₦airaland Forum

hardbody: The two of you are raving mad. I graduated from Unical In Nigeria, I have lived and worked here all my life, the few occasions i have had the desire to travel, i have come out there (UK not US oo) to spend money riding on the back of my sponsors, my Company. I have no plans of trying to confirm how right or wrong either of you are. You failed here and you relocated. I want to prove a point to you guys, that you can sure make it here if you are focused and work hard enough.

For the records, i do not live in Lekki, but i stay in my personal house here in Lagos and it is standard by any yardstick. I do admit that I am my own Local Governemnt Chairman, providing water, light and security and even contributing alongside my neighbours to fix my street. I have houses both in the village and a few of the metropolitan cities in Nigeria (including Abuja). You guys should quit trying to lure us over. Whomsoever wishes to travel can do so and whomsoever wishes to stay back here and make ends meet will surely succeed with hardwork. Stop painting another man's country with white or black paint, some of us dont give a flying fork.

make una carry una wahala commot here. US is just another country where i am sure you either survive or die. Perhaps you are both corect on your assumptions and reasoning, but i am irked at the level of effort you are both putting to convice people. Are you paid agents?

You got no moral right to lecture anybody here about hard working because you are living big on people's money. Politicians are the biggest problem we have in Nigeria. You bought houses in many cities in Nigeria? How much is your salary?

Gayigaskia: January, i may not live in Nigeria tho, i may live Lome, Cotonou or Niamey. Before you say anything i have family in all these places.

Ok.

Gayigaskia: My man i used to drive tokumbo from Cotonou to Kano and Abuja thru Niger Republic after i graduated from Kad Poly. trust me here in the US the government extort money from you all the time. after all my governor is called Martin O'malley

When are you moving back to Nigeria?

dalobaba: Ok I guess I shouldn't bother requesting any other administrative review suggested by my lawyer. Thanks so much

No, there is no need for that.

adconline: I hate when people say this. Live within ur means. Don't buy a 2014 BMW X6 because your neighbor has it. Buy a used 2006 car and pay it in full. Don't live in a $500k home, go for $150k and pay 20-30% down. Don't finance ur lifestyle because your friends and co-workers are doing it and it shall be well with u.

Thank you!!!

Gayigaskia: I live in America for the past 15 years, i make good salary my wife is a RN we have 3 kids, and sometimes we struggle for cash. That situation scares me a lot because our kids are young and really i don't want to live like this having high blood pressure wahala all the time. T[b]he problem with America is you don't really own anything, everything is bills on top of that there always things that eat up your savings. ie: charges from late fees,speeding tickets, insurance copays and so on[/b]. When you compare to your friends in Africa, they have not many worries as far as kids are concern since you don't have to for baby sitting ; you will have a aunt, cousin, niece to do the home works for you, everything you own is owned straight up , there is no monthly payments wahala. If you are able to open your own business or secure a decent job in Nigeria, it would be way better than living in America.

You don't sound like somebody who will survive a day in Africa, go and live in Africa and see how the system works then you will appreciate America more.

Its speeding ticket in America and in Nigeria its police extortion whether you break the traffic law or not. Don't even conclude until you move to Africa.

dalobaba: Hello @justwise, my first application was refused in july.the e.c.o said that I'm a student with no children or family to support and that he is nt certisfied wit my auntie sponsoring me. So I reapplied september adding a letter from a lawyer. I was refused again. The e.c.o upheld the reason for refusal of the first application saying the lawyer didn't analyse the issue well. What vexed me was that he further stated that my aunt's account I submitted was last updated may 03,2013 saying it's 6 month out of date and that he is nt sure the money is still available for my visit. I was so angry because may03-sept13 is just 4months and moreover it's the same account used in the previous application referred to. So in annoyance I sent them this:

THE E.C.M,

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION,

LAGOS



Deer Sir/Ma

REFUSAL OF ENTRY CLEARANCE (LAGOS/........)



I am so so so so so , a postgraduate student of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta.I have been invited to the U.K by my aunty for the purpose of maintaining family ties and it is my determination to honour the invitation. she sent an invitation letter in which she clearly stated that she will be sponsoring my trip to the U.K, accommodation, food, and all other expenses during the short visit and to establish her financial capacity, copies of her financial documents such as bank account statement, pay slips, mortgage deed, british gas e.t.c were attached.I applied for a general visit visa on the 14th of July 2013 and was refused and later reapplied on the 13th of septmber 2013.

However, the decision made on my last visa application made me conclude that applications are not thoroughly looked into before decisions are made. The E.C.O upheld the decision of my previous application (ABUJA/943156) despite a letter from my counsel explaning why I should be issued an entry visa to the U.K and despite a letter from my school and other several supporting documents to show that im tied to my education.I don't think there is any immigration rule that says you must be married or you must have children to support before you can be given visa.I have a tie to my education and that should not be ignored. The E.C.O also stated that he/she is not satisfied with my aunty sponsoring me. It's clearly stated in the letter addressed to the embassy by my aunty that she will be sponsoring my trip, accomodation, feeding and all other expenses during the short visit

Moreover, the E.C.O made a comment that im a student with no children and family to support.I think it is my decision whether or not to bear children after all I'm just 26 years old and I'm not expected to marry or bear children while am still a student and being supported by parents and family members which I showed by submitting documents from my school and account statement to show I'm supported by parents and family members.I think the most important thing is the fact that I'm tied to my education and i will like to know if students are not allowed to visit UK anylonger. Students visit UK everytime, so why should I have children to support before i can visit UK.

