₦airaland Forum

I have gotten it! Myself and my kids!
The way you all argue about things and insist on it as if you know it all.

mamawa123:
You saw another one today! This is going on, and no one from our Nairaland family has gotten it yet or come out to confirm it.

Anyway, I will take your word for it.

I wish we can bet on this. So I show you proof…make I chop your money. I am the proof. No be say person tell me. My visa and that of my 3 children are all 1 year and that was our first Schengen visa ever. Though I was pleasantly surprised because I also had that misinformation that they’d never give us a visa for one whole year being first timers.
Please let’s stick to verifiable facts.

mamawa123:
The procedure for getting 1 or the 3 year shengen visa is as @ashirioluwa pointed out in her comment. That is just the rule, and you can read this on the shengen visa information manual.

I’m not saying that you’re lying, but I have not seen anyone who gets a 1-year for his or her first Shengen visa application.

I know those with extensive travel history do get 3-month visa for their first shengen visa applications, not one year.

My first Schengen visa was issued for one month while that of my partner was 2-week visa.

Today, we both have 3-year visas.

The conditions for the 1year visa is not entirely true.
May 2023 was my first time of ever applying for Schengen visa, same as my 3 children. We were all granted 1 year multiple entry visa through French embassy. That visa expires next month (June 2024).
Bear in mind that in our application, we requested for an 8 days single entry visa.

Ashirioluwa:
This is the truth about Schengen 1- or 3-year short-stay visitor visas.

Applicants don't ask for 1 or 3 years on their application, but they will be automatically granted if they meet the requirements for the 1- or 3-year visas.

Applicants who wish to get a 1 or 3-year visa must apply for a short "multiple" stay visa and meet the following requirements:

For the one-year visa, the applicant must have used three short-stay visas in the last two years and can provide proof of those visas and visits to the Schengen countries.

Also, to get the 3-year visa, the applicant must have previously used a one-year visa within the last two years.

Yes, both myself and 3 kids all have 10yrs UK visit visa, US and Canada but we are yet to use the Canadian visa.
Kids been to the US only twice. I have been there multiple times in the last 10yrs. So I guess that counts?

pufframmy:
really do you have travel history to USA or Canada before?

My first Schengen visa was from France. Applied for 8 days single entry for myself and my kids and we all got one year (didn’t even know it was one year initially…till I took a closer look at the dates).
The visa is expiring next month (June 2024) and we have just applied and submitted yesterday in Abuja. Will update once it’s out. We applied for 11 days single entry this time.

Zoey1:
To the gurus and frequent travelers on here, please I’d like to ask.
1. Which of these Schengen is most generous with duration, not a first timer though.
We used to think it was France but people have been saying otherwise recently.
2. Which of them is less stressful, I know Nigerians avoid Belgium due to not getting their passport back on time etc
3. Does showing multiple itinerary months or weeks apart guarantee multiple entry?
Thanks for your anticipated feedback.

This isn’t doable! Complete your form and then appointment booking will go through. They have dates for May and June so you should probably say your travel date is August which makes sense as it’s summer time.

Marcgrace:
It displays : "The France-Visas form should be completed before appointment booking for a visa."
How can I book the appointment first before I complete my visa application form?

I doubt if this is possible.

Biggyman11:
Book your appointment first before you finish your visa application form. With that, you are sure of your dates.

Only reason number 2. The second consultant probably don’t know his job or wants to rip you off.

BigshotAsola5:
Hello everyone!
I had applied for a tourist visa to France in 2018 and I was denied.
According to the letter of denial with several reasons, my consultant said the the asterisk one is the reason for my denial..
And I think of reapplying for this Olympics game and I met another consultant who says that every reason stated was why I was rejected. I am confused. How true is this? See attachment!
I'm new here. A response will help. Thanks.

It must be separate applications. But in your cover letter, it’s okay to state that you intend traveling with your brother if the visa is granted.
You can make flight reservation for both of you (2 passengers). Print 2 copies, 1 for each person. Do the same for hotel. But you should probably book a hotel that has 2 single beds (twin room).
Since you both are adults, each person will need his or her own proof of fund, insurance and any other required document.
Good luck

Purpleivy:
Congratulations to everyone getting their visas approved.

Please I need someone to enlighten me.
I and my brother want to visit France together, are we to apply separately or I can apply for both of us under one application. If it’s one application, are we submitting documents like POF, Cover letter, assets, flight/hotel reservations, Insurance etc Separately? Or how is it done? We are both close to 30years

I have an expired France Visa that I used in March.

Thanks 🙏

How convenient!!!!!!!

Osivao:
Gurus in the house. Greetings to you all.
Please my sons visa was initially refused on the ground of sole custody which was initially included in the application.
Few months later the other party died.
So I want to re-apply again using the death certificate and the sole custody.it this advisable to use both.

