Good news, my people. I got the visa last week. Just a reminder, on my previous visa application, I made the mistake of not declaring a previous UK visa refusal from 17 years ago as I tink sey the question nah about last 10 years (the question came right after another asking about last 10 year visit history so I tink say nah also 10 years refusal dem dey ask). So, I come declare cyprus refusal which was within 10 years and come leave out the UK one. Nah after I join nairaland and go back to the form that I saw my mistake. On this application, I come read and read the form well and see say nah lifetime refusals dem dey ask of and so I declare am and even add say the last time, I make mistake no declare am etc. I fear but I come get the visa.

5 year in the bag! Lezzgo. Praise God and three gbosas for all those who always help here!

Baba19:
Amelia the oracle!!! Thank you sis. You still dey this market 😂😂😂😂

Nah your guidance and format I use that 2021 whey they give us visa after delaying us for more than 50 working days. Chai!!!

I used that visa twice that time. First time for one week and from London, I ja go Bahamas and then I returned again for another week and commot. I’m back for renewal now and hoping for the best.

That time, I had been to 14 countries. I’ve gone to more now. It’s now 21 so my travel history stand well. Business is still going well. I added all my documents- my previous visas, personal and business statements, savings statement which my wife keeps, documents for the home we own etc.

My downsides:
money for account no too dey.
Secondly, remember in the first application I made the mistake of thinking visa refusal question was about the last 10 years so I only declared cyprus refusal and didn’t declare the UK. but this time it is clear and I put the first and only Uk visa refusal I got there which is 17 years old. You can check my former posts as a reminder.

Abeg, advise a brother!

Congrats, sis! Nice one. I get good news as well

AmeliaT:
*Visa Alert*
For my husband
Biometrics- Wed 13 Dec
Moved to DMC and received by DMC- Wed 13 Dec
Collection email, Returned and received at VAC- Fri 29 Dec
Picked up- Today, Tuesday 2 Jan 2024.

5 year visa. Only one previous UK Visa held for 6 months which was used twice. But he has a current US Visa (third one) and has travel history to over 20 countries; mainly in North America.

Docs submitted
1. 2 page cover letter explaining what he does for a living, number of staff he employs, his travel history, what I do for a living and why he wants a 5 year visa. He also said, “since my last application the following things have changed and he mentioned the growth of the business in staff strength and revenue, the additional countries he’s been to”. He discussed recently acquired property and the rental income from the property.
2. Business reg docs- CAC etc. Business is active on CAC website.
3. 6 months Business account statement (balance of just 1m but over 60m volume of transactions in the period)
4. 6 months Personal account statements- 2 banks (he has different moneys in and out. We have never cleaned up the account because he’s an entrepreneur so it’s not that easy). I find that they are very strict with this only with people who don’t have solid ties and travel history. Balance of circa 3m.
5. 1 year joint usd savings account and letter from the bank explaining all our holdings and fixed deposits with them.- Over $30k
6. Documentation for the house we own with contract of sale, payment receipts for the home, payment receipts for the deed, change of ownership etc.
7. Copies of previous visas to US, Morocco, UAE etc.
8. Copy of our marriage certificate, a copy of my British passport.

*Application details*
Reason for trip- visit family and visit tourist sites. Duration stated for visit is 15 days with a mention of subsequently visiting multiple times a year.
Budget for the trip- Flight - £1,000 Food- £300 Transport- £225 Entertainment/Shopping- £1000
Total Spend- £ 2,517 (N2,528,150) We used the Oando Converter. *Only just noticing there was even an error in the summing of about £ 8. Please be more careful
Didn’t include accommodation costs as we’ll be staying with family.
Refusals declared- a UK refusal almost 20 years ago when he just graduated.

Goodluck, guys!

I no know too much about that one. There should be another thread for those who wan move to the UK. Search for it on nairaland and you fit ask them for the steps there. But I advise you go to the website first and understand the process so you have background knowledge and can ask specific questions.

rickie67:

It bringing a family to live, and work but thank you for the info.

Bro. Your question is still vague. Do you mean bring a family member on a visiting visa or to live there?

If nah to live there, please check out other threads on this. This thread is regarding visit visas. If that's your case, your family member needs to send you an invitation letter alongside their British passport copy or Naija Passport plus BRP.
You need to complete the entire form and decide if you can sponsor yourself or if the person needs to sponsor you. If they need to sponsor, you need to explain why they are sponsoring and they will need to provide past 6 months bank statement and payslips.
You also provide your own statement, payslips and prove ties to Naija.

