₦airaland Forum

please how reliable is "smartfares.com", "travelstart.com", "icarrygo.com" and the likes as travel agencies cos they need me to put my card details in order to book my flight. Also, i saw flights from abuja to fort lauderdale, florida for about the same price in these airlines: lufthansa, united, emirates, ethiopian. anybody has an idea on d best choice among these since they almost same price once i search @midnight. thanks

Chanteh:
V.O: So why do you want to travel to the us
Me: I was selected to participate in alliance for science training course on effective science e communication
V.O: Who Selected you
Me: the Alliance
V.O (surprised) is it an NGO Based in Nigeria?
Me: No it's an institution based in Cornell university Ithaca
V.O: who is paying for your trip
Me: the organisation
V.O: (Begins to type and write)
Me: fear enter my body I come dey sweat like goat
V.O: ok I have approved your visa, this form shows you have to work in your country 2 years after you come back bla bla bla
Me: Thank you so much


THANK YOU NAIRALANDERS FOR YOUR GOOD WISHES. HELP ME THANK GOD TOO

Congrats...

adewoleray:
I read something like MPH is eligible for a one year OPT there can't be any further extension after the one year OPT unlike some other courses where their OPT can be extended by another 17months or so
Pls is this correct ?

Yes same applied to my school. OPT is one year for MPH.

Pls people, who has used Turkish airline before? My final stop is fort Lauderdale Florida. The amount am seeing is almost 400k. There are also somewhat unknown airlines eg "royal air maroc" Moroccan, going for less than 200k. What's ur best advice pls. @stewee, u b boss for fl. Pls other gurus, whc other airline to fl is not so costly?

Thanks every1 for the congratulatory msgs.. @kenny and angel, congrats!! We doing it to them dis week, lol

adewoleray:
Congrats. Which standardized test did u write ? And pls school gave u admission?

I did GRE and IELTS. Admitted to Nova Southeastern uni, Florida. Might not be d best 4u. Had my personal reasons tho it private and no aids. U can always google for mph sklz and so on.

buzibiza:
sorry for time wasting, was busy at work. Visa approved today 7:30. I arrived 6:40am and waited for them to call us in. Got tired standing and decided to sit somewhere far, then they called us in . I lost my position as I was now about the 40th person on the line.

Did the usual checks and then the biometrics and was ushered to the hot seat . I think the Vos at 8 and 9 were a little more lenient, 5 and 6 were strict but I still got 5. The interview was thus:

Vo: Good morning

Me: Good morning m'aam (didn't remember the "how are you doing I was supposed to ask"

Vo: Checked my i20 and typed for about 30 secs... What masters are you going for?

Me: For my masters in Public health ( wanted to say d name of the school, on a second thought, I asked myself " who send u?"

VO: What will Public Health do for you?

Me: Public health is in line with my previous degree in medicine and surgery and my current job in Bleep NGO. Public health professionals are needed in Nigeria because off the sociopolitical and environmental health issues here. We would be in charge of the future of the Nigerian health sector.

Vo: Who is sponsoring u?

Me: My Dad

Vo: What does he do?

Me: He owns a company, and he's contracted to some state govt( I named them).

Vo: Your visa has been approved bla bla bla

Personal tips:

I had about 36 formulated questions which I gathered and was rehearsing d questions for about 3 days of which all came out though not in the same sequence lol.

Pray. I had to though am not a prayer warrior. I always spoke these words Bishop Abioye says "cover my mistake and color my destiny"

Be confident! Mind u as a student u have a higher chance from my experience. They rarely approved b1/b2 except clergy or old chiefs or so...

Big thanks to all them gurus out here. Though I wrote a few times, it cant be compared to wat I learnt... @bigfrancis, stewee, zee, mystique, slimmy, darklight, Amanze, walspring, deetus, ojap, bbdd, dbluv, prof, infact, we too plenty here. I hope I get to know a few in person. My PM de act up abi na me wey no sabi d thin lol @bbdd

pls my interview was so short, I hope it helps some1 o

buzibiza:
Visa approved today at Abuja embassy 7:30am. Pls, transcript will come up later today. Thanks everyone, u guys ROCK!!

sorry for time wasting, was busy at work. Visa approved today 7:30. I arrived 6:40am and waited for them to call us in. Got tired standing and decided to sit somewhere far, then they called us in . I lost my position as I was now about the 40th person on the line.

