₦airaland Forum

kelvdim:
I went through the link u sent me. They categorically stated that people going for weddings,annual conferences or tourism are not entitled to expedited appointment. Alternatively, I want to know if rescheduling for another conference will contradict the information I supplied on my DS160,becos I already filled that I will be attending a conference on the 30th of aug and leave the US on the 3rd of sept. Now,Coming for an interview after the the supposed date for the conference (30th august),wont it count against mepls ur advice is needed

I'm not a Visa Officer but this sounds like someone who just wants to go to the USA at all costs.

First off, this is an annual conference, which means you should have known about it way before now and applied for a visa ahead of schedule.

Two, If this conference is all you really want to go for, then there would be no need to travel to the USA anymore since you can't find a date. You can wait for next year's conference, or until you have another event that you'd like to attend.

Trying to now change from one conference to another throws up a red flag. And I'm willing to bet you'll be denied. For the first conference, because it's past the date.

For the second, because it's smacks of desperation.

My advice to you (and this is my opinion, not expert advice) would be to contact the embassy and put a hold on your application so you can use the visa fee for a future application. Or simply attend the interview, explain to the visa officer that your interview came too late for the conference and you'd like to withdraw the application. I don't know if that will count for something at your next interview, but I'm pretty sure it won't hurt.

I was in a similar situation with another country. Applied for a visa for a major event. It took them a fair few weeks to process the visa. The day after the event ended, they were still processing. I simply went in, closed my application and withdrew my passport as there was no further need for me to travel.

I'm sure this is not what you want to hear. But unless you have other plans in mind and not just this conference, this is as good as it gets

Hello,

As all of us who are on the thread below would know by now, VisaOfficer's tour ends soon https://www.nairaland.com/1792591/u.s-immigration-questions-ask-u.s/186

In appreciation of all the help we have received from VO, I would like us to sign an appreciation thread that we can print and deliver to the Embassy for our beloved VO.

Just write your little message in this thread, and we will find a way to get it across

VisaOfficer:
I just realized that this piece of news may have been somewhat startling. I mentioned a while back that my tour is drawing to an end but that was several pages ago, so it's probably a good time to explain.

After three wonderful years here, it will soon be time for me to sadly move on to my next tour, a couple weeks from now. But I'll stay on Nairaland until my successor has arrived and settled in. This does mean that I won't be able to log on every day, and that questions about specific cases will all be directed to LagosIV@state.gov because I'll have no way of looking into them -- but I'll be glad to keep answering inquiries that don't require me to be physically present.

Let's continue the thread as usual for now (except that my attendance will become somewhat intermittent) and I will say a proper goodbye to everyone when it's actually time to say goodbye. In the meantime, back to work, everybody! All will be well.

Wow!

That's a bit of a stunner.

Wish there was some token of appreciation we could show for what you've done here.

It's not so much the questions you answer, as the way you answer them.

Favour will follow you everywhere you go

ozycy:
Hello House, Pls help. I paid visa fee,booked appointment, then filled ds-160 form and submitted. When submitting the form, I printed confirmation page but it wasn't so clear cos the ink in my printer just finished, I then choose option to email to myself (2 email add) but up till now I didn't receive the mail. What should I do?

Same thing happened to me. Looks like there's a bug with the system.

What I did was to log in, then print to pdf (does your computer have that functionality?) and save to Cloud storage (I used Dropbox).

Then you can either email to yourself from there, or open on a different computer and print out

tensazangetsu:
I have been to more than 20 African countries and as bad as nigeria is its still better than most of them. Op If you decided to come to africa, try south Africa but go to where white people are more than blacks.

You are 19. Recently spent 6 months looking for a position as an intern, yet you've been to 20 Afrucan countries. Why do I find that hard to believe?

Second, you said ALL African countries are failed states. Yet, you've not been to all. And also, you are recommending South Africa (that's an African country, you know).