It's best you are upfront and state your exact situation. Can you afford to sponsor yourself or should they sponsor you? Are you employed, studying or self employed? What do you earn? Marital status etc. Please read through the read to see how this works or nobody go answer you.

rickie67:


Thanks bro. I need information of how a family member can bring in someone from naija to UK

Oga, help in what way exactly? This thread is filled with all the required advice nah. Just read through and ask specific questions. Forget all these people sending email and phone number. Some of them fit be dubious agents. Ask your direct questions here, we full ground to help you for free.

rickie67:


Abeg make pesin help me

Thank youuuu

cbn4main:
I applied for my Mother-in-law in November, first timer. Her visa came out after 2 weeks

Okay. You can definitely use it. Was in the Bahamas again in October for 40th birthday and nah US Visa I use enter but it's good to always double check. I like your style. As for Mexico, that's a big shame meehn. Chai!! Thank God for US Visa, I swear. Just praying I get this second UK visa. Make I cool myself.

Opeyemi007:
Oh ok. I got a five years US too, I’ll use it. Emailed tourism@bahamas.com yesterday to confirm I could use it. Thanks for letting me know. Mexico has stopped entry by UK visa btw. My friend couldn’t use hers this year, and had to get the visa at embassy here in Lagos.

No wahala, bro. We’re all here to help each other. I have a U.S. Visa so that’s what I used to enter Bahamas, Mexico, Jamaica and other Caribbean countries. But for Barbados, I didn’t need any visa at all. With UK visa, I believe you can enter Mexico freely as well.

Opeyemi007:
Unrelated Brother, did you need a visa when you went to bahamas from the UK?

Amelia the oracle!!! Thank you sis. You still dey this market 😂😂😂😂

Nah your guidance and format I use that 2021 whey they give us visa after delaying us for more than 50 working days. Chai!!!

I used that visa twice that time. First time for one week and from London, I ja go Bahamas and then I returned again for another week and commot. I’m back for renewal now and hoping for the best.

That time, I had been to 14 countries. I’ve gone to more now. It’s now 21 so my travel history stand well. Business is still going well. I added all my documents- my previous visas, personal and business statements, savings statement which my wife keeps, documents for the home we own etc.

My downsides:
money for account no too dey.
Secondly, remember in the first application I made the mistake of thinking visa refusal question was about the last 10 years so I only declared cyprus refusal and didn’t declare the UK. but this time it is clear and I put the first and only Uk visa refusal I got there which is 17 years old. You can check my former posts as a reminder.

Abeg, advise a brother!

AmeliaT:
1.5m is indeed quite small. The current Oanda GBP exchange rate is 1013. Flight tickets alone are almost 1 million. So, 1.5million is minimal.

This is the budget guide I advise all my friends and family to use and everyone has been successful:

Flight- £1064
Accommodation- £50/Day (unless you’re staying with a friend)
Food- £20/day
Transport- £10-15/day

Optional
Shopping- Variable
Entertainment- Variable

Then use the Oanda exchange rate to get the naira equivalent.

I personally advise that you try to ensure that the available balance in your account is 2X the budget for the trip. Because they expect that you have funds to go back to when you get back home. So, you can use your available balance to work backwards to see the budget you have available for the trip and therefore the number of days you can afford to stay.

My people! How far? Long time, no speak!!! Reading up on the past few pages and it’s like people no dey come back to the oracle to give visa alert report like before.

All my guys applied for renewal back in September and got their visas within a week. What’s average processing time now for first timers and renewers?

One love!

You see? I talk am just a few hours ago when someone whose visa expired in 2019 still dey ask boya he qualifies. SMH!! I tire for Nigerians. We are more corrupt than the leaders we insult! Rubbish!!! Anyone who does that, should be stopped from applying for the next year. Since we feel we are so smart!!

ChrisRocks:
Once again the US Mission has put out a tweet telling Nigerians to stop booking interview waiver appointments when their visas expired more than 24 months ago, our people are the problem. They said, "A significant number of people have booked appointments each day even though their visas expired more than 24 months ago." This is the second time they have tweeted about this.

It wouldn't be so difficult if people just followed instructions.

