₦airaland Forum

Even after changing location? How about sending an email to the consul requesting for a date to retry ? Like applying same procedures used in requesting expedited Interviews. When they deny applicants, they expect them to reapply, they can make provisions for a second trial.

My thoughts!

Friedpotato:
sad part is that there are currently no dates for previously denied applicants

I can't say I understand how this can feel cos I honestly don't. But I know it won't feel easy. Your pain is clearly reflected in your post. Sorry about that denial. Please get yourself together and reschedule. Prepare some more and get someone to do mocks for you. You'll be alright in the end.
The schools do a lot to help matters sometimes. Find courage.
Good luck on your next attempt!

Hollyholy:
Hey guys.

I cried all night and still crying after being denied yesterday.

I totally tended up and blanked out.

I feel so sad

Wow
Congratulations!

HisEminence:
F2 visa approved
Location: Abuja
Date: 9th of November 2020.

I got to the Consular at some minutes to 7am. I remembered I needed to print a last minute document. After so much bargaining, I paid 10k instantly. Wasn't happy about it but we move anyways.

I approached the entrance and was directed in. I was the fifth person when I entered the building, all F1, except me (F2)

So we were called in, in 3s. So to the interview proper. When I entered the first person on the line was already paying her Reciprocity fee. Every other applicant before me too were granted visa.

Only one VO was attending to us, but he seemed very calm and friendly.
Fast forward to my interview.

VO: Good morning sir.
Me: Good morning.
VO: pass me your passport and i-20 please..
Me: (hands them over)
VO: (on seeing my i-20) wow, your wife is in the U.S
Me: Yes, she is.
VO: What is she studying?
Me: (stammers a bit) She's studying chemistry at Copping state university, Baltimore, Maryland.
I didn't like that how that sounded, so I had to tell me that I stammer at times like this.

VO: (Nods) No problems, just take your time
Me: (in my mind, I was like.... Oshey padi mi. Afolabi, calm down, you gat this)

All this while, I noticed someone else behind him listening to both of us. And he has been there when those before me were interviewed.

Then the VO switched of his mic and turned to start talking with the other guy. Pointing at the system, passport and my i-20 as he's discussing. And the other guy kept nodding and looking at the system as the VO was talking. This lasted for about a minute.

Then VO faces me again.

VO: When did she travel?
Me: 31st of December 2019
VO: Why didn't you travel with her?
Me: I was overseeing a project at the office. I work with the Lagos state government. (I motioned to bring out my staff ID card.)
VO: No need. What do you do?
Me: I am a system administrator and an I.T support officer.

VO turns again and starts discussing with the guy again. This lasted for about 30 seconds

VO faces me again.

VO: Do you have any kids.
Me: Yes, she gave birth to our baby there in the US, just before the lockdown
VO: Oh, Male or Female?
Me: Female
VO: Has she come back to Nigeria since she had the baby?
Me: No, she hasn't
VO: Why are you just applying?
Me: I applied earlier in march, and I got May as my interview date, but it didn't hold.
VO: Were you denied?
Me: No. The appointment was cancelled.
VO: Oh, okay
VO: How did you meet your wife?
Me: I met her through a mutual friend. We met and we liked eachother.
VO: How did they know eachother.
Me: They attended the same school.
VO: When did you meet her?
Me: 2018
VO: when did you get married?
Me: Traditionally and according to Islamic rights, February 2019. And then we proceeded to the registry in Ikoyi, Lagos, in December, to make it official.
VO: Nods
VO: Have you travelled out of the country before?
Me: Yes, I have. We travelled to the UAE together.
VO: How long did you spend there?
Me: About a week.
VO: Like a honeymoon right?
Me: Yes.
VO: Have you been to the US before?
Me: No, not at all


VO turns to his guy again. The discussion again lasted for another 30 seconds.
In my mind, I was like.... my fate is being decided now.
He then faces me again.