See what happens when you type without thinking?

tensazangetsu:
she is not those people. Am just giving her the pure undiluted truth. She can choose whether she comes or not it's her choice. Life is all about choices and if she makes a choice to come to this backward ass continent that's her business.

No. You are giving her the benefit of your bad experience which is nobody's fault but yours.

I have given you examples of people who moved back here and are doing pretty well with their lives with legitimate jobs and business.

Yet, you very confidently say ALL African countries are failed states. Tell me, how many African countries have you been to that qualifies you to make such a sweeping statement?

I would want to believe that you've travelled to all 54 countries and experienced their 'failures'. Otherwise, such a sweeping fallacy would belie any sort of education

tensazangetsu:
Op am 19 and am gonna tell you the fact leaving america go come to any African country is like leaving heaven and saying you wanna go to hell. All of them are all failed states and you wanna come to college in nigeria. Hahahaha. Strikes cultists and substandard education. There are no jobs In Nigeria, I stayed at home for almost 6 months before seeing a place to do an IT. IT o not even job. Nigeria is a big pile of shit. Never ever make a mistake of coming to nigeria or any other African country in general. You will live to regret it. Pure undiluted truth

Oh yeah? Yet, people are living the US and UK and those other places and coming to Nigeria not only to get jobs but to create them.
A lot of the top middle management professionals in Nigeria relocated from abroad. Many successful business owners relocated from abroad.
You want examples? Jumia, Konga, TraceTV. The guys running a lot of the e-payment solutions in the country. Go to Google and see how many are there who came back and are enjoying good jobs.

If you don't have the ability to make it, many others have. They didn't sit down and wait for things to come to them. They worked hard and are earning the rewards therefrom.

SimplyNicole:
I live in the United States and I am planning on moving to Lagos Nigeria in the summer of 2016, and I have been planning for quite sometime now. I am a 17 year old African American & Pacific Islander female. I have little family out there but I will be living independently. I just want to know what to expect such as, how are the living conditions, how safe it is living out there. I also want to attend college out there.Now i have done my reasearch but I would like to get answers specifically from people who live in this particular country as well. Some questions I have are,
-How are the people generally down there?
-Is it expensive to live in Lagos?
-How is the environment?
-Weather conditions?
-What kind of entertainment is there down there?
-Education system?
-Culture?
-Is it hard to get around in Lagos?
-Is it easy to find a job in lagos?
And much more
Specifically for people who live in Lagos for a while.

Hi Nicole, I live in Lagos. Have done for the last 12 years and while I wouldn't quite advise living alone, my opinion is that if your family are confident you can handle it, then it's fine.
To answer your questions:
1. The people are great. Just like everywhere else, you have all sorts. It would depend on where you want to stay. Usually, I would advise the Island (that's the highbrow area, you'll understand when you get here). But seeing as you want to go to College, Yaba or Gbagada would be perfect. Both close to UniLag, one of the top Universities in Nigeria
2. Lagos is expensive. Luckily for you, the USD is pretty strong against the naira so that might count in your favour. Don't knownifnthatnwill hold till next summer though. But Expect to spend in the region of $2000-$3500/year for a one bedroom apartment around the areas I mentioned above.
3. Weather is hot and humid. Anything from 28C to 33C (yeah, we use Centigrade here, not Fahrenheit)
4. Entertainment is good. You've got all sorts. But you'll find that clubs play mostly Nigerian music and going out at night is reasonably safe. Try not to go out on your own and always let a trusted person know your whereabouts.
5. Education system doesn't compare with the USA. But trust me, you'll get more than a formal education. You will learn hard life lessons.
6. Getting around Lagos is a nightmare. Traffic is horrendous usually. But again, if you are at school and you live around Yaba/Gbagada or even Vi, you should be fine. As you'd be going to school against both the morning and closing time rush hour.
7. Finding a job is touch. But get past school first and you can deal with that. Although I hope you don't intend to use the job to finance your study? That will be really tough.

Information for anyone currently have processing an Immigrant Visa petition who wants to apply for a B1/B2: Yes you can!