Or what does one say again? You see the information on their official website and still come to ask boya na lie. I have seen Giselle's frustrated comments many times before. I now understand. Ahah!! Something written so clearly, still come dey ask whether nah lie. Nah lie now. Or you take the time to send links to people and they don't even bother to check or the rejection email clearly says that you deposited an amount just before visa application and we still dey ask- Please, what went wrong? We are our own problem as Nigerians. I swear! Make we try dey fix up! One love!!!!

leef2022:


Lolzz,

Ha!!! They are lying ooooo. Abeg, don't listen to them. Nairaland is a better source of truth than the UK's official website.

arasola2000:
Hello everyone.

I am finally going on my trip on saturday the 12th of feb, i am fully vaccinated. GOV.UK says i don't need any covid test.

Is this true?

Thank you Madam. I've been waiting for someone to say this abeg. The IW conditions clear gan!!! They said 24 months. Wetin concern 2019 with IW? I don't know why we ask these types of questions sometimes.

AmeliaT:
The guidance is for 24 months; this is very straight forward. Even if your visa expired in December 2019, 24 months would have been December 2021 so you definitely do not qualify. At this point in time, the earliest expiry that qualifies would be February 2020. Just keep checking as people who booked for physical interviews may be cancelling their appointments for IW appointments. All the best!

Lots of people who don't meet the criteria have still gone ahead to book IW slots and were turned back at the venue. Waste of time for them and waste of slots when other people who actually qualified could have used them. Very very unfair!!!!

My people!!! God done show!!! Received my visa today. Thank God; I was so afraid because of the big blunder I made regarding the previous refusal question. Nah God oh!! Wishing more visa rain for everybody.

Thanks for the advice @Nchabuomo

On my subsequent applications, shall I answer yes to that question and list both UK and Cyprus since I now have clarity or will it be a continuity problem since I didn't list the UK before. Kindly advise for next time. Thanks again, y'all!!!

Baba19:
WOW! Hello house, @giselle237, Prophetess Debbie, Good Morning and well done. Pleaseeee, I need your help. I just read this story and I may be in similar shoes. I applied for a UK visa 2 months ago. I submitted necessary docs, healthy business and personal account statement, marriage certificate, ties etc. I also listed all my previous travel history which includes roughly 14 countries- The US, UAE, South Africa, Qatar, Bahrain, The Bahamas, Cayman Island, Jamaica, Mexico; amongst others. I want to believe my good travel history, finances, ties make me a good candidate to consider.

Now, here is my main issue and fear based on the above. They asked a question about have you been to the UK in the last 10 years and I said no which is correct. Have you been banned, deported, I also said no which is correct. Have you been refused a visa to the UK or any other country and I said yes and listed one country which was Cyprus with the reason- the visa was severely delayed and when they checked my hotel booking, it had been cancelled. The embassy even reached out to me regarding this but the course I was going for had already passed so I didn't bother rebooking the hotel or taking it up with them. Now, the issue is that I thought these questions related to the last 10 years. So, I didn't include the fact that I was refused a UK Visa back in 2006; 15 years ago when I was a Master's student. It was only after I read this OP's story that I went back to the form and realized the 10 year question only related to the visitation. But the question on refusal was based on one's entire life. Is there anything I can do? Can I write to them to explain that I misunderstood the question and declare that I was refused a UK visa back in 2006? What can be done since I mistakenly declared only 1 refusal of Cyprus instead of 2- Cyprus and the UK? What are my chances? I am really palpitating and don't know what to do to fix this please.

I would really appreciate any advice I can get. God bless.

You can keep refreshing every hour. When do you want to travel? I hope you've seen the waiting time for most is 40 Working days and above. I have now been waiting for over 50 WD. More than 10 weeks. So, bear this in mind in your application. You also have the option to wait for fast track to resume and you pay for that.

Rerin:
Thanks Jennixyluv for your response. I never wanted to pay any dime for extra service but just get the appointment date and wait for my time for biometrics. The issue now is no available date at all for self service which I believe is deliberate at tls to extort every applicants one way or the other. I am thinking of checking for next two days and if I don't get I might result to assisted service cos it has the lowest service fee and for date picking.
Can anyone advise the best time to be awake that I might be lucky to see free date?
I have all my documents in a folder in my system which I used for my previous visa, in case I do assisted can they use a flash or allow transfer of soft copy documents?
Honestly I am not happy.

Thanks. The second part you mentioned, that's the part that I actually put no. I thought it was still referring to the last 10 years, so I included a 2017 Cyprus refusal but omitted the UK 2006. All I can do now is hope and pray.

TheGreatGod:


Put your mind at rest, your visa can’t be refused because of this. The question they are asking is that “Have you been refused visa in the last 10 years”.

In your case, your visa was refused more than 10 years ago and the answer is “NO”.

