Hi @ mamaron and BCpump. N other experienced mamas and papas I need your help sort out the Nigerian passports for LO ....biko your help is needed urgently.. Thanks for your explanation... I just want to ask some questions that is confusing me with the money order for Nig passport application...
1) it's the applicant's name(baby) that will b on the money order that I buy not the mothers name baa?
2) pls do u remember how u got the trackn number they want us to put on the money order? ... Is it the one they ll give in the USPS?
3) it's after you got the money order and sent to innovate 1services that u go back n complete the application
4) the 30usd money order they talked abt in the NIS site is it for real... Lost pple here say they weren't asked for any other monies alert frm the 77usd?
Thanks in anticipation... It was difficult to pm you

I got the money orders from the USPS United States Postal Service aka post office They charge a small fee so if the money order is $77 you pay $79 or so.

The Nigeria consulate accepts credit/debit cards..you get re-routed to Innovate Services website which is a 3rd party that they have outsourced the payments to and the card payment can be done online....but the rules are so many...youll see the long list of dos and donts on the website e.g. the cards must be in the name of the applicant etc...i was nervous that my payment would not go through....so I didn't bother.

U.S. passport office accepts cards and cash (exact amount) as well as money order.

Pls my people oooo. Anyone coming to the US this week or next week . I need to get a medicine from Naija... Pls kindly help me out. Thanks!

domrita:
Hello my beautiful mama's and papas..... Pls there any Houston bound mama/papa coming in this week. Pls can u kindly PM me.... I a small favour frm you please...Thank you my people!

Hi Sotcha... I sent you a PM. Am using Dr Xydas n HNWMC. .

Sotchaa:
Hello everyone, i am an almost silent observer on this thread. I have gathered as much information as possible,the only thing i am struggling with is best accommodation option. I have pretty much narrowed down to Dr Xydas of HNWMC. As per accommodation, i have a $750/month offer for a room ( all bills and gas covered)- about 10mins from the hospital, which will bring uber to about $15/trip. My question- has anyone used or does anyone know of any accommodation very close to the hospital ( maybe walking distance if possible) that is not that expensive? Also somewhere central to shopping malls etc...

I have tried maps but i think my best bet for answering this question is an experienced person- please help!

Thanks so much!

Hello my beautiful mama's and papas..... Pls there any Houston bound mama/papa coming in this week. Pls can u kindly PM me.... I a small favour frm you please...Thank you my people!

I had my last baby with dr X practice in 2015 .For my prenatals i saw dr duong and dr Ross and also dr Ross took my delivery n he was very nice and professional.Even came in later in the morning to check us up before leaving the hosp.I finally met dr X later on that day..He came n introuduced himself n i startd laughn he asked y and i said for like 5weeks now i hvnt met n today you show up? He said yes he wanted me to see his face before discharge. Am here again n i would definitely use them once again.. Esp dr Joel Ross.

CheeseMama:
i had my baby at HNWMC with Dr. Xydas practice. At my first appointment i requested to be scheduled for a time he would be around. He was ok that day, asked how i had found him and all that, he answered my questions and it was a pleasant visit. My other appointments were with Dr Duong or the nurse practitioner. Delivery day it was Dr. Ross that was on call and he was awesome. Great bedside manner and even when i begged for a CS due to no progress for 5 hours, he advised against it and told me to give it another 2 hours. In an hour I was 10cm and ready to push, he handled the delivery well and encouraged me through it. Now on discharge day, after waiting all day till 3pm for Dr to certify me fit to go home Dr X appeared. The man didnt ask me one question, he just said 'Ok you can go home, baby is fine. We will see you in 3 weeks'. No abdominal exam. Nothing! No advice on after care for self, even my Mum was shocked. At the time I was tired and just wanted to get home but in hindsight it was so unprofessional especially as i had a difficult recovery for the first few days that i was so unprepared for.