VO: (Looks at my i-20 and sees my wife's school fees on it) who is paying your wife's fees?
Me: Her dad.
VO: What does he do?
Me: He's a businessman in the oil and gas sector. He's a CEO of Crowns oil. Also he's a high chief of the Oba of Ikoyi in Lagos.
VO: (Nods) Oh, okay. Makes sense
VO: What does your dad do?
Me: My dad is late, but before he died he was a retired Airforce officer.
VO: Nods. Your application looks okay at this point. Take this white paper, go to the cashier to pay your reciprocity fee, bla bla bla
Me: I was already shinning teeth under my nose mask.

I paid my fee. Went back to the VO to drop the passport and I zoomed out. Got out and I told the others sitting outside all the best.



Tips
1. After God, na God ooo. Nothing else
2. Please make sure you print every document before coming for your interview, those guys outside no get joy. Dem go bill you die
3. Make sure you hold money on that day. Any last minute thing might come up to print. There's no such thing as too much documents ooo
4. Be as confident as possible. Be calm. Dont speak too much, but make sure your answers cover the questions asked.

Big shout out to everyone who has impacted on us all. All the best to all applicants.

We move!!!

Thanks mate.

Modelove:
My School Mate....Congratulations ��

VISA APPROVED
30th October, 2020
Lagos consulate
Window 9.

So it went thus:

VO: Good morning, pass your documents(I was trying to separate my i20 from other documents the biometrics peeps folded with it but he said I should pass all, so I did). Are you nervous?

ME: ( I didn't know what to answer that will suit him so I just smiled . I was actually nervous)

VO: There's no need to be nervous, we're just gonna have a conversation, OK?

ME: OK.

VO: Why are you going to WIU?

ME: I'm going for my master's degree in(cuts me off)

VO: Tell me why you're going to WIU, not some memorised lines

ME: (I think I flustered for words here cos I didn't know what he wants to hear) The school offered me a full graduate assistantship that covers (cuts in again)

VO: Are you going to WIU because they're going to fund you? OK listen, if someone walks up to you and says “why do you want to go to this school, what would you say?

ME: OK. I'm going there because the RPTA program will offer me a GIS certification along with my degree and.... cuts in

VO: What's GIS?

ME: it's geographic information system

VO: What's it used for?

ME: It's used for collecting and analyzing spatial data in...

VO: Why do you want to study GIS?

ME : I'm not going to study GIS, it's just a certification that comes with the program

VO: I know, but why do you need it .

ME: It's important in natural resource management and that's the concentration I'm going for(He nodded)

VO: Who'll be sponsoring you?

ME : I received a graduate assistantship that covers my tuition and offers monthly stipends, the deficit will be taken care of by my uncle

VO : What does he do?

ME : He's a medical doctor in the UK

VO: Have you traveled out of the country before?

ME : Never had any reason to

VO : Are you married? I said no
Do you have kids? I said no

He types briefly and said he'll be issuing my visa and to keep my i20 safe, pay my reciprocity fee.... Then I left.

Suggestions from my experience :
1. Don't try to avoid any VO, have an open mind and be ready for anyone you're sent to otherwise you'll be disorganized and disoriented within your first few seconds. This happened to me. I was hoping not to be interviewed by that VO. He was a big time driller.

2. Sometimes, your proposed response might not be what a particular VO wants to hear. So, have something else up your sleeve, something genuine and convincing.

3. Prepare, pray and focus.

4. It's OK to be nervous, but get over it fast so that the brain can think.

Fairheart and Texrem, you both deserve a special mention here, words will fail me if I wanted to detail how helpful you both have been. Thank you so much. It's amazing how you two can switch from a friendly conversational tone to a strict VO mode

@Omomayelekasi, sincerely, you're an angel in human body . Thanks for all your help and support, the motivation, the subtle chastising. You deserve the best of life.

Thank you all nairalanders, I learnt from every one of your posts. Thank you Vincent, I don't take you for granted at all. God bless you for all the little things you did that now means so much.

Success to the rest of you guys
And congratulations in advance!!

No they won't check but you'll be advised to have it with you as you go in. It's a repeated warning. Have it with you as you go in.

Ftos:
To those that have gone to the embassy, please, is the reciprocating fee one of the things they will check before entrying the embassy/consulate? Abuja or Lagos?
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thank you in anticipation.

No it wasn't written. That guidance was for fall semester. I'm not sure it applies to spring.

