₦airaland Forum

Did you eventually make it to Benin?

Ikiboy:
Hello fellow Nairalanders!

I am Eastern European (white) traveler. I need to get from Cotonou to Lagos (Victoria Island) in cking weeks. I was hoping to travel directly from Cotonou to Lagos, however, ABC transport departs daily at 15:00, which means it will arrive to Lagos after dark which is obviously too dengerous for me. Could you please advice me - what would be my safest option?
I am currently considering these two ideas:

1) get moto to border, cross border as a pedestrian and then take maybe a mini bus to Lagos. Once I am in Lagos - take Uber to Victoria Island. Howrver - I have no idea where will the bus drop me - and this is what scares me. I would not want to be in an unknown place using my phone wile ordering Uber. Again, I have no idea where will the bus from the border take me in Lagos and honestly I am not even sure if there are direct buses from border to Lagos.

2) my second option is to get to Badagry from the border (maybe by moto?) and then get a boat to Lagos Marina. This way I will arrive to safe place in Lagos (marina) from where its much closer to Victoria island.

I never been to Nigeria before. I do have passport and Nigerian vtourist visa valid for 1 month.

Please help me, because I am really freaking out 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😭😭😭

Is it possible to transfer dates?

missnden:
Good morning.
Please is there anyone looking for an earlier visa appointment date? I have an appointment for next week but unfortunately I won’t be able to make it due to work and I am having difficulties getting a new date. If there’s anyone who needs an appointment date for next week in Lagos kindly contact me

I got there at 12ish and was able to interview before my stated time (which was 1pm). So try your luck.

Obamagbagbeeni:
Hello. Please for 221g follow up interview after submitting for interview waiver, do I have to go for the time of interview gotten? What I mean is, can I go in the morning or it has to be in the afternoon as I got a 1pm appointment.

In the letter sent they said all applicants should arrive at least 30mins to their appointment time except interview waiver case.

Thank you

Reaching out to you.

M6ix:
Hi hi
Looking for a travel buddy (or buddies)
Anyone planning to visit the US around May this year? preferably Miami but open to other cities

-Submitted at OIS on the 19th of Feb
-Refused as at 24th of Feb
-Called and got emailed on the 5th of March
-Followup interview on 13th of March, when I came out checked CEAC, status was approved
- Issued on 14th (following day)-
- Ready at OIS on the 15th.

Abisola15:
Hello!

How long did it take for you to be contacted after the case status showed Refused.
I got the same yesterday

Make sure the passport number and case numbers are correct. Tip: “0” or not same as “O”

Donde:
Hello Everyone,

Should I be worried that the search for my dad’s visa status returns no result even though he had his interview on February 27, 2024?

What kind of mistakes did the agent make? Falsifications?? Mind you they will still have the old DS160/previous interview in record.

Blanchefleur:
Hi guys,

I am new to US visa applications. My dad got a refusal and I want to help him reapply as I believe the agent he used made so many errors in his last application. Do I fill out a new DS-160 form? if yes how do I link it to his Avits account to book an appointment, please?

Also can I pay for the application from the UK? or it has to be paid in naira at the bank only?

Any other pointers will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

For DHL/free you will have to wait for longer (up to 3 weeks).

Dronequeen:
Free is free of charge, you will have to pay for premium

Why do Nigerians behave like this? you were given a tourist visa. because of people like you, they will get stricter with their visas. the same way people blocked Vietnam and Dubai.

oloyemeji:
I just arrived in Thailand on a visitor visa. Does anyone know how I can convert it to a work visa? Alternatively, I’m considering buying something here to sell for a profit in Nigeria. Any suggestions are welcome.

Wonderful story. But now you have to unlearn poverty. You can still achieve more, so you are yet to arrive. May God prosper your way.

tensazangetsu20:
I totally understand why so many men become red-pilled. Back in university, I was practically invisible to women, it was as if I didn’t exist. I remember mustering the courage to tell a Gabonese girl I liked her, and she hit me with, “What’s your like or love going to do for me?” I was so ashamed of myself.

I studied marine engineering at a maritime university, and if you know anything about that field, you know how tough it is to get a job without solid connections. Some companies would visit our school to recruit, but out of a class of 70, they’d hire maybe eight students. And, of course, those eight were the ones all the girls wanted to date because their futures seemed secure.