Abeg my people whats ur experience with taking palm oil to travel? Any ideas?...i dunno how i will manage to get it past the EWR( newark) POE...abeg gurus pls help out!

domrita:
Wow...great one.....so happy for you....at least this forms one good news of visa approval in a while! Congrats.

Wow...great one.....so happy for you....at least this forms one good news of visa approval in a while! Congrats.

Jenny8935:
Good evening everyone. I have been a silent reader for about 2 months. DH and I went for our interview today but before I proceed let me give a brief history. DH and I applied for a B1/2 visa in July 2014. Had d interview in September 2014. Was asked if I was pregnant and said NO ( I wasn't). Was asked if I intended to receive medical care over there and said NO. Visa granted, traveled in October for the conference but returned last week of October with a missed period. DH and I felt we could use dsame visa for childbirth. Honestly had no clue about medical visa(thought B1/B2 covered all). Also had no idea about this forum or about a change of intent letter. So, started our search for Dr, hospital, got estimates and paid. FF to POE in May 2015, CBS asked why I was in the US and I innocently declared Childbirth (thought I was good to go) was asked why I lied at interview about d pregnancy (thats when I knew there was trouble) .... But told the CBP that I didn't lie cos I wasn't preggy at the time of interview. Asked if I notified d embassy and said NO cos I had no idea that I was to notify. Asked for my estimates, evidence of payment and Dr's appointment and statement which I showed and was stamped in for 6months (was lucky to have had the documents). Had LO mid June 2015. And left after another one month. Traveled again in Aug 2016 for family vacation with DH and 2 older kids and LO (who was 1 at the time). So visa got expired over a year ago and I am preparing for second missionary journey. That's when I came across this forum and have been reading like I am preparing for my final exams. So, got all my documents ready and nicely arranged (thanks to NL) including zero balances, itemized statements and receipts of payment etc, then scheduled my face interview.(applied for medical visa this time)
FF to today, 7am interview at Lagos.

VO: Good morning
We: Good morning
VO: Purpose of travel?
DH: Medical. DW and I are expecting our 4th baby and would like to have the baby in the US for a second time.
VO: Did you say second time?
We: Yes
VO: So, you have had a baby previously in the US?
We: Yes, our third baby
VO: when was the date of birth?
DH: 2016
Me: No,... June 2015
VO: In your last interview in 2014, you were asked if you were going to seek medical care in the US and you said NO, is that right?
We: Yes, but at that time we weren't seeking medical treatment and we were not pregnant. (told the truth like I did at the POE)
VO: Okay..... Types oh.....
VO: what was your budget at the last childbirth
DH: $7k for d delivery proper but over $11k total (excluding accommodation which was free)
VO: what's the budget for this delivery?
Me: a little above $15k including accommodation, would you like to see our budget sheet?
VO: No, if I need documents, I will let you know
VO: what do you do?
DH: (Bleep) with special interest in (bleep)
DW: (Bleep)... at (bleep)
VO: Okay, your visa has been approved..... Bla bla bla

Join me in thanking God for his mercies and for allowing the VO see through my truthfulness, innocence and openness. It really does pay to be truthful and open. All glory to God and thanks to you all. Not even one document sighted or asked for.

Thanks sooo much! I hope they r still active till May

mamaron:


Yes you can apply in New York. At least as of last week. Just follow the instructions in this link.

http://www.nigeriahouse.com/newpassport.aspx

Thanks dear!

OmoBendel24:


That works, New York actually should be one of your sure bets on this pursuit....

Hi dear becump n other experienced mum n dads who have got Nigerian passports for their LOs in the US ....pls i want to find out if i can get Nigerian passports for my LO from the New york Nigerian immigration office or is it only in Washington and Atlanta as i intend visiting New jersey after birth and its close to New york? thanks for ur kind replies!