Lifeisforliving:
Please for those that have collected their I20 was it written on it wether it’s hybrid or on campus?

Please who has an idea on any cheap hotel close to the embassy?

Congratulations!
That wasn't an interview. That was an interaction and a very interesting one at that. .
Congrats again!

drDoom3:
VO: Good morning, I'll be asking you some questions to confirm if everything is alright.

Me: Okay

VO: So have you ever been to the US?

Me: No

VO: Have you travelled out if Nigeria before?

Me: Yes

VO: What do you plan to study?

Me: Engineering or computer science

VO: When you get to school, do you stay on or off campus?

Me: on campus

VO: So I can see everything looks okay, congratulations, go to ... to pay your reciprocity fee...

I experienced the same thing
Don't worry, it'll get to you but just a bit later than expected. Maybe two more days or thereabout. Nothing to worry about.

jhidey08:
Please gurus in the house, I have an issue with my I20 shipment. It’s already in Lagos and I’m in Abuja but I got a mail from UPS today saying my package is experiencing delays because they’re awaiting payment authorization from the receiver. Has anyone encountered this kind of issue before and please how was it rectified?

Congratulations!

Anybodie:
Visa Approved
I'll be back with transcript

You'll have to send them an email stating your reasons for wanting an emergency date, you'll be required to fill a form and they should get back to you with a date (that's the experience for those who tried with Lagos, I'm not sure Abuja is responsive in this manner but you can try if you're so keen about Abj) .
About cover letter. It's not necessary.

Beegirl1:
Please no one replied my question on how to get an emergency interview date in Abuja. And also do I have to take a letter of support from my sponsor to the interview?.

Yeah

Mkin:
Hi,
Is there anyone here going to Western Illinois University in Macomb for Spring (January) 2021?

You can try using this link.
https://www.imgonline.com.ua/eng/resize-image-result.php

Hollyholy:
Please is there an app I can use to get the photo size? I don search tire o

To add to this:
WIU is doing the same.
Application fee waived till 31st of October.
Both grad and undergrad.

Bigsecret:
This might help someone.

To celebrate home coming anniversary, Kent State’s application fee will be waived from October 20th-27th. You should plan to submit your application then if you haven’t submitted.

Wow. Another good news.
Congratulations! Go and excel.

Evans211:
Visa Approved!!

Profile-
Program: MA Political Science
GPA- 3.28/4
Deficits- $6,677
GRE- 318
School- Texas Tech University (Spring)
.

CONGRATULATIONS!

BrTune:
US Visa Approved!!!

Sent a strongly worded email with convincing points for an emergency visa appointment on Tuesday Night - 6th.


Received an email from the US embassy at 7.30am the next day - Wednesday, scheduling me for an interview on Friday at 6.30am.

Today, Woke up at 5.00am, joined hands with my sister to decree divine Favour.

Bath, dressed and booked an Uber, got to VI at 6.20am.

Went in for my interview at 7.00am

Sent back out because I did not print my DS-160 confirmation.

Rain flogged me, some soldier men even gave me umbrella my who cloth was wet.

A lady helped me to print the DS - 160 form, said I should pay her 5K, I didn’t have any money on me. Begged the lady and eventually paid 3500 outta my reciprocity fee.

Went back into the embassy.

VO: Good morning
Me: Hi, Goodmorning

VO: Pass me ur I-20 and visa and da-160 form

VO: where are u going
Me: Going to ...Ivy league school

VO: Great school, but very expensive too, how are u funding it?
Me: Received 80,000 USD in Fin Aid and taking a loan of 20K from my uncle to complete the rest.

VO: Ok, what does ur uncle do?
Me: My Uncle is a real estate developer and deals in wichtech roofing sheets.

VO: Any evidence of ur uncles ability to pay?
Me: before I could Pass him my uncles statement, he said I shouldn’t bother, he believes me.

VO: Have u travelled out before?
Me: Yes, I have been to the US, Germany France, Qatar, Kenya, Uganda...etc

VO: What did u go for?
Me: Explains

VO: Your visa has been approved, do u have the reciprocity fee?
I knew my reciprocity fee was short by 3500 but I answered yes, I did not want wahala.

