₦airaland Forum

Congrats bro
Picked up your passport now?

Quonchovsymenez:
Visa approved on the 5th of August 2019
Thanks to y'all especially shawarma, fairheart,lagosismyhome. Sorry if I've missed you out,joy just full my body..

Them just deny like three pple for my front, hmm I just dey pray make I no ballin the white man hand (forgotten the window tho). Next stop am inftont of him.

Me : Good morning
VO : Morning pass me your passport and I-20
VO : Oh Michigan Tech
Me :Yea
VO : Mechanical Engineering for your master's degree
Me : Yea
VO : Same mechanical as an undergrad?
Me :Yea
VO : What was your hardest course (wasn't expecting this)
Me : Advanced Heat and Mass transfer
VO : Why this course and which topic?
Me: I was thought most of the theoretical part of the course in school although it had a practical part. Xo due the theoretical knowledge I have only for this course makes it difficult for me. And the topic that was quite challenging was Radiation.
VO : What part of radiation?
Me: Black body and di-electric.
.

They know students are resuming this month, I have a feeling we will get responses before the week runs out.

Hadassah777:
Now this AP thing is getting me worked up. My interview is about 3 weeks now and I'm supposed to travel in about a week. Why this delay?

Fairheart, the dude initially got denied after being placed on Administrative processing?

fairheart:
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Dude ask me to help him share.
Congrats to everyone recently approved. May the Lord bless your endeavors to succeed. Amen!

Has yours changed?

Oguibe2nice:
Any Status AP change..

Fellow 'APers' we need to be strong, it is on this same thread we've seen all sorts of duration. Don't give yourself any unnecessary headache, they will give us.

Swerveking14:
I swear....this is the most frustrating time of my life

But really, Abuja AP takes too darn longggg.
These guys should understand that August is upon us. Resumption.....

congrats Delaztyx

Delaztyx:
For those whose profile was updated on the 25th July, Abuja embassy...check your status now.

Oguibe2nice:
Any one on AP since June 25.. Cgi track is blank.. Email track returns No status update for this passport no.. Case last update 26th June. My school resumes 26th of August.. I'm tearing out and gradually loosing my mind..am I the only one experiencing this emotional torment..

Calm down ehn, you've been fine for this long. It is almost over. Once your last updated changes, then the next thing is issued and the next is pickup. You're a fighter and you've held on for this long. It's too late to give up. Just come and give us the testimony on Monday/Tuesday.

JTDeus:
Hey, F1 Nairalanders! You guys rock! You guys tutored me wella on these insightful and generous pages.

I've been waiting for my visa delivery so that I'd have complete peace of mind while posting the transcript. Interview was Thursday, July 11th, in Abuja, 9am (that's 2 weeks already).

V.O. gave me white paper but mentioned that my visa would be put on hold so as to verify my submitted SOA. I've been tracking my status via both email, website, appointment page as well as call option too. They're all saying visa still with the embassy/consulate.

My story long o. But it's just a full testimony of God's favour and grace at work. I'm a first class student, with Bachelor's degrees in Philosophy (2009) and Theology (2014) respectively, PGDE from NTI (2015) and COMPTIA A+ from NIIT (2015). I'm 32 and I've been teaching since 2014, plus other engagements like NECO SSCE Supervisor, education board volunteer, ICT manager in an establishment, charity organisation experience, etc.

I applied for Licentiate in Sacred Theology from 2 Jesuit Schools in the US - Santa Clara University, California, and Boston College, Massachusetts.

Both schools offered scholarships. SCU replied first with 50% tuition scholarship, and I processed everything with them (i20, SEVIS fee, and nonrefundable enrolment deposit of $500). I even paid visa application fee and was about applying for visa when BC miraculously showed up last month. I didn't hear from them after application, and because I applied later than their deadline, I presumed they didn't take me. They just appeared last month with admission and 75% tuition scholarship, which I appealed and they increased to 100%. Bingo! �

I immediately applied to DHS for SEVIS fee transfer request from SCU to BC, which they did immediately and hitch free too. I went for visa interview with BC full tuition cover, while my uncle (same surname) takes care of other expenses. I used 2 SOA (dollar and naira respectively) from him issued in May for my admissions and i20 processing. He gave me sponsorship letter, together with another SOA printed July 10, a day to my interview.

VISA INTERVIEW:
Abuja, July 11th, 9am, window 6 or so, elderly white man who was very calm and gentle with me. Arrived consulate around 7:50am, got interviewed after the series of queues and processes around 10:35am or so.

My situation: No GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS or other standardised tests, and no external transcripts evaluations (none required); totally Virgin passport (but I've been to Benin and Ghana, and I filled them in my DS160); Single and childless; sponsored by uncle. Big mistake in my visa appointment form which I never discovered as I did all my stuff and printed myself, until the guys checking at the front desk pointed it out to me - I put my email address in place of my first name so the appointment page bears only my surname and email address, no first names. I almost fainted! Good enough, my email is a twist of my first names, so the identity connection won't be hard. They passed me on to the next screening stage though.

TRANSCRIPT:
(I'm not good at quoting verbatim, please, but you'll get the whole gist as much as I can).

We greeted and I passed my passport and i20.

VO: Are you in Orders? (meaning, are you a priest?)

Me: No

VO: I'm seeing Theology

Me: I've been in the seminary all my life but I didn't continue to the priesthood. I want to advance in Theology so I can lecture in the senior seminary or Catholic University when I return.

VO: Do you have a place to teach when you return?

Me: Yes (I dash him the letter I'm holding)

VO: What level of students are you teaching now?

Me: Secondary students, but I want to advance so I can teach in the higher institution.

