work

fOFT:
I didn't work through out my graduate studies, but things are changing now.
Follow your discretion but it is better to apply to the two (Pavia and Bologna)

AutomaticMotors:


Thanks boss! But the Pavia application is not as straight cut like Unibo .....Like English proficiency that was waived by Unibo if you are from an English colony is mandatory in Pavia?

fejjiluv:


Good day, I also applied to unibo, can we please go through this process together? Thanks

BigshotAsola5:



Pls I want to apply to unibo, can I get the link to apply. Thanks

fOFT:
I did mine about a decade ago with exemption of English language test.
Let's hear @iyoma08 opinion.
Things are changing now, they require English language Test like IELTS, SAT now, kindly read the Requirements before you start your Application.. Cheers 🥂