₦airaland Forum

Rahmeek:
Hello House,
I think US student F-1 visa is difficult to get in NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY (spring/winter semester). Also in JUNE/JULY/AUGUST (fall semester) .Easier to get MARCH/APRIL/MAY (summer). Or what do you think guys?? Drop your comments

This is an absolute myth. No such thing of it being difficult to get F1 Visa in certain months.

hayaorbah:
Pls house av asked for help on this but seems no 1is willing to help but no problem cos dat has been solved. Pls i nid info on dis again i want to knw if i can use my firstbank master card and UBA cos i planned to arrive d US on d 2nd n der wont be tym for me to change in black market pls help a sister. It urgent pls

I can only speak for first bank. According to my branch manager, the master naira cards are not working anymore in a few west african countries but the master naira card still works fine in US. There haven't been instructed yet. You should have a back up plan just in case they decide to stop them from being used in the US.

Anyone heading to dallas this spring ? Lets be friends

abi20:
you can still import. you pay your supplier via moneygram or western union

There is a limit to Western Union. $1000 per quarter. Not sure that would be enough for most people.

slimmy05:
western union

How much could one send with western union ? Isn't there a limit ?

profojah:

BANK STOP THE USE OF ATM CARDS ABROAD
Deposit Money Banks have commenced a process to stop all customers from using their payment cards, popularly known as Automated Teller Machine cards, for dollar-denominated transactions when they travel abroad with effect from January 1, 2016.

SUNDAY PUNCH’s investigation also revealed the banks would not allow their customers to use naira-denominated ATM cards locally for transactions denominated in forex.

This means bank customers will not be able to use their cards to buy products from foreign e-commerce sites like e-bay and amazon.com in which payments are made in forex.

The development follows the lingering scarcity of foreign exchange, especially the dollar, to settle obligations arising from customers’ use of the ATM cards for forex-denominated transactions.

Already, Standard Chartered Bank has notified its customers that from January 1, 2016, they will not be able to use their naira-denominated ATM cards for transactions that are denominated in foreign currencies, either locally or when they travel abroad.

In a notice to its customers, Standard Chartered said, “This is to notify you that from January 1, 2016, your naira card will no longer be enabled for international use. This is as a result of the limited foreign exchange supply in the financial market.”

Asked how long the suspension of cards from international transactions would be, the spokesperson for Standard Chartered Nigeria, Mrs. Dayo Adurogbo, said, “We cannot give a definite date. It depends on how soon it is available. We will do everything to meet our customers’ demand once it is available.”

Further findings showed that a number of other banks had stopped customers from using their ATM cards abroad but had yet to officially communicate this to them.

Some customers told our correspondent that when they notified their banks of plans to travel and the need to enable their cards work overseas, they were simply informed that the cards could not be enabled for now due to issues relating to forex scarcity.

SUNDAY PUNCH findings showed others banks might issue notices similar to that of Standard Chartered Bank before the end of the year.

“We had some discussions recently and some top bank officials said they would stop customers from using their naira-denominated cards for international transactions due to the serious challenges in getting forex to settle their international partners,” a top bank official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said on Friday.

The current situation means customers travelling abroad for Christmas and New Year may face severe payment challenges, a situation that may mar their shopping plans.

The fall in prices of crude oil, the main earner of foreign exchange for Nigeria, has made the nation’s forex income to reduce drastically, creating dollar scarcity crisis for the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The CBN has been rationing dollar to banks, importers and other forex users as the nation’s foreign exchange reserves continue to deplete, hitting $29.4bn on December 7, 2015.

The PUNCH had exclusively reported on Thursday that banks had cut the amount that their customers could spend using their debit and credit cards abroad by between 70 and 90 per cent. This took effect during the first week of December for the majority of the banks.

Specifically, banks cut customers’ card spending in foreign currencies from the annual $50,000 allowed by the CBN to between $5,000 and $15,000.

According to findings by our correspondent, Ecobank Nigeria Plc has reduced its limit from $50,000 to $5,000, with a maximum of $500 monthly and $100 daily expenditure.

Skye Bank Plc, in a notice to its customers via email, also slashed its international card spending limit from $50,000 to $12,000 annually, a maximum of $1,000 monthly and $100 daily.

Wema Bank Plc also slashed spending on its payment cards from $50,000 to $10,000 annually, $1,000 monthly and $100 daily.

Although other banks have yet to confirm their new international card spending limits, findings by our correspondent revealed that the new limits for most of them ranged from $5,000 to $15,000 annually, and $500 to $1,000 monthly.

http://www.punchng.com/banks-stop-use-of-atm-cards-abroad/

This will be extremely difficult for students abroad. Did they really think this through ?? How does one now legitimately take care of living expenses
This was the only way most people could take care of it now its been stop.
Any suggestions Nairalanders ?