Bcpump:


The only money order was the 77$ used to complete the application. I paid no other thing.
some people paid 27$ at the embassy for them to mail the passports to them.
But 77$ is the only cost to get it here in Washington. and it is paid before even coming for your appointment

Hi bidrozey am lookn to visit family in NJ befr takn off to texas.Pls how was ur POE experience? where u sent to secondary? Agric nko pls..did they seize anythg? kindly share cos Newark is my POE too.thanks

bidrozey:

Am in Philadelphia but came in thro Newark Airport which seems OK. Which hospital do you plan using in Philly?

Thanks dear Chinemeze!!

Chinemeze17:


It's the third option, other notary services

Hi ozymes please am tryn to put DH thru with this notarised consent appointment in Lagos embassy...pls is it the 2nd option (to process citizens passport) or 3rd option(other notary services) that we r to click.pls thanks mamas and papas who have experienced this kindly help us .thanks.

ozymes:
You can download the standard form from the US Embassy site and print. Please signing the form should be in the presence of the Embassy notarization official. You need to go along with your govt issued IDs

Huge congrats Adedoyin.Thank God for yur successful waka.thanks for this info and update.I however want to ask abt the notarised consent for absentee hubby.pls correct me if am wrong but i think the hubby in Naija can only notarise consent after babys birth (in US) so doing it before the mother travels may not make sense or is there a way around it? Thanks. I also sent u a pm pls kindly reply.thanks

Adedoyin2108:
Good afternoon ladies

Baby girl arrived on the 3rd of January 2018 at Houston Northwest Medical Center through vaginal delivery.
Breakdown of cost:
Dr Xydas: 2000
Hospital: 2000
Induction: 200*
Stress test: 200*
Epidural: 650*
Hospital peadiatrician: 675 (the normal fee is much higher, this is the The Healthy Baby Package rate)
Pathology: 97 (after discount)
Peadiatrician(after discharge): 75
Birth certificate: 75 (plus delivery charge)
Passport: 160 (expedited)
Visa on arrival 190
*these are optional

I got baby's birth certificate 18 days after birth, 22/1; it was delayed cos of the adverse weather. It's 23 per copy but I paid 75 because I ordered it online (http://houstontx.gov/health/BirthCert/) and it was delivered to me next business day. To save time, I booked my appointment at the passport agency while waiting for the birth certificate. I booked two appointments actually, with different email addresses just in case [(https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/hurry.html)
(https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/apply-in-person.html)]
When booking the appointment, it's important to indicate that you need the passport same day in order to obtain a visa. After I got the birth certificate, I went for the passport interview the next day, 23/1. My husband wasn't present for the interview, but he was around for the baby's birth so we notarised in the US. If your husband isn't coming to the US, it's best to notarise the document at the US embassy before travelling to the US, notarising at a Nigerian notary public is no longer accepted. I got the US passport same day and sent the email for visa on arrival that night, got approval on Thursday 25/1 (https://immigration.gov.ng/visa-on-arrival/) and travelled on Monday 29/1 via Lufthansa. I had called Lufthansa customer care a day earlier to book a bassinet seat.
I got to Lagos on the 30th, straight to visa on arrival office, presented the approval and other docs, filled a form, paid the fee and baby was stamped in for a month.

NB: Got the Social security number in less than 2 weeks


Thanks to everyone for sharing info on this thread, God bless you all mightily!. To God be the glory!

Hi ..@cheesemama thanks for this feedback....pls i sent you a pm kindly reply.Thanks.

Gloriagee:
Many thanks for the detailed feedback. God bless

Yh.... I also heard the shutdown may affect US state departments esp in d US as in things like passport processing and all. Pls our mamas and papas in the US who have passport appointments this week.... Have they called to confirm or cancel the appointment? Are their staff to b furloughed too!? Thanks ..n God help us all!

Thridbaby:
I hope this American Government shutdown will not have negative impacts on visa applicant this week ooo. Abeg my interview is this week ooo

OK.Thanks dear.Good to know !!!

Dior09:


As at when last I was there, 5th January, their prices had not changed.