Then came life after university, and it was even more brutal. I barely had clothes to wear. Most of my trousers were torn at the back, and I just had to manage. I tried starting a business, but it failed miserably. At that point, it felt like all hope was lost.

That’s when I decided to learn coding, not because I had high expectations, but because I kept seeing ads during COVID: “Learn to code and work from home.” I figured I had nothing to lose. Little did I know that single decision would change my life completely.

I started struggling my way through, hustling on Upwork, then moving to Reddit, applying for jobs anywhere I could find an opening, and learning interview skills. Back then, people laughed at me, but little by little, things started improving. I began making decent money by Nigerian standards, but I refused to upgrade my life because my focus was on leaving Nigeria. Every month, I saved as much as I could while researching my best options. That’s how I discovered Chile, and once I had enough money, I left.

The beginning was tough, but looking back now, I’m so glad I made the move. The version of me that was once invisible to women now has them smiling at me and trying to talk to me all the time. But none of that matters because I only love one woman, and she’s the only one I want to be with.

.

when was it issued?

aminubala20:
Please who know how long it takes to get passport back from Abuja embassy. Did my interview lastweek Monday but yet to get pick up mail. On the “visa status check” site it shows issued

Have you got your passport back?

diabolo:
Please how long does it take to get passport at OIS after visa issuance? My application was placed under 221g but I was asked to submit my passport at OIS which I did on 3rd march, visa approved on 12th march and issued on 13th march. But I need to know know when it will be with OIS Abuja and or DHL Abuja.

Congrats, what questions did they ask you? transcript??

Alexie89:
Thank you, I went with a photocopy.
It was successful
Thanks for replying.

Have you gone for the followup interview?

cindermum:
Oh great. It was kinda obvious that was what they wanted to ask you. I was also given 221g and I knew mine was for childbirth.

No vex sir, but we need to do better in this country.

justwise:
[b]

This is uncalled for.

Sure:

Both: Greetings exchanged (+ gave a rehearsed plastic smile, every other thing after this was not rehearsed, sincerity matters)

VO: Why did you visit the US last year (I visited 4x within a year)
Adisa: Context first, I am a startup founder and it's fundraising season for us, I had meetings with investors and partners and the typical nature of these meetings is that there are always followup, rather than have extended stays, I had a lot of back and forth, mainly because I am usually busy in Nigeria

VO: Do you have any family in the US
Adisa: NO

VO: what's your future plan
Adisa: Hmmm... Expand our business within Nigeria, our customers are local ****

VO: I will be approving your visa (hands over white paper)

cindermum:
Congratulations. Can you please share a transcript so other ppl can have an idea on the questions you were asked ? Thank you sir.

Took my old passport and company id card. But they didn’t ask for any. My letter was enough to admit me in.

naivasha:
Thank you very much.

Please, what did you use as ID?

Your intentions say it all. Don’t sha mess up your travel history. If you take unnecessary risk, the record will follow you like tail for life.
Best advice; consider a migrant visa somewhere else eg Canada, Australia. You have a US visit visa in the bag already.

adeleeye1:
U need to take a chill pill..
My question was there an avenue to change status which could be in there if possible or back home.
I just want information on what to do now and how to go about.
If it's something I need to plan for while still in the country.

I am not part of any evil anything I will never overstay in any country I know too well it's implications am not a first time traveler.
Thanks

You are one of the evil people giving us bad names. Your visa is for business/tourism! stick to it! If you need something else, apply legitimately from Nigeria.

adeleeye1:
Goodday house.

I have want clarity about something, I recently just got my B1/B2 visa with 5 year validity for a conference but won't be able to go to the conference as it's too close and clashes with lectures.
I would be rounding up my studies this year as a nursing student, so traveling with the visa may likely be next year.
I want to know from the gurus here how to make best use of the visa while there, if there is an avenue to get my visa changed to one that permits me to stay and work otherwise planning to spend 3-6months and not overstay.

Thank you all

Dropped mine on the 19th. I was called just last week and scheduled for yesterday. You will be fine

Ozigu:
Please what is the typical response time for IW. I dropped on the 27th of February. Thank you

Almost 2 weeks after.