VO: Go over there and pay, and enjoy ur stay in America

I go over there, praying for a miracle and the money to double...didn’t happen.
Went out and was looking for whom to borrow money from as I didn’t have my atm. One guy who just finished his interview saw me and asked what the problem was.
I told him, he then called his driver to bring money and dashed me 4K. I quickly begged him to wait for me, so I follow him and drop off at my stop.
He waited for me to pay the reciprocity fee and then told his driver to drop me off the stop close to my house.

Good luck every one

Cutie... I thought I was the only one who did same o.

Cutieflaky:
Congratulations man!!
I'm so happy for you
If you see me screaming as if I was the one who got the visa.

With this latest quarantine questions, I'm thinking one will have to agree to having someone in the US. Otherwise, they might imagine you won't have a place to quarantine and probably set yourself loose upon arrival.

Thanks for sharing.

HoluwadareY:
This is a transcript from one of my school groups from a guy in India. The lesson here, as people start their interviews next month, is to b as detailed as possible in their transcripts(just like this India guy). Please let us avoid the "i answered" response. Thanks

Visa Interview Experience
Location: Kolkata
Date: 30th September, 2020
Time Slot: 9:00 am
In Time: 8:55 am
Out Time: 9:05 am
Status: Approved

Visa officer: An American lady in her mid 30s
Me: Good Morning Officer

VO: Good Morning. Please use the sanitizer and place your right hand fingers on the Biometrics Scanner
( I did as I was asked)

VO: Please pass me your passport and I-20 ( She simultaneously asked me to remove my facemask for verification )

VO: Why this stream ? ( I am going for MS in Statistics )

Me: Officer I have been working as a Data Analyst for last 5.5 years. I feel like I lack foundational Skills in Statistics which is a core aspect of my job. I am bridging that gap by pursuing this course

VO: What all places have you worked at ?

Me: Officer I started my career as a decision scientist in Mu Sigma based out of Bangalore. After spending 3 years there I switched jobs and I am currently work for a Company named Epsilon registered as Conversant Softwares and Campaign management solutions ( I added the last part so that it might be easier for her to verify that bit of detail if she was doing so in the background )

VO: Very good. How many courses did you apply to?

Me: Officer I applied to 7 courses in total. I got admitted to 3 and rejected in 4

VO: What were your admits ?

Me: Officer I got admitted to the following: University Illinois Urbana Champaign, University of Texas at Dallas, Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago

VO: Great. How are you funding your education ?

Me: Officer I am self funding my education. I have an education loan of around xx USD from Prodigy Finance. I will be supplmenting it with my own saving worth xx USD and my father has agreed to pitch in xx USD ( total amount that I told was close to 1.5 time the amount mentioned in my I-20 )

VO: What are your plans after education ?

Me : Officer I plan to work as a Data Scientist in the Pharma Sector.

VO: Why Pharma Sector ?

Me: Officer with the current situation that is going on I feel that we need a lot of good people working in the Pharma Sector and try to reduce administrative load on our healthcare workers. Also there is a lot of work to be done in optimizing the global supply chain and manufacturing of medicinal drugs

VO: Great. What does your father do ?

Me: He works with the police department of Jharkhand State government

VO: Is he an IPS ?

Me: No officer. He is an Inspector

VO: what is his yearly income ?

Me: His gross salary ranges between xx-xx lakhs INR

VO: Did you show any collateral for the loan ?

Me: No officer I did not have to show any collateral for the loan

VO : Any additional savings that you have ?

Me: officer I have xx lakhs of non liquid assets in terms of Public Provident Fund and xx lakhs worth of immovable property located in my hometown ( I was not audible here, she double checked the number with me. So I had to repeat the second number again)

VO: Great. Will you be traveling anywhere in the next 15 days ?

Me: No officer

VO: Are you aware of the quarantine rules when you arrive in the US ?

Me: Yes officer. I know that I have to quarantine for 14 days on my arrival into the US

VO: Where will you be quarantined ?

Me: Officer I have a friend working in the US. I will be quarantining at his place (this was the same guy I had mentioned in my DS-160 as my POC in the US) .

VO : What does your friend do ?