I asked and was informed by VO that having an IV application in file does not preclude you from getting an NIV.

So I applied last Thursday via dropbox. Got a message yesterday that my passport was ready for pick up. Went there this morning and voila! Visa was ready.

My kids are in trouble. The surprise no go get part 2. Told them the application was denied so they won't see me at Christmas.

What I didn't tell them was that I had a conference to attend next month. Na from there to house.

Kaita, I'm drooling already!

Lady Guinevere, thanks. I'll try to help as much as I can. Been a regular US traveller for a fair while

abujaniv:
Hello 9jaStar,

Thank you for your honesty! Did you have a question?


Regards,
AbujaNIV

Hello VO,

Actually no. Was updating you at the time.

But for now, I Just wanted to say thanks for the help.

Picked up my passport today with the visa. Without your assistance, I would not have applied. My kids owe you a gummy bear!

Off to the conference next month. Then flying home to see the fam immediately after. Cant wait to surprise them. Told them the application was denied. So they won't see me for a while.

This should be good!

VisaOfficer:
Well, then I couldn't find it over there, so I modified my response to include: Anyway, you can apply, yes. Whether you'll be issued depends on whether you can convince the officer that you intend to use the non-immigrant visa for its intended purpose.

Hello VO,

Just wanted to say thanks for the help.

Picked up my passport today with the visa. Without your assistance, I would not have applied. My kids owe you a gummy bear!

Off to the conference next month. Then flying home to see the fam immediately after. Cant wait to surprise them. Told them the application was denied. So they won't see me for a while.

This should be good!

Wish this wasn't so public so I could share pics/video when it happens. Last time I did that, was absolutely hilarious.

LagosNIV:
Having an immigrant visa petition on file doesn't prevent you from receiving a B1/B2 visa - every case is reviewed individually.
Previous travel to the United States on a prior B1/B2 visa reflects positively in the applicant's favor, but you should always be honest about your intentions and current ties to Nigeria.

Hello VO,

Just wanted to say thanks for the help.

Picked up my passport today with the visa. Without your assistance, I would not have applied. My kids owe you a gummy bear!

Off to the conference next month. Then flying home to see the fam immediately after. Cant wait to surprise them. Told them the application was denied. So they won't see me for a while.

This should be good!

lovesavvi:
Pls I need ur advice , my passport will expire in dec nd I av used it to fill form nd my appointment is aug , am planning to renew it b4 goin for my interview. Hope there will nt be any prob at d point of interview

You can take the old passport to the interview along with the new one.
Since you filled (and submitted) the form using the old passport number, thats where the visa will go.
However, whenever you travel, just take both passports along and show the Immigration Officer where you visa is on the expired document,
I did it for about a year. My old passport expired. I just used elastic band to join both and always presented them together at passport control

VisaOfficer:
Darlin', we are worth every penny.

And then some!

VisaOfficer:
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking (I may need more coffee).

See? This is why I like VO and LagosNIV. Humour

Can we persuade AbujaNIV to loosen up some? Maybe some goatmeat peppersoup or isi ewu might do the trick. Haha

LagosNIV:
Having an immigrant visa petition on file doesn't prevent you from receiving a B1/B2 visa - every case is reviewed individually.
Previous travel to the United States on a prior B1/B2 visa reflects positively in the applicant's favor, but you should always be honest about your intentions and current ties to Nigeria.

Thank you for your response.

I sent in my application via Dropbox yesterday, and I was very clear in my DS-160 (a box about details) about my ongoing IV petition and why I want the B1/B2 (conference and family visit).

Since 2007, I've been visiting at least once a year and have never overstayed.

Here's hoping for the best. The kids were ecstatic when I told them there's a possibility that daddy might be around for Christmas. They'd given up hope.

Thanks once again. Can't tell you how invaluable you have been

I've been a silent, read-only member of NL since 2009.

I have to say though, that I am continually impressed by the willingness to offer legitimate assistance.