Hello my houston Mamas and papas.pls any recent updates or review on Houston NW Medical Center as regards their price/bills .....was hearing some chatter as to that but i wanna know if anybody has paid or gotten correspondence as regards their billing this 2018.it is still the old bills or have they reviewded it.thanks dears.

i bought it a year ago. since last month it occasionally completely charges...most times 57% and stops there and i use it all day wth it still showing 57% till it drains.yesterday with overnight charging it was 6%...it went off later in d day yesterday n doesnt come on now.when i charge it it shows the chargn icon but hasnt got to 1%. me i need guidANCE ON WHERE TO TAKE IT IN ENUGU PLEASE.

Kronical:


How long have you been using the phone.. I doubt if it's from the Battery..

Either your Charging port is faulty or you have a bug that affects the Battery.. Have you tried to factory reset the phone or Update?

hi people. can u help me with a contact place or shop to replace my hot 4 battery and its cost.secondly is there a carlcare centre in Enugu.the battery is fully drained and doesnt pass 5% no m,atter how long i chrge it for.again does warranty cover battery?
thanks

Hi carlacre center.Pls is there a carlcare center in Enugu.I want o change my infinix hot 4 pro battery.pls much is it and where can I access that service in Enugu.also does warranty cover battery problems.thank you.

Ok.... Pls dear Ogekad and other mama kindly enlighten me... Abt this US embassy Notary thing. Can DH go to the embassy or schedule appointments before the baby is born. Eg if someone is due for late April can DH schedule the embassy visit in March so the person can travel with the notary or is it after birth that the DH can go to sort out the thg in Abj or Lag embassies?
Secondly what documents does he need when going to d embassy
Pls help enlighten confused peeps like me
Thanks!

ogekad:



My dear that notary you have is no longer valid, if you know your EDD (I’m sure you know) book appointment now for hubby to go the US embassy in Nig to get the notary or else hubby is planning to come when you give birth. Where in Dallas are you?

Happy New Year my people... May it b a great one for us. Pls Kafcakes I sent u a PM. Kindly reply. Thanks.

kafcakes:
Hi dear, I changed my mind because im landing in JFK,and travelling to Houston will be a lot of work, since I didn't book directly to Houston, I also got an affordable package in new jersey, but I'm now looking for a decent accommodation not too far from the hospital

Good for you. Have a good time over there n bundle up....... U n ur LOs.

debby516:
I arrived Houston on 28th December with my 2 children and mum via emirates. The queue was not too long because the CBP officers had more booths, unlike my experience in 2016. So we were directed to a booth with few people. B4 my turn, my baby fell and started crying, thereby causing unnecessary attraction. The older one too was pulling me that she wanted to use the toilet, but we culdnt go bac, just begged her to manage till we pass the CBP officer.

CBP officer was a black mid-age american, looks like Denzel Washington.

hands over 4 passports to him
CBP: How many of you?
Me: 4 of us, myself, 2 children and mum
CBP: What re u here for?
Me: To have my baby.
CBP: (was abit tense now and not smiling, not like he was even smiling b4) what do u mean by u re here to ve a baby?
Me: (now i knew i don enter ma) I applied for a medical visa and informed them at the embassy of my intention to have my baby here.
CBP: I didnot ask you what you told them at the embassy, i said why do you want to ve ur baby here?
Me: I had some medical issues with my 1st child and i didnt want a re-occurrence
CBP: What medical issue?
Me: Placenta previa (Note that i was not prepare for this, so was just saying wat readily came to mind)
CBP: what do u mean by that?
Me: Placenta lying low blabla (honestlym cant even remember if my explanation made sense)
CBP: And it cant be taking care of in ur country?
Me: I had option of coming to America for better medical care and i didnt want to take chances
CBP: Options? really?
Me: Yes
CBP: How much do u ve with u?
Me: 3000USD and about 6000USD in my bank account ( i think he wasnt really listening here, he faced his computer. Also, at some point he was trying to call someone, maybe they didnt pick his call. During the course of d interrogation also, he stood up facing me squarely.)
CBP: Scan ur 4 fingers, same for my mum.
He then said we should step aside.