Did the usual checks and then the biometrics and was ushered to the hot seat . I think the Vos at 8 and 9 were a little more lenient, 5 and 6 were strict but I still got 5. The interview was thus:

Vo: Good morning

Me: Good morning m'aam (didn't remember the "how are you doing I was supposed to ask"

Vo: Checked my i20 and typed for about 30 secs... What masters are you going for?

Me: For my masters in Public health ( wanted to say d name of the school, on a second thought, I asked myself " who send u?"

VO: What will Public Health do for you?

Me: Public health is in line with my previous degree in medicine and surgery and my current job in Bleep NGO. Public health professionals are needed in Nigeria because off the sociopolitical and environmental health issues here. We would be in charge of the future of the Nigerian health sector.

Vo: Who is sponsoring u?

Me: My Dad

Vo: What does he do?

Me: He owns a company, and he's contracted to some state govt( I named them).

Vo: Your visa has been approved bla bla bla

Personal tips:

I had about 36 formulated questions which I gathered and was rehearsing d questions for about 3 days of which all came out though not in the same sequence lol.

Pray. I had to though am not a prayer warrior. I always spoke these words Bishop Abioye says "cover my mistake and color my destiny"

Be confident! Mind u as a student u have a higher chance from my experience. They rarely approved b1/b2 except clergy or old chiefs or so...

Big thanks to all them gurus out here. Though I wrote a few times, it cant be compared to wat I learnt... @bigfrancis, stewee, zee, mystique, slimmy, darklight, Amanze, walspring, deetus, ojap, bbdd, dbluv, prof, infact, we too plenty here. I hope I get to know a few in person. My PM de act up abi na me wey no sabi d thin lol @bbdd

Visa approved today at Abuja embassy 7:30am. Pls, transcript will come up later today. Thanks everyone, u guys ROCK!!

Urch1980:
Hi guys, Visa approved!
Thanks y'all for your help. This forum is wonderful!

I wa the one that posted my mock interview and someone commented: "a stroll in the park".
Yeah, that's what it was for me at the end of the day (a stroll in the park) cos it was a stroll with Jesus and favor worked for me. Lol. I also had a ds160 issue that I said I wantedd to update a new one that won't look like I was helped by an agent; but I still couldn't do that. I just went there trusting Jesus to help me, and yeah, He did; being my Big Brother.

Here's the transcript:
Arrived at exactly 6:30 am. Checked in to final hall around 8:15am; went to the first lady who just captured my finger prints and told me to join the student visa queue.

Finally with the vo...

Me: good morning how are you doing (with a smile, and a sparkle in my eyes) the babe was a fine whitee...no I give it to her, she was pretty, ans she knew I was tripping for her, though I nor tell am o. And besiea I get girlfriend wey I love, wey fine pass am...

Vo: good morning ( blushing); pass me your passport.
Vo: (goes through my documents) okay, you're going to university of... For your mba...
Me: yes I am ( still smiling and looking her straight in the eye; and she was all smiles too)

Lemme better add here that it was God all the way. I kept Psm 40:1-5; Is 54:4, 7; Is 54 as my warring swords; and God showed up for me; like I just came to pick up what He had already finished and packaged for me. Jesus all the way ni o. If you don't have a relationship with Him, please do. I give Him the credit for this.

Vo: which other universitied did you apply to?
Me: I applied to 3 other schoold, alabama a and m, florida state university and florida international university.

Vo: how many gave you admission?
Me: university of bridgeport, and alabama a and m
Vo: so why did you choose UB?
Me: because it gives me exactly what I need to move my buiness to the next level. 1, the course content, one of the core courses is market and research methods, and I need this knowledge for the next phaase of my busineass.

Vo: so what is so special about this school?
Me: (for my mind; nor be the same tin you aske me now and you nor gree make I finish) ( so I finished what I was saying) the faculty is made up of professors who are successful busineass men, and leaders in the business world; the likes of prof. McAdams.

Vo: who will be funding you?
Me: I will be sponsoring my self; though my company has offered to support me financially when I need support, but I am up to the task.

Vo: What do you do?
Me: I'm a business man, I have a company, and I work with the company as the ceo; and we have a board of directors.
Vo: your company or family?
Me: no me and a group of my friends; we're four of us; I am the ceo cos I have the major shares.
Vo: what does your company do?
Me: we have 3 units: 1 ...; 2...and 3...
Vo: when did you finish your 1st degree
Me: 2007
Vo: where?
Me University of ibadan
Vo: what did you study?
Me: Veterinary medicine
Vo: and what have you been doing since then?
Me: : I started my company with my friends and that has kept us busy.
Vo: alright, I will approve your visa, you'll pick it up on thursday. And this form, your i20 keep it, you'll need it when you're travelling
Me: thank you ( with a wider smil) have a nice day
Vo: you're welcome, thank you; and you too.