How much physical cash are you allowed to travel abroad with here in Nigeria without declaring ?

LagosNIV:
This is terrible advice. If you are visiting Dallas then that is fine, tell them you are visiting Dallas. If you tell them you are "visiting whoever in Dallas" - which suggests you are making up a name of a person that doesn't exist - and they decide to call the person, you will be on a plane back home with a 5-year ban.

You should also note that you can't arrive more than 30 days before the start of your program on
a F1 visa so... do you really think it makes sense that you are just going to hang out in Dallas when your school is in Kansas?

Oh I only assumed he's going to see genuinely someone like a friend, cousin etc. I didnt mean he should say "whoever" nor never mentioned he should make up a name. If that is the case, DO NOT try it.

If he's genuinely seeing someone, Then it should be fine.

segzymiano:
Thanks for your response...
But I'm still having a problem. In my visa, my destination is Kansas but I want to go to Dallas. Please how can I do it. Should I go straight to Dallas and there won't be any questioning at the point of entry in Dallas because I'm supposed to be in Kansas. Please help me with this.

You could arrive at any port of entry you wish. In your case, Dallas. You just tell them you're visiting whoever in Dallas before heading to Kansas for studies. There would be no issues with that.

segzymiano:
Hello to all Nairalanders, writing under this post was not my aim but don't know how to write an indepedent note out here. This forun as been of good help to many people including me though I have been a observer and not been contributing until now.
I went for my interview November 13 which was yesterday 6:30am and it was granted with ease. I can't remember all questions as at now coz I was nervous when It was almost one person to get to my turn coz I was number 8 on the line and the no.1 person was granted and after that it was the next person to me that was granted.
I made sure I observed every things I learnt on this forum which are:
No fidgeting
Look straight to the VO's eyes
Answer questions straight etc
The only question that I taught would av denied me of the visa I think was the more reason why I was given and the questiin was:
Why did the school waive English as in all sort of English test for me.

My answer was: I'm not sure but I think its because I'm proficient in English and English is my secondaey language.

He answered thus: I'm also proficient in English
I answered: with a sigh (looking at his eyes meaning he's a white man I don't expect him to av any test of English, that was in my thought)
He asked again: do you av any document showing they waived it?
I answered: looking at my document infront of me saying Now
VO: he brought out a white pap iner and circle where to pick my visa.

Thanks to God and the nairaland colleagues who made this possible and easy for me. Keep the good work going... I'll be coming back to ask where to get a cheap clight to Texas Dallas by December.

Congrats man, I'm heading to dallas to start my masters in January. will probably be using the shortest route possible to get there. PM me when you can

..

..

Just got my F1 visa approved this morning for my masters. Glory be to God. I go to the US every summer & never violated my visa stay so i felt extremely confident for the interview. I went in with no rehearsed answers whatsoever. Here's a summary of the transcript

Vo: Good Morning.
Me: Good Morning (with a nice grin)

Vo: Please hand the documents
Me: Sure (handed him the documents)

Vo: *types on his computer for a few seconds*
Me: * waiting *

* Scans 4 fingers *

Vo: So is this a new course or same course
Me: It is a new course

Vo: Why this course
Me: It will give me an in depth knowledge of the business side of engineering. (I always answered briefly with a smile)

Vo: What course did i do for my bachelors
Me: __________ Engineering

Vo: Where did i do my bachelors US or Nigeria ?
Me: I did it in the uk.

Vo: Why ______ University ?
Me: Its a private research university well known for its business & engineering programs.

Vo: How did i find it ?
Me: Google (with a huge grin lol)

Vo: Where else did you apply to ?
Me: *named all 5 schools i applied to in texas*

Vo: Why all in texas (With a smile)
Me: Many Top engineering/business schools are in texas. plus, i have a few friends studying there as well. (my longest answer. plus, all said with smile )

Vo: When did i graduate ?
Me: This year.

Vo: Do i have any family members in the us ?
Me: No family, Just friends.

Vo:Have i been to america before ?
Me: Oh yes, I go there every summer for holiday.

Vo: Who will be sponsoring you ?
Me: My parents, Mum & Dad.

*types for a few seconds*
Vo: Your Visa has been approved. You can pick it up in 2-3 business day
Me: Thank You


The key I feel is CONFIDENCE. The VO's are only human like you. Just be confident & assured when answering the questions. Also try keeping eye contact. The guy before me had his visa denied because he was so slow & timid in answering his questions. He could not even give a valid reason why he chose his university. I honestly felt bad for the guy. Anyway, Goodluck to anyone having their interviews soon & in the future.