Congratulations.
Please how can someone book a flight reservation just for France visa without paying full fare?
Didn’t use that service when I applied so don’t know how it works. Thanks.

Ashirioluwa:
Her application was approved, and a 3-year visa was granted.

- Application submitted on Friday, January 12
- Ready for pickup email received on January 17
- Pickup today January 18.

* She had a 1-year Schengen visa that expired last year.

Thank you.

sirrotex:
Thank God you got your visa. Have a safe trip

Already shared timeline.
Submission - 22nd September
Approval - 4th October
Never got an email so had to go to the embassy.

Documents submitted:
Introduction letter from my office
Work ID card
6months bank statement with about N3m balance
6 months dollar account statement with about 3,000usd balance
Declaration of age (was surprised they needed this)
Old and new international passports
2 passport photographs in white background
Flight booking (I paid 3k at the Turkish Airlines desk inside Voya visa)
Hotel reservation.

Remember to keep the white paper they give you after payment safely as that’s the only evidence you have that you submitted your passport with them. No acknowledgement email

My visa is single entry and valid for 3 months but 15 days maximum stay.

sirrotex:
Please also share documents submitted and timelines

UPDATE:
Today is 18th October 2023 which is about 3 weeks after I submitted my application to the Turkish embassy in Abuja via Voya visa. I went to Voya visa to withdraw the application as I have to be in Uk in about a week.
Voya visa said I have to go to Turkish embassy in diplomatic drive for withdrawal of application. Went there and joined the small crowd that came for different things. (you sit outside under a tree and chairs are limited. I stood for a while).
After waiting for about 20mins, a staff member came to attend to everyone and it was quick.
Came back and told me my passport had been ready for over 2weeks that he’s surprised I didn’t receive an email for pick up. Wrote the date and asked me to go back to Voya visa. Went there and picked up my passport with visa.
The overall experience was stressful for a country I plan to visit just for 3 days. It’s not worth the stress.
Plus the cranky and very rude chubby lady at the reception acting as if she’s the consular herself.
Anyway, for your info: passport collection is only at 2pm, if you go earlier you will stand outside the gate and wait.
This information is not on their website or anywhere. You find out at the gate.
Overall, voyavisa services is very terrible and needs to be scrapped. I won’t go through such stress again

Blessedsteph:
My application experience at Voya visa Abuja
I submitted my application today 22nd September 2023.
I went on Voya visa website to get an appointment.
Then from the checklist, I gathered all necessary documents.
* they claim appointment is from 9am to 2pm but at 11:30am, they stopped letting people into the premises. Only those already inside will be attended to.
* Please ensure your bank statement was printed a day before your appointment. I was sent back to bank because mine was about a week earlier.
* you can do flight and hotel reservations there. I paid 3,000 naira just for flight reservation.
* printing is expensive there at 500 a page so pls bring everything you need including the appointment confirmation page
* total I paid was $205 and it’s paid in cash there. Ensure the dollars notes is from year 2013 and above. I had a 100 dollar note from 2009 and they rejected it. Had to pay 3,000 to change the dollar to a recent one outside there. They said 5k so I bargained down to 3k.
* the process took me about 2hrs plus ups and downs. The form is easy and just a page.

I will update timeline when and if my visa gets granted. I applied for single entry tourist visa.

No reason to worry. Straightforward applications are fast to deal with most times. My last application I remember took just 5 working days and its standard visitor visa.
Congrats in advance.

halimadb:
Hi all.

I applied for UK Visitor Visa (6 months). I submitted my biometrics on the 6th of October (last week friday). My application was transferred to the Decision Making Centre the same day and received there on the 9th (this week Monday). This morning, I just received an email saying my passport is ready for collection and sent out for delivery (I paid for courier service). I am a bit worried as I did not pay for priority nor super priority and it usually takes roughly 3 weeks to get a decision. The turn around time was super fast. I have not received a rejection email though.

Anyone had this experience before?

Thanks!

Same thing I am asking myself. Anyway, we will find out.
Whether they give or not, we will at least use mine as case study so others will have information on current situation at the “embassy”.

dejiconde:
Ahh!! Shey this people Dey issue visa at all?

Extremely clueless. You won’t believe they didn’t even send any message to acknowledge that I made any application or they’re with my passport? All I have is the small white paper I used in paying that day. No single evidence that they have my passport.
After this trip, I won’t ever bother applying again.

sirrotex:
Those guys are really clueless. I am happy I did not proceed with my application

No update yet. This Friday 13th will make it 15 working days. I intend to walk in on 20th and withdraw the application if not out by then. My trip is 30th October so need my passport with me before then.

dejiconde:
Hello any update yet about your visa application and it has been how many weeks now

What did it say?

Saifzaki109:
This is what mine says 10 days now after my interview, please someone help explain to me.