He was on his computer for about 5 mins and he didnot attend to someone else. Later an officer came to chat him up and he left.

He then called me alone and resumed interrogation.
CBP: Do you have any evidence of your last payment?
Me: brought it out and gave to him.
CBP: How come the letter is dated Janaury and u delivered in November?
Me: I paid immediately after birth but i guess the internal workings of the hosp delayed the bills.
CBP: You only paid $2500 (he was reading the 1st page alone, dat letter issued by oakbend to the embassy- zero balance)
Me: No, i paid much more, thats just wat i paid to the hosp. You can flip thru to see the other payments made to other service providers.
CBP: How much:
Me: About $7000
CBP: (flipped thru and saw the lengthy account statement from oakbend dat shows several deductions and brings everything back to $2500) How come this sums were deducted and u paid $2500?
Me: I had a contract with the hosp, for cash paying patient. I was to pay $2500 for all.
CBP: (Went thru baby's American passport) How come i got baby's passport soo soon?
Me: It was based on the time i got the birth certificate at the county office.
CBP: I need to call my supervisor (he started typing again)

after 2 mins or so, he started stamping the passports.
CBP: Who stays in this address? (referring to the address on my landing card)
Me: An apartment i am leasing for our stay here.
CBP: Do u have an apartment number?
Me: Told him and he wrote it on the landing card.
CBP: Hands over our passports and said we can go but will keep the evidence of payments
Me: Okay

Thats how we carried ourselves quickly and left him o.

Note: I was actually not prepared for this kind of POE interrogations, I worked till friday 22nd, slipped at home and fell in the early hours of 24th, was on admission in d hosp till 25th evening. barely packed my bags on 26th b4 we set out on 27th. The stress of excess luggage, packing and repackaging our load in d airport to avoid excess luggage payment was also another factor, i had to turn some to hand luggae quickly and bought small size ghana must go bag. My baby wanted to be doing waka abt in d plane, really stressed my mum on d lagos to dubai leg, she didnt sleep for one second.

Then the waka about inside Dubai airport cos we had a 10hrs layover, we had collect our hotel vouchers from lagos. we arrived d hotel at abt 1.30am and barely slept for 3 hrs b4 we rushed down again to take our breakfast and was already in the shuttle bus by 6.40am back to d airport for a 9am flight.

Then again, the long flight from Dubai to Houston, plane was as full as lag to Dubai. Though, we had a bassinet seat, so my baby who is over 1 year was able to sleep on and off in d bassinet, though, the hostess initially said she was too hold for d bassinet. We sha used it all thru.

At the baggage claim, i had to get assistance, cos we had 7 checked in bags and 3 hand luggages, paid $20 for them to push it out. Agric called us on our way out and passed our luggage thru the scanner. The officer there asked me if we had, ponmo, egusi, indomie lol. I just smiled, cos i was tired and i had much more than he was mentioning. The only thing taken out was my maggi naija pot seasoming cubes. All others sailed thru, dry fish, garri, beans, poundo, semo, groundnut, knorr beef, peak milk, milo, egusi, crayfish, yam flour (elubo), frozen locust beans, frozen palmoil, frozen pap.

In all, travelling alone is much more comfortable than this my trip with my battalion (lol), didnt regret it sha, they are worth it.

Apologies for the long story. I am available to answer questions if i omitted any info.

P.S. Houston is freezing.

Omosubo:
I have sent you a message

Hi dear omosubo... I sent u a pm. Pls kindly reply. Thanks

Tripletmom:

Washington dulles

Hi tripletmom..... R u using Ethiopian Airlines? Normally Washington Dulles is their common POE.. I sent you a PM.

Congrats dear! Going in early April too. Let's connect! See you a PM.