Na so I bounce comot o, dey feel like son of God.

Thanks to the guy that commented on my mock interview; you made me work on a better more worded answer.

And to everyone in the house; all the best!
The God that did mine will do it for you too in Jesus' name; Amen!

congrats man and Amen to your prayer!

Stewee:
Hi There!
It generally depends on your state... A studio apartment gives you more privacy than a shared apartment. A shared apartment helps you share costs. Like they say in Nig, "Soup wey sweet,na money kill am".

About being bored, we really don't know what makes you tick... You having a room mate doesn't automatically count as fun though it has it good sides... Generally, it depends on who you find as room mate.

I know u are in Fl dats y I asked u lol. My skl is also in Fl. Fort Lauderdale. Its generally very expensive there for accommodation. I saw studios fully furnished n utilities inclusive for 800 whc was almost same for shared 2bd/2ba apartments fully furnished and utilities. Other cheaper apartments of about 650 were either not furnished or utilities would still b paid. As for wat me tick, besides wen I have to read for 12hrs daily for 3months before an exam, u cant find me home.

bbdd:
Got friends currently doing residency through this route.
Their advice might be helpful. PM me.

It's not so easy doing residency in the US, honestly I know what they went through before getting placements. And not all of them did. But those that did, are big boys

thanks man, will do

Pls guys, wats ur take on shared 2bd/2ba apartment vs a studio* apartment. I know they are about same cost sha. I really like my privacy, coming back home without rules etc but also like making friends and outs too. Do u think it wud be boring staying alone if I also want to explore my area?? Pls slimmy, stewee, zee, others with experience help.. Thnx

excatho:
I am not a doctor but my friend who is a doctor asked me the possible cheapest tuition fee for mph per year, Lille he asked if he can get like 5-7k tuition per year

it would be difficult unless after some form of aids like scholarships or graduate assistantships. I advice in addition to his GPA which would be converted by WES, he should also have good standardized test results, recommendation letters, and statement of purpose. He needs to thoroughly go thru the schools in "www.ceph.org/accredited". However some unaccredited schools could be cheaper... University of Kent and one other. Will post when I confirm.

excatho:
Pls which school are u running your mph ?

There are a lot of schools that admit for mph. Are you also a Doctor?? U can go to "www.sophas.org" or "www.ceph.org/institutions" u wud see a lot of schools to choose from.

[quote author=Ctemi post=35454346][/quote]@Ctemi, Medicine is a 2nd degree program in the US as u hv to do a bachelors degree in Premed, or other basic science courses. Medical school is however very difficult to get into as u have to maintain and graduate with a very high GPA. Some schools do not admit non-residents to their program. Most Nigerians that go for their first degrees so that they can do medicine afterwards don't end up being medical doctors. I had about 8 friends in secondary school leave to the US, only one got in. I dont want to discourage u tho.

I am a doctor but studied in Nigeria bt I will advice u go directly to medical school in the Caribbean or Eastern Europe then take the USMLE exams to get into residency which would be quicker and more economical since the final price is working as a doctor in the US. I am going for my masters in Public health bt will switch into a residency program when am through with my exams. Good luck on ur choice tho...

pugilist:
Good people! Please, I have one issue to clarify:

1) Is it possible for one to pay visa fees and book appointment before paying SEVIS fee? (I'm exploring this option because days are filling up fast and my resumption date is fast approaching).

I need someone in the US to assist me with the SEVIS fee payment. Na beg I dey beg ooo

Cc bigfrancis21 slimmy05

yes u can fill ur ds160, pay your visa fee and book your appointment before paying your SEVIS. That's what I did. Hope it helps..

kaycome:
Please i want to pay for wes. Can i use my gtbank mastercard to pay online?

sure man!! That's wat I used...

Jahbless82:
Hello All

Does that mean visa will be automatically denied if appointment date is less than 30 days to the the school resumption date?
Your urgent response will be highly appreciated.

Nope, it just means u shud not be in the US outside the 30days stipulated period. U can schedule ur appointment within 120 days of ur resumption date once ur i20 has been sent to u.

djmakson:
Kenny i'ld like you to educate me regarding the 2 by 2 being same as 5cm by 5cm. Thanks.