Nothing yet. Once I do, I will surely update it here as I said earlier.
Though if after 15 working days they don’t reach out, I will gladly withdraw my application and travel elsewhere for the trip.

dejiconde:
Hello, have u heard from them ever since?

Sorry I honestly have no idea how Turkish visa works. This is my first time applying physically. Usually applied for e visas till they stopped it.
Maybe send them a mail?

Jamil2001:
Hello good day everyone I also applied for student visa for Turkey got my passport back from Voya already tho in one week then a pink paper and a white one attached to it saying documents has been forwarded to the Turkish embassy then I should wait for a reply please how long does it take it’s been 2weeks now and my traveling date is next week cause the school I applied for has resumed already

You should be fine since one is 6months.

muriokunola:
Hello all, Please I plan to submit application for turkey medical visa. I have my personal bank statement for 6 months, and for my company it’s a new account so I can only print 3 months from the business account. Is it advisable to add the 3 months statement from my business account ?

No news yet on my application. Infact there’s actually no single mail saying my application has been received or whatever.

Regarding Lagos application, their website suggests you can walk in there without appointment. I don’t know how true that is but I suggest you give it a try.
All the best.

Luckychild2015:
Hello, can i apply for Turkey visa in Lagos too, because I live in Lagos. Have you gotten a response back regarding your application?

lol I’m a lady o and only there for 3 days. Turkey is hard. Our people aren’t having it easy anywhere so I understand.

akinlolumichael:
I believe you are coming to tour (vacation) and go back to Nigeria, because if you are coming for hustling, bro, Turkey is not easy ooooo.

My application experience at Voya visa Abuja
I submitted my application today 22nd September 2023.
I went on Voya visa website to get an appointment.
Then from the checklist, I gathered all necessary documents.
* they claim appointment is from 9am to 2pm but at 11:30am, they stopped letting people into the premises. Only those already inside will be attended to.
* Please ensure your bank statement was printed a day before your appointment. I was sent back to bank because mine was about a week earlier.
* you can do flight and hotel reservations there. I paid 3,000 naira just for flight reservation.
* printing is expensive there at 500 a page so pls bring everything you need including the appointment confirmation page
* total I paid was $205 and it’s paid in cash there. Ensure the dollars notes is from year 2013 and above. I had a 100 dollar note from 2009 and they rejected it. Had to pay 3,000 to change the dollar to a recent one outside there. They said 5k so I bargained down to 3k.
* the process took me about 2hrs plus ups and downs. The form is easy and just a page.

I will update timeline when and if my visa gets granted. I applied for single entry tourist visa.

Alright. Thanks for your response. Will submit application next week and will drop all the processes and outcome here as there isn’t much info on it in recent times.

sirrotex:
I never proceeded with my submission after I was informed of the visa fees. I don't have to be in Turkey so I abandoned the trip

You are totally right. Your points are very valid. I didn’t consider those points you made.
I commot cap for you abeg.

giselle237:
You have travel history!!! Not only to the UK.
You also by going and returning the very first visa proved a point to them. They would rather take a chance on such individual than another.
You also hve been working in one organisation, a government one for years, this counts alot. Shows job factor.
You have shown you do not want to flout UK immigration rules or the rules of those with similar immigration style. Things have changed. The year you got your first UK visa, yes 250k salary will work THEN as a standalone point. We know because people started with 100k salary then.
This person can not sponsor his trip, said his company is sponsoring him for conference… if anything goes wrong he has no clear financial standing to salvage the situation and would recourse to public funds. Also maybe he started working only few months ago, why is his company sponsoring him for conference? Did he show proof of the reason why this and if also they have sponsored others in the past?
He has no immigration history to further show he can be trusted.
To worsen the matter, large deposits littered his account, I wouldn’t take a chance on this person seeing as alot of visitors are refusing to go back. Like a lot.

Different experiences. Depends on the immigration officer. When I arrived few weeks ago on visit visa, I was only asked why we came and I said vacation and he asked if I have a return ticket and I said yes. Pulled out my phone and showed him the return ticket and that was it.
I think they’d usually ask why you’re there and where you’d stay or return ticket.

eniboi:
For those who have successfully arrived in the UK, pls kindly share your point of entry experience to help others prepare before hand. Like what questions was asked, documents required, etc.

Thanks and God bless.

250k salary won’t work? That doesn’t sound true. I earn less than 170k monthly after tax in a government ministry and have been using that to get my visas and I never add any other source of income or sponsorship. Also note that the year I started this job, my salary was 75k and I still used it to get a successful Uk visa application.
I guess it’s because of the lodgments in his account.

giselle237:
Wait till when you get a better paying job and also avoid money lodgements to boost your account. The 250k salary will not work, the large deposits to inflate account will also not work. U can afford to leave the job and seek asylum in the UK

Please he needs transit visa. Read on klm website or call customer service. Transit visa is a must.

Ogbeniix:
No you don’t need one