₦airaland Forum

guiddoti:
Terminal 4, Heathrow I guess.
welcome wish you the best of your prog.

Thank you so much!

guiddoti:
Terminal 4, Heathrow I guess.
welcome wish you the best of your prog.

Oh yes! Confusing terminals!

Just arrived in the UK. Great Arik Air flight. So long a queue at Customs and Border Control. It was all good. Thanks to the admin and all you guys that made my application seamless. Waiting to connect to Swansea! Overall, it was very eventful. Culture shock is worrying me here though!

I thought I could change money at the bank, unfortunately, I was refused. I Was Too Frustrated To Be Stranded At Heathrow, so I went to MMIA to change. It was 350 naira to 1 pound. Anyway, LHR, here I come!

Petitediva14:
Yaaaaayyyyyy!! I am so happy for you. Hurry up and come o. All students are resuming. It is crazy. I spent over 2 hours at border control, missed the bus taking me to school, I had to pay almost £50 extra, I am tired, I am hungry, I look like a fish and I have been unable to get my friend who stays here. I am not in happy mood but I am at least grateful for a safe trip.

Congrats again @ebally and you were so worried . I told you to have faith.

Pele. Just rest well. Happy you arrived safely! Join you soon tomorrow!

OtseD:
Hello. Please did you apply in VI? I applied there in the 7th and still no decision mail and after contacting they say its still waiting to be processed. Whats the poiny of paying priority then? These ppl r just thieves. Hope i get a mail soon tho.

I feel your pain gaan. I used that Application Centre. But before Friday, am sure they will have processed your application. That's why in my earlier posts on this forum, I said nobody should ever use VI VAC if you re in a hurry or out of time. Success in your application.

bidosko:
Alhamdulahi, left lagos around 3am got to dubai 11pm. Currently on board to heathrow. Not dat stressful so far, only the unfriendly emirate baggage allowance dat made me panic a little... I had to pay some stipends for excess. Although I dashed some guys @ the airport 1k for wrapping my bag..Lols. all my food stuffs whr allowed and it's been smooth so far especially with d different appetisers with are been served with, films and free 10mb wifi after which u buy more wen exhausted ( as a naija guy found a way to continues to use the wifi freely)

Keep enjoying o!

scoobs:
when i was coming i had sew an inner purse to accomodate the pounds just to dodge them pls dont act frightened before them they would capitalise on that,.

I was already worried. I can't even deal with people exploiting me at all.

Petitediva14:
You need your cash book because you are going to fill the withdrawal slip. Write the total amount that you would need in the naira equivalent.

Thanks for the explanation.

chenn:
@usqoh! I could not purchase PTA from any banks (gtb, first bank, zenith bank) because they stop selling to customers! I bought GBP on Friday 11th from Abuja at the rate of 350 NGN to 1GBP!

I had arrive the UK safely! I used emirate airbus, their services is good but they have baggage wahala, it must not exceed 30kg. I had 4 luggage: 1 LP bag, 1 hand carry-on, 1 box, and a small Ghana must go bag! The Ghana must go bag which contains my basic African oririshe weighed 18kg, and the box weighed 26kg; oboy I wan die, I used this normal weight scaled at home oh b4 leaving, nahim be say that scale I used at home no work. o boy come see trans loading, it is good to go the airport early to avoid rush! I forced many clothes, shoes, even my clipper into my hand luggage and LP bag, good a thing the LP bag is big! After that I gave my hand carry on luggage (becos that hang carry is already weighing 15kg) to one my FAAN official friend to hold 4 me, after passing thru customs, then I went and check in the Ghana must go bag and box, getting my boarding pass; then came pick my hand luggage from my FAAN friend proceeded to immigration; the immigration woman demanded I tipped her, and I told plainly that I am student and that I don't have much on me, that is wia their game wahala started, he called one guy to come and examine me and that she could not see some info in the computer. The guy ask me to give him the receipts of the fees I made to the school, which I didn't have; I told him to check my CAS as evidence, na so they take go and around until dem tire, later sent me to see one of their boss, who I took time to explain the process and after looking at admission letter, he let me go!