Personally, I have been a regular traveller to the USA since 2003 and I go at least once a year. My wife and kids are all USC but I didn't bother to apply for residency until last year. I just kept renewing my visa every two years.

One thing I always notice at visa interviews is people packing a boatload of documents. at the end of the day, it is not the documents that decide your case but your honesty and ability to convince the VO that you do not intend to emigrate.

That's why I want to share the story of a friend who recently applied.

This friend works with a reputable firm and was invited for a wedding by an old school mate. Her first interview was shorter than Steven Gerard's last game against Man United despite the fact that she had bank statements showing good income, letter from her employer, IV from her friend, wedding invitation, everything.

I don't have the exact transcript, but according to her, she was asked what she was going for, she said wedding/vacation. Where she planned to stay, she said with her friend. Where she works, she stated. How much she earns, she stated. VO said 'sorry, we cannot issue you a visa at this time'. And that was it. Apparently, the VO was not convinced she had enough ties to return home to.

I saw the problem straight away and advised her to apply again. At first she didn't want to be bothered as she had no intention of emigrating and her friend just really wanted her to be at the wedding, but I convinced her.

On the morning of her interview, I told her to be sure to tell the VO that apart from the vacation, she was also going to be doing some of her wedding shopping.
The first question was exactly that. What are you going to the USA for? She said she was going for vacation and to do wedding shopping. VO asked where she works, she answered. Asked about her fiance, she answered. Where he works, she answered. When they plan to get married she answered.

Next statement was that her visa would be ready for pickup in a week. C'es finis.

She was honest in all her statements at both interviews. The difference in the first was that the VO did not see any tie that would bring her back home. For the second, there was a clear, immediate, honest and convincing tie.

And because everything was true, she had no hesitation when giving her answers, especaially regarding her fiance. Infact, if the VO had asked what he had for breakfast every morning for the last one month, or even the colour of his boxers, she would probably have answered withot so much as a blink.

she has picked up her visa, and will be on her way in a few days.

So, like everyone else has stated, be calm, confident, honest. Above all, understand what is required to convince a VO. And that is ties, ties, ties.

No ties, no visa.

VisaOfficer:
Well, then I couldn't find it over there, so I modified my response to include: Anyway, you can apply, yes. Whether you'll be issued depends on whether you can convince the officer that you intend to use the non-immigrant visa for its intended purpose.

Haha.

Thanks a lot.

Searched all 34 pages over there and couldn't find it either. Asked the question there again and didn't get an answer. But seeing as you'd pointed out that it was their brief, I didn't want to come back here and bother you with it again.

So you can imagine my surprise (and deep appreciation) at your response.

Can't thank you enough

Hello VO,

Thanks for being here.

My Immigrant Visa petition is being processed. But I have a conference to attend in the USA in August, plus I'd like to go visit my family (wife and two kids, all US citizens) at Christmas.

My non-immigrant visa expired last August.

Can I apply for a renewal of my B1/B2? Or will the fact that I have an immigrant visa in process mean I can't apply or won't be issued?

Thanks again

VisaOfficer:
This is technically a question for my non-immigrant visa colleagues at https://www.nairaland.com/1792662/u.s-non-immigrant-visas-listening . In fact, I just saw them address a very similar issue over there....

Thanks.

Wasn't quite sure where it fit.

I appreciate the prompt response.

Heading over there now

Hello VO,

Thanks for being here.

I'm hoping my question fits in here.

My Immigrant Visa petition is being processed. But I have a conference to attend in the USA in August, plus I'd like to go visit my family (wife and two kids, all US citizens) at Christmas.

My non-immigrant visa expired last August.

Can I apply for a renewal of my B1/B2? Or will the fact that I have an immigrant visa in process mean I can't apply or won't be issued?

Thanks again

After all the brouhaha about the Hampshire Hotel, the NFF make a change

http://www.supersport.com/beta/football/nigeria/news/100430/Nigeria_change_base_camp