Bro, 1 inch equals 2.5cm. hope u can do d math now...

SantaClause:
Thanks for the info but I don't have a taste bro as long has I would lay down my head and wake up the next morning for my interview anyone will do

lol... Area 8 is not more than 5minutes from the embassy. Cab like 200/250. Good luck man!

MaxiDj:
Just got admission for Fall 2015. Uni Redlands, CA. I will be getting my letter and I-20 in a few days time. Should I proceed to pay the visa fee and sevis fee whiles waiting so that as soon as I get the docs, I book appointment?

u will have to read older posts to have a complete understanding. You should request for a scanned copy of the i20 so u can use the sevis number and the university id frm the document to pay for sevis and also do ur visa application. However, if u gonn receive it in a few days, jst wait then. U can pay for ur visa fee (31,200; Intl passport and photocopy of Intl passport) in gtb bank 4now

mbeenox:
please anyone

u don't have to fill anything there... "not required".

SantaClause:
Does anyone have idea where I can get hotel close to the embassy in Abuja I mean a cheap one or any hotel in wuse

I dunno ur taste for hotels but generally hotels of about 5k in wuse aren't dat wonderful bt I guess u can manage if it's just for proximity to the embassy. Check out hotels/ guest houses in area 8 around the banks/ mr Biggs. Just ask questions there

bigfrancis21:
I am not supporting anyone to work off-campus but I will be honest with what I have observed so far. Some students work off campus while going to school, especially if they plan to adjust status by marriage knowing that that will not be an issue. Adjustment by marriage is the only adjustment pathway that overlooks one's past 'transgressions'. Now, some companies and work places are hardly aware of the rules concerning F1 visa, as they assume that anyone with an SSN can work in the country, but from my observation, it is usually the very big companies that are usually aware of all these because they deal with the process of H1B visa filing for international students regularly and are aware of the work restrictions concerning F1 students. When a company hires an F1 student but later finds out about the work restrictions of the student, the last thing that company would want to do is report that student because at the same time it is equally reporting itself and will have to pay a fine, usually $10,000. Now, no company is willing to do such. Usually, when companies find out, they amicably sack the student and have the student go their way without much fanfare.

Most deportations occur when students travel out and back into the country and have to pass through the POE where necessary background checks are performed on F1 students. You can do a google search on this and read examples.

I am not supporting anybody to work off campus. It is against the law and anyone who chooses to do so does so at their own risk. However, I have been objective with what I have seen so far.

I hope am not repeating the question but my school allows both oncampus and offcampus but requires u register with the office for international affairs and get an SScard. Will dis affect me at the POE too since the school is aware if I chose to work offcampus? Thanks

Cyclotron:
I only asked a question and I don't why you have to respond harshly.
When someone is undergoing training, does it mean that the person has been "employed"??
I only seek advice in order not to implicate myself and not criticism please .

Thanks for the information

what @bbdd meant is dat ur internship serves as work experience. You also don't have to check any of those implicating questions or else... My housemanship and medical officer job during my NYSC plus my present job all served as work experience for me. Hope u clarified

phalanah:
good evening, where should i go for my interview, am douting maybe i should do it here in Lagos or Abuja. am planning to go first week in august, pls help me guys

do the interview in Lagos or Abuja, whichever is closer to where you live but if u are actually looking for a closer interview date, u should it in Abuja.

[quote author=elmadavida post=34986422][/quote]congrats elmadavida!! My interview in 2wks. School also in Florida for masters in public health. I tap from ur success

Cyclotron:
.
23 June 2015? pls which place is that..... Abuja or Lagos?? because what I'm seeing here is 13th July for Lagos and I need a closer date.

Abuja is free for 23,24,25; and for first week of june 1,2,6,7,8,9. so its either u book for abj or u do the emergency booking.

hey gurus, u guys hv been very helpful 2me. presently, am booking an appointment but am confused about some issues. my skl fees and living expenses is about 32k dollars (approx. 6.5m). my SOA of march 31 is about 9mil but this june 12, its about 8mil. which do u advice I use for the interview? pls @slimmy, darklight, walspring, others... help asap

warriboy21:
is it ok if i ask d school to send me d tracking number

yes, u can ask them for it. Mine was emailed to me so I tracked it all the way lol. I knew when it was delivered and who signed it