When I did my own application as well, they ask me the same question and I answered “NO” and I got my visa. You can click on my username for more info.

In fact my own visa was refused in 2009, which was more than 10 years.

The only part of the application question that can be a problem for you is where they asked the question that “ For either UK or any other country have you ever been refused visa”, in this case you have to list the UK visa including the past 15 years visa you had been refused by the UK visa agency.
Note: in this part of the question if you forgot to list other country visa refusal except that of UK, you still don’t have to worry, I have seen a lot of people that doesn’t list other country refusals under this question and they were granted. BUT IT IS A MOST TO LIST UK REFUSALS UNDER THIS QUESTION OR ELSE IT IS A BAN. Good luck

Okay, thanks a lot. Yes, the circumstances are exactly as I mentioned and reflected on the form.

Nchabuomo:


It doesn't make any sense to withdraw your application because of the reason you just stated unless there is something else. Also given the reason you just stated I am fairly sure you will not be banned if the circumstances you presented here is the same as the one you presented in your application. Your refusal is over 10 years ago and I believe your circumstances have changed since then.

Last last do whatever puts your mind at ease.

Make una no dey too panic. Reviewing your application and making a decision takes much less time than you think it does.

Ha!!!! Ewo. I was thinking the same but I wasn't sure. House, please what do you think? Giselle, Debbie? Please help

cutebear:
Withdraw that application if you want to be on the safe side!!! It’s better to lose your visa fees than to be banned for 10 years!!!

It will defo be granted; just unfortunate that they're taking donkey years.

Debbieeeeeee:

No not my first time and I’ve lost count of renewals so it’s basically a renewal but no one knows what’s going on.

Amen for all of us oooo.

Brenda37:
Have faith Amelia, mine is 45WD and still waiting. The celebrationhas started already, get ready for your turn of Celebration.

Spot on! The ban starts from the date of deception; it is clearly stated there as you said. Not from the date of first refusal, unfortunately. So, it's valid till 2031.

mimilyrics:
My deduction from the posted screenshot is that it is from the date of the most recent refusal. The most recent one was refused because the applicant "deceived" or "lied" in his most recent application that he had never been refused a UK visa whereas he was refused in 2012 even though he was under 18 at the time of the initial application and didn't even know that he ever had a refusal before.

So he wasn't refused because he was refused in the past but because he unknowingly lied in his most recent application.

Ok boss. Thanks for the quick reply. I am burning here oh. I no want ban abeg. God please help me.

Nchabuomo:


Let it be i.e do not do anything and keep your fingers crossed that you get your visa. You have a decent background so your mistake might be perceived as an omission rather than an act of willful deception.

WOW! Hello house, @giselle237, Prophetess Debbie, Good Morning and well done. Pleaseeee, I need your help. I just read this story and I may be in similar shoes. I applied for a UK visa 2 months ago. I submitted necessary docs, healthy business and personal account statement, marriage certificate, ties etc. I also listed all my previous travel history which includes roughly 14 countries- The US, UAE, South Africa, Qatar, Bahrain, The Bahamas, Cayman Island, Jamaica, Mexico; amongst others. I want to believe my good travel history, finances, ties make me a good candidate to consider.

Now, here is my main issue and fear based on the above. They asked a question about have you been to the UK in the last 10 years and I said no which is correct. Have you been banned, deported, I also said no which is correct. Have you been refused a visa to the UK or any other country and I said yes and listed one country which was Cyprus with the reason- the visa was severely delayed and when they checked my hotel booking, it had been cancelled. The embassy even reached out to me regarding this but the course I was going for had already passed so I didn't bother rebooking the hotel or taking it up with them. Now, the issue is that I thought these questions related to the last 10 years. So, I didn't include the fact that I was refused a UK Visa back in 2006; 15 years ago when I was a Master's student. It was only after I read this OP's story that I went back to the form and realized the 10 year question only related to the visitation. But the question on refusal was based on one's entire life. Is there anything I can do? Can I write to them to explain that I misunderstood the question and declare that I was refused a UK visa back in 2006? What can be done since I mistakenly declared only 1 refusal of Cyprus instead of 2- Cyprus and the UK? What are my chances? I am really palpitating and don't know what to do to fix this please.

I would really appreciate any advice I can get. God bless.

Kaddy102:
Help oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I got my refusal letter today and I was banned but the problem is I actually didn’t know about the refusal cause I was a minor about 12 years and my grandma didn’t tell me about the refusal please advice what I can do and how to proceed