During boarding, the lady told my hand luggage exceeded, I come razle her small, she demanded I give something, I told her on a normal day I would have love, but toady she should be considerate, that I am going to study and come back make her and Nigeria proud, she just laugh and let me pass!
10hrs to Dubai, I used the 2hr, 30mins gap to locate my terminal in Dubai and flew 7.30hrs to my school city!
spent almost almost 2.30hrs waiting and passing UK Border Force because chinesse students wia much!

my Advice:

Goto the the airport early

Make sure u r with ur CAS and Admission letter

Carry receipts fees u have made if possible

carry also lower denomination of GBP for ur transport fee when arrive UK

If u had much luggage, take a taxi cab, avoid the stress of trains and buses if the ur destination is about 3omins from the airports

Takia!

Thanks for the insight. But these customs and immigration guys get wahala. God help us all! Just rest well and relax your back from this treacherous journey.

justwise:
I have always wondered why people use agent or agency for flight booking while the airline website is there. Agent can't sell you ticket cheaper than the airline

I guess I paid the price for being too inquisitive.

Petitediva14:
I used first bank when they were still giving it. I was 2000 pounds was the limit. Yes, you must have an account with them. I got mine in uyo. I have no idea the highest amount you can travel with. You need your visa/passport, plane tickets, I also submitted my admission letter because of my one way ticket and you have to go with your cash book.

Cash book? Is there an alternative to that? Because am I thought the plastic cards would suffice.

I just realized that wakanow swindled me when I booked my flight. A word of advise to impending student travellers- 'never use agents/agencies, go to the respective airlines where available'!

I guess am so mad, sorry for the rant!

djfrancis:
And that was how I left for UK today....a lil bit stressful sha

Finally! Am happy for you.

Patience is key when applying close to resumption dates. Let me give a brief highlight of my application timelines:
a. 12th August 2015- Application submitted at VI VAC.
b. 19th August 2015- Application received by Sheffield office.
c. 29th August 2015- Decision made on Application.
d. 4th September 2015- Collection mail sent by TLS.

If you are in a hurry, use the Ikeja VAC or the Abuja VAC. Or better still pay for priority service.

Finally after the horrendous wait, I have got my visa. Thanks to Baba God. Thank you all for your help during the wait.

dannyabba:
Ummm... you could book a return ticket with the farthest possible return date available to you on the day you purchase the ticket. Then as the time draws nearer, or whenever your intended travel date is available on the airline's website, change your return date appropriately. It will be at a fee. But it's FAR cheaper than booking 2 one-way tickets.

Hope that helps.

I thought someone here said it's okay to just book one way, that round trip tickets are for tourists.

hitunes:
U did ur interview when?

You won't believe it--12th August!

Some really tense stuff.

Just got an email from TLS that my documents have arrived for collection. I can't wait for Monday. Thank God.

justwise:
Since you have visited and was told to wait you got no other choice than to do that unfortunately

Annoying wait. They don't even know that time is against one.

Decision mail came in on Saturday 29th August, and up till now no collection mail. I tried going to VI VAC yesterday, and I was told that my documents haven't arrived. This application was made on 12th August 2015. Why can't I be worried now?! Has anyone experienced this?

worry359:
You must have read about the criminals known as Nigerian airport officials!
Also groundnut oil is freely available in the UK no need to carry in and risk it leaking everywhere.

Groundnut not groundnut oil.

[quote author=worry359 post=37636609]You must have read about the criminals known as Nigerian airport officials!
Also groundnut oil is freely available in the UK no need to carry in and risk it leaking

drunkenmaster:
Only tourist are required to travel with a return ticket if you are a student (with a valid resident permit), you do not need to book a return ticket.

In otherwords students do not need to book return tickets. I pray this is so though.

Can I go to VI VAC since the decision was made on Saturday. I have not got any collection mail yet.

So after grumbling and lamenting for choosing VI VAC, the Sheffield office sent me a mail that a decision has been made on my application. I am pretty excited. I can't wait for the mail from TLS for the pickup.

usqoh:
where did u apply from.

I aplied at the Victoria Island VAC.

I feel so sad that this UKVI hasn't even sent me a decision mail already in 13 working days. It's not even easy at all! This tension is real! But I must testify though!

It's been 10 working days since I submitted my application at the VI VAC, and am so eager to get this email saying a decision has been made. I am really anxious. I can't wait to pay for my flight and bus ticket to school.

eljaye:
HI everyone, my school requires that all new postgraduate international students be vaccinated for meningitis. Does anyone know where I can get vaccinated in Lagos?!. Thanks a lot.

Please anyone with useful information on this?!

HI everyone, my school requires that all new postgraduate international students be vaccinated for meningitis. Does anyone know where I can get vaccinated in Lagos?!. Thanks a lot.

djfrancis:
You will get everything back

Thanks a lot!