VO: (goes into typing mode, so gentle all the way like he really wants to grant the visa but remembered he hadn't really asked me anything) Let me ask you just one question, a quick one. (I say, sure). Can you tell me the only doctrine the Pope has pronounced as infallible?

Me: (I never expected that. I was confused whether he meant the current Pope or past popes. He saw my confusion and said since Vatican. So I answered) We have the Immaculate Conception, we have the... (I wanted to continue but VO cuts in...)

VO: There you go! You did your Theology well! Did you obtain any bachelors during your seminary studies?

Me: Yes.

VO: What subjects?

Me: Philosophy and Theology

VO: (looking at my i20...) I see you have generous funding from the school. (I no talk. He moves down to my uncle.) Your uncle is taking care of the rest. Can I see...

Me: (I didn't let him finish. I dash am my sponsorship letter plus 3 different SOA for same uncle, two naira and one dollar account, all three legit. He looks at the SOAs and exclaims)

VO: These accounts are loaded. Your uncle must be well off. What does he do?

Me: (I tell him uncle's job and professional level.)

VO: I'll put your visa on hold while we verify these accounts against fraud. If you're guilty of fraud, you won't be allowed to enter the United States for...

Me: (I cut him off) Sure, I know. With all pleasure, please, you can confirm.

VO: (sticks a small white piece of paper behind my passport, gives me white A4 paper saying) This is for your visa (white paper showing visa approved and collection info).

(Gives me another cut white paper saying) This is specifically for your F1 visa (contains F1 travel guidelines).

(Keeps my passport. Hands back my i20 saying something like) Keep it on you while travelling, not in your bag (and so on... But I wasn't listening. The only thing in my head was... Run � � �)

VO was still giving final remarks but I was already towards the door in excitement and also fear of being called back for another thing again.

Me: (Already turned to run away �) bye bye, bye bye... God bless you, Sir!



Na so I take waka. I wasn't asked most of the usually expected questions. The only documents I presented were passport, i20, letter of employment confirmation and financial documents (letter of sponsorship and 3 SOA from uncle).

First, it's God. Then, truth is key. Also, struggle for good grades, you have less worry afterwards in academic adventures or application processes. Study the scope of the interview well and know what they're looking for. Try have documents to back up answers, and present the document to backup your claims as you're voicing oral answer too, because you may not be asked. Don't talk too much. Stay on the question. Let the VO lead the conversation. Don't answer the next question VO hasn't asked.

Pray my dear. Fast. Abstain from sin for that period. Make God a project as you make the visa a project and also make your documentation a project, and all will rhyme in that small cubicle. Pray to also meet a gentle VO. A guy immediately after me who came with the same school I got in California (SCU), with same 50% tuition scholarship I had with them, was not successful at the visa interview and he said the VO wasn't letting him talk (I got their i20 and paid SEVIS fee with them but switched to Boston that gave me 100% tuition scholarship, transfered my SEVIS record and went for visa interview with Boston College.)

Another thing, I feel they check social media profile, else they wouldn't ask you for it. Have a mature consistent social media profile that would make a potential employer take you if they were to look at your social media; a social media profile that can tell who you are, and also match what you filled in your DS160. I was expecting to feel tensed as I approached interview, but only remembered after the interview that I felt no tension at all. My VO made me at ease. It wasn't really a grilling interview, but more of a coffee chat. He was an angel!

However, I've still not been contacted for my visa collection and tracking is saying still at embassy. I filled PH as my pick-up location. The white paper said 4 working days if using pick-up. It's 2 whole weeks now, that's 10 or 11 working days. What's your take guys about my situation?

Also, what's take about landing at a POE different from your school airport? I want to land in Los Angeles for some days before moving to Boston? Any concerns about immigration wahala if I do so?

My empathy to all those not yet successful, and best wishes to those going soonest. One love, Nairaland! ✌

Congrats man! Have you heard from them now or has your status changed?

Delaztyx:
All those who have been on AP and you had your interview in Abuja.Kindly check your Status now.Some have been issued, some has been updated.

Delaztyx, you mean you were on AP for over a month?

amb001:
And we should not try to reach the bank to that effect(?)

No please, let's just leave it be. But if anyone knows anyone who works in Zenith bank, we can ask the reason for the delay in their response. I mean it is not fair to hold people into ransom like this, all because of their lax attitude to this.

Sosao:
Me too ooo
Which banks statement did you use?
Zenith bank?

You guessed right. Is that your bank as well?

This AP wait is killing. I wonder what exactly they are checking.

Oguibe2nice:
Had my interview at Abuja on 26th June.. Visa Approved.. However l, have been on Administrative processing.. Anyone with same challenge.. My classes start August 26th..
M Sc Computer Science
Texas Southern University..

Guy, what papers were you issued?
And when was your status last updated?

Googledrive12:
You are not alone, some persons here have been on AP longer than you so stop the worry and carry on with your life or preparation as I will like to suggest, stay positive, it will be issued. Get things ready if you've got the faith, (I will suggest you don't book a flight yet ) but do the non financial preparations and wait for that happy hour when your status changes to ISSUED.As for me I am getting ready gradually and I've ask my school to send me a permit that will cover for my late arrival incase I resume late, you can do thesame to avoid stories at the port of entry . Meanwhile don't worry, just smile and pray !!! cheers

Oguigbe, please what colour of paper were you issued?

It is Abuja o

Davidkkking:
When was the case last updated on your visa status?.....is it the same day as your interview??

My case was last updated on the same day as my interview and nothing from them now,it's been 2 days. What do you think?

Davidkkking:
When was the case last updated on your visa status?.....is it the same day as your interview??

Hi Davidking, can I send you a PM?

Gotten a response...thank you

Hi Sharwama. Is it a bad decision to take my uncle's company's statement of account?
Even if he is the owner of the company and he backs it up with a sponsorship letter?