Me: He is working as a Data Analyst in Capital One

VO: Okay. I am approving your visa. Have a good day

Me: Thanks. Have a good day ahead


(Things which help in F1 Visa Interview:

1) Being very objective and to the point in your answers
2) Know your financial numbers in and out
3) Have a coherent story
4) Do not lie
5) Be confident
6) Greet the officer when you come for the interview and greet him/her before leaving no matter what the result is
)

Please,
Is there still a need for our i20 to include the comment about our program being a face to face format(and not entirely online) My updated i20 for spring does not include it, I want to know if this is going to be important before I pay for document shipping.
Thanks.

Was that your first available date?

oracle009:
People.. It is opened already. Kindly go and schedule o. November 20th here

Wow..
Congratulations. May your new journey be blessed and may we too soon be graced to join thee�

Deegayes:
I finally heard the words “ welcome to America “ yesterday . After the hurdles faced since the start of corona , It was like music to my ears. Guys don’t give up yet , if your dream is to study in the US then keep pushing .

Lol.. No be small matter o
Let's wait for spring to come first, but I'd suggest we stay away from any step that will affect one's chances for a CPT/OPT.
Lets be hopeful towards a valid spring, if anything goes wrong again, we'll endure till fall. We'll tough it out until we reach the goal.

pompeiimagnus:
Now's the time to start writing passionate emails to schools sha, especially those with significant funding. My major concern is if embassies don't reopen in time for new students to be in the US by Spring 2021 after taking online courses this Fall, will one still be eligible for CPT/OPT? Any thoughts on this??

I just responded

Bookyy:
Hello jayzen, kindly send me a mail.. I've been trying to reach you to no avail.

This is indeed a sad situation but not hopeless. Let's just hope spring becomes feasible otherwise we all enter admission and assistantship pool again since deferment can only be done once.

mvem:
the problem is those with assistantship... Will their funding still be intact because not all schools are saying same thing with this regard...I think the best is to discuss with the department and graduate school to find a buffer and common ground that will benefit both parties...some uni accept differing to spring and ensures that your funding is intact some don't give that option but requesting you enter the pool again...these pandemic created a scenario that many schools are foreign to

I would have thought so some months back but it seems it's up to the embassy as it stands now
I won't like to defer and defer again. And yes my funding is assured for spring.

Stevenssen:
I think that'll be up to you and your department. If you can keep your funding for spring, then you can defer to spring

Yeah
And what semester seems advisable at the moment? Spring or fall, 2021?

mvem:
possibly as deferring looks more feasible at this time

Oh yeah... That was helpful, thanks.

It just left me with more deficit than I was hoping for�.

Predstan:
I resumed studies in Spring semester so my Assistantship was for a semester. It was renewed for the next Fall and Spring after I got a satisfactory GPA for that Spring. I hope this helps.

Hello House,
Are there assistantship contracts that are written for just a semester(Waiving tuition for that semester alone) ? I'd always thought it's usually for a year and renewed for the following year.

Also, are there chances of having a semester long contracts renewed for another semester. Just want to know my stand.

Thanks.

Ok

I got accepted there too. What program are you going for?

manuelkila:
Good day bosses in the house. I just got an acceptance mail from western illinois university. However, there is no information regarding funding in the mail. Please is there anyone currently schooling there or that just got accepted? Please I need some info

( think he has a point. It's not a terrible advice and I don't think he's discouraging anybody. I'm also an applicant. I believe schools are facing a lot of uncertainties at this time (funding decisions especially)cos they're not sure if an on-campus fall semester will be feasible. I think the best bet is to wait. If you have your i20, great. If you don't, then wait, let's all see how things will pan out)







I still stand on my statement that it's a terrible advice. My reason is simple.

Should the American govt decide to open its consulate and embassy in Nigeria before August, there will be a rush for the limited interview slots. Those who have their SEVIS ID and have made SEVP payments will stand a much much better chance of securing a visa interview date.

Like I said its not a bad idea to be prepared. The cost of securing the i20 is an almost insignificant part of the total cost of making the move to the United States.


I understand that things don't look good right now and the chances that the US will be relaxing its immigration policy anytime soon are slim. But, you never know.[/quote]