Ozigu:
Oh wow, please how many days after the refusal did they call?

Did not get my passport back. They first called me and the sent an email (content below). Immediately after. I was asked to come in with a means of identification because they were with the passport.

Content:
‘You have been scheduled for a follow up interview on March 13th, 2025, at 1pm.

Please arrive at the United States Consulate General in Lagos at least 30 minutes before your appointment to facilitate security screening. You are required to bring a copy of this email and an ID card for your appointment.

Regards,’

PS: I was fasting that day and told Jesus I wanted a response that same day and it happened!

Ozigu:
Please did you get an email stating it was 221g refusal or you just waited for a call?

Mail lagosNIV people instead or call them.

AmKen:
Please what should I do In this situation.

I am yet to receive ab email to migrate to avits till now.

My interview date is fast approaching.

I have made several attempts to get support to help me all to no avail.

Sent several emails no response.

If I Try to use my email and password from the old portal to log into avits, it obviously says my record is not there.

Right now I don't know what else to do in this situation.

And by next month my payment receipt should be up to 1 year

When is it expiring?

Malevonent:
so my passport is about expiring and am in the process of renewing it. however i want to book for IW, with my old passport. and get an early date. i want to be sure, it wont cause problems, when i get m,y new passport, with the IW date already scheduled

I turned it into prayer and fasting and After 2 weeks they called me and asked me to show up with an id card (My passport was still with them). They scheduled it themselves.

naivasha:
Please give us details on how you scheduled the interview. I remember that you were wondering what to do after you got the initial refusal, and now you have thankfully been given the visa. So did they reach out to you? Or were you able to book an appointment yourself? Please clarify. Thanks.

To encourage anyone that is going through the "refused"/ 221g thing. I did my followup interview today and it was straightforward. They most likely have a few things to clarify. At least that was my experience. As long as you didn't overstay, commit a crime or give birth, you should be fine.

I give glory to Jesus.

AdisaMighty:
Has this happened to anyone after an IW? I have never over stayed, never committed a crime, Male so I did not have a baby or violate any rule I am aware of.

Only for immigrants visas, not b1/b2

LadyIE:
Hello all, for B1/B2 visa application, is one expected to visit the consulate with documents before the interview date. Or is this pre-visit only meant for immigrant visa applications.
Thank you

What kind of mismatch please.

Tsanmama:
Hi,
The interview was pretty okay as it had to do with a date mismatch on their system which I answered with documents to show the real thing.

Also asked how long I stayed in the us the last time I visited which was for birthing and I told her, she looked up with a smirk and I immediately told her I had my email correspondence with me to show that I sent an email explaining my situation and I was told I could use the visa for birthing then.

She then said hope u know it's not allowed anymore and I answered yes and I was like I know if I have to use it for Medical's I would have to reapply again for a fresh visa even if I have a valid visa which she said correct to, visa approved.

Not sure it's a big deal, it would just be questions bout ur birth n all

Good luck

quote author=FavouredMrs post=133236477]Hello @Tsanmama, please the situation I'm in is quite similar. I did a dropbox (1st dropbox was issued without any hitch in 2022) in October and was informed to schedule a 221g appointment. I have not been able to schedule this appointment since then, I have tried contacting them via email several times but no response.
Please did the embassy call you or send you a mail on when to come in for your follow up interview? If yes, how long after the 221g notification did they contact you? Or did you have to contact them before your new appointment?

Please how can I pc chat? I want to please get some details about how the interview went. My first visa was for birthing and I declared during the interview in 2018 and paid and have all my receipts.

How did this go? I am in your shoes

Adaeze24:
i didnt need to re-schedule myself the called me and told me the date to come in for my interview

How did this go? In your shoes.

Adaeze24:
They contacted me about 10days after my first interview to come in for a follow-up interview. I didnt get any 2219 slip or anything. infact after my first interview the officer told me my visa was approved. Only to get a mail to come in for a follow-up. In the mail I wasn't asked to bring anything to the embassy, just the mail inviting me to come for a follow-up.

Was it returned with a 221g?

jokepearl:
Actually, the passport was initially returned due to the passport photograph being deemed too old. My mum retrieved the passport and resubmitted a new set of photos. The status changed to approved three days after the new photos were submitted.