Baby2018Loading:
Yippee, Visa renewed via drop box. Baby nos 2 loading

HNWMC bound this time, travelling in early april

Remains accommodation ohh

It is well. May God help us all

debby516:
Please help a sister HNWMC mama's, pls.

Well my last missionary journey Befr this present one was 2015...I got her SSN and BC the 1st week of birth and scheduled by passport waka the next week or so. I got the Passport same day in d afternoon.. It's d peadiatrix bills that came in last .but baby's papers shd b ready by 2weeks Max. I really don't know the problem with d naija visas n all presently....Can we connect I dey come after you!

[wow..... So sorry you had to pass thru all that. Some people shaa..... SMH. Pls I sent u a pm. Kindly reply. Thanks. quote author=Senatornuella post=62865027]Fellow nairalanders, what my eyes have seen with my host is nothing I have seen my whole life. I have proof of everything I say here today, even pictures of the said apartment

[/quote]

Hi ajiobi..i just PM you. Pls kindly reply thanks. ...

ajobi21:
Hello house, This is me giving back �
I got into the US on 18th of September at 35 weeks pregnant through Turkish airline with my toddler. I went with my fit to fly from my doctor to the airport but they insisted I still go to port health ( I feel they are just looking for business for themselves jare). The lady at the porthealth was soo cold saying they never issue fit to fly at 35 weeks. I knew she was just being difficult so I insisted that it's on my airline policy that 35wks is okay. She finally did it and afterwards, my hubby dash her 1k...come and see her shine the brightest smile ever. Smh!!.
Anyway I almost missed my connecting flight at Turkey cus it was just 1 hr wait but thank God we made it. I travelled with my toddler.
We finally got to New York and the queue was so oooo long. A lady came to move us to self service, I got my slip and was moved to poe. This was the fastest interrogation ever!!
The officer asked why I was there...I said child birth. He then asked how much I had, I told him. The officer had no issue but his colleagues ear stood cus d money was like 9500 and so the colleague interrogated further , if it was because I didn't want to declare 10k that I made it 9500, I said no, that it just happened that was how much I got after changing to dollars. He said okay and they stamped my visa. He asked me what food I had, I said garri and could not even translate the others in English (pap, amala, crayfish, ogbono). He just asked me to go, didn't even send me to Agric

I kept looking back cus I didn't believe that was all. Then I noticed my son's passport wasn't stamped but didn't want to go back to same guy before he will remember something he forgot. So I asked another officer walking by who then told me they don't stamp pasport for citizens again.
I was so happy cus nothing was asked sef even though I had carried everything. I had my toddler in US in 2015 but I wasn't even asked for receipts.

My visa was b1/B2 which was renewed through Dropbox in December. I almost wanted to travel during the course of the year just to "use" the visa for visit purpose but thank God I didn't! .

I'm in New jersey now in a rented apartment waiting for baby's arrival. I'm still yet to understand this notarisarion from Naija and VOA cus my hubby was here the last time. Hopefully I will understand it before baby comes, if not, someone who has done it in NJ can give me expo.
All the best guys

Hi people... Please has anyone used Houston North west for birthing recently? I hope their miracle moments programme is still 2k.pls what of their peadiatrics? I hope they r better now not that 1k plus bolls they sent in 2015. Pls I need clarification thanks all! Am an April mum looking to use them and Dr Xydas again. Pls help..... I salute my people!

ojceskills:
Lool i dont think its a discount or insurance thing o because i asked and they said its for self pay and they call it miracle moment for birthing.. so i think its a special name for their maternity package

Really.... I got a b1/b2 last time (2015) and just renewed in March via dropbox without any problems. Am I supposed to be worried abt anythg as I intend to both with it around April next year. I know an supposed to do a change of intent along the line. Pls educate me on this.. As I don't know the current devote. Thanks my lovely people.

jenyjay:


Yes i think it's best not to use dropbox if your last visit was to have a baby or if your present reason is to have one.Saves from a lot of stress.