Furthermore, the E.C.O that treated my reapplication (LAGOS/.........) stated that "in this application I note that you have submitted a copy of your aunts Lloyds TSB bank statement account number ****1460, however this account was last updated on 03/05/2013 which is now over 6 months out of date".I think this is a very big incompetence on the side of the E.C.O. how is this over 6 months out of date (03,MAY 2013- 13,SEPT 2013) and moreover it is the same account statement used in the previous application reffered to in the Notice of Immigration decision. this is off pont and I think E.C.Os should not make such simple mistakes.

In conclusion, I am 26, a bonafide post graduate student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. I amd not married and obviously do not have children. I submitted a bank account showing that I receive money from parents and family members to support my education. I think you will want to agree with me that Education is a strong tie considering the efforts and funds put into it. I think if to be denied, it should have gone this way, "we don't want you in our country" and the E.C.O should stop beating around the bush. I am totally not satisfied with the decision because it's a violation of my rights and I think the visa application should have been successful.





I will be very glad if this is looked into. hoping to read from you as soon as possible. thanks



Best Regards

............

IKAC/......./1

22/06/1987

And this is what I got this morning:

Dear Mr. .......
Thank you for your email.
We are in receipt of your request for a review. Your application will be reviewed and you will be contacted in due course.
Please note that application reviews usually have a process time of 20 working days. However, there may be some delays due to the large number of cases we are currently addressing.

Yours sincerely,
BK
Visa Correspondence Unit | UK Visas and Immigration, Home Office

@justwise, here is my question, is review possible without me sending them any document. My lawyer has been calling me that we should go ahead with an administration review (he's a friend. I'm not giving him 1shishi tho) but I totally lost interest. Is review possible without sending in any document. Lest I forget, I sent that email to abuja and was transferred to lagos saying my last application was done in lagos. So the so called review will go on in lagos. Thanks and sorry for my 450 words waec essay. Lol. Thanx muchos

Yes that is the case, you don't attach any supporting document to review request. They have all your papers already and that is what they will review

girlfio: Yeah, I'm trying to remember where I read that. If I find it ill post it.

Ok, never read that anywhere though.

@jenni1108 rather than sending to you then you sending it to Sheffield i think it will be faster if he sends it to Sheffield directly as that will save you a lot of time.

girlfio: Wooooohooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God is good!!!!

I'm so very happy for you my deary, look at what God can do when u put your faith in to action. Enjoy every minute of this victory babe.

Your husband needs to send the passport directly from Nigeria to Sheffield, we used DHL, they won't accept the passport from a UK address.

Really? Even when its from one of the spouse?

jenni1108: To everyone who has helped me on this forum, I want to say a big thank you. Justwise – for all your help when I prepared the appeals bundle, and most especially girlfio – your help this past month has been tremendous.
My husband has just received an email from the UKBA informing him that the initial decision has been over turned and he should send his passport to Sheffield.

Can he send it to me and I forward it or should he send it directly.

I am so happy that i'm speechless and shaking

Yes!! Yes!! i'm really happy for you and your husband.

Yes he can send it to you then u send it to them by registered post

britiko: Pls, r u sure abt d bolded as per transfering valid visa to d new passport? Is it compulsory? Does cancelling of d old passport render d valid visas void as well? What if all ur passport pages were used up and you had to apply for a new passport? Av u tot abt dat? Cos d old passport will still be cancelled. I'm sure ur passport validity was less dan 6months dat was why u had to apply for a new one as per CDHC requirement.
Please, if u can explain further I will appreciate o. I av valid visas on my cancelled passport and d new one will av only canny visa. Abeg explain o. Gurus in d house, abeg una talk o. Oga justwise, oga siga, everybody pls.

It does not render it invalid, you will still present it with the new one until the visa on the old one expires.

abbakacici: if you dont cook you can spend 100 a week, this is my 3rd week in my first 2 week, i dont cook anything i spend like 70 to 80 a week, i order from nigeria or pakistain restaurant and it cost like 10 to 12 pounds for you meals eg jolly rice with chicken and samoa with vegatable , biryani chicken rice and peri peri chicken so i dont see why you guys are shouting that some one spend 100 on food a week, but yes i know if you cook you can live on like 30 to 40 pounds a week, i will come late and give a details on how to survive on 30 to 40 pounds a week (list of prices)

In Nigeria do you spend 20 thousand naira weekly on food alone as a single person?

[quote author=qwerty_007AD]Please, all I need is advice as to what to do.
My case is as narrated thus:-

Prior to 2005 when I applied for a visitor visa to UK to enable me spent few days out of my vacation in London, a friend advised me not to present a "Virgin Passport" to the embassy, as I will be assessed as someone without travelling history and as such be denied.

I agreed with him to the stamping of my passport with Original stamp of Ghana..........

My application of 2005 was denied for lack financial capability. ..... I took it in good faith and the issue of Ghana Stamp on it was not referred.

Again in May 2007, I reapplied for the same visa type and was denied with a reason that the Ghana stamp on my passport is not original with the opportunity to appeal........ I took it as one of the flimsy excuses to deny a genuine application since that was not the first time of given the passport to the UK embassy. Hence I didn't bother to follow the appeal process.

It became seriously done on me in April 2008 when I was sponsored by my employer to attend a 3 weeks training in USA and I tried to use the opportunity to first applied for UK visa for me to stopover for few days with a friend on my way back from USA.

Every other document sent through the courier was return except my passport.

Included in the sent document was a notice to final appeal to ukba in London(if I choose to) and that according section xxxx, I will not be eligible to apply for UK visa for 10 years starting from the May 2007 when i was first told about the "forged Ghana Stamp" on my passport.

Fortunately or whatever, the seizure by UK embassy was an old passport during the time the NIS was encouraging the new ECOWAS passport which is more secured. So, I secured a new passport and went for my training in US.

I have since been travelling to US annually, visited some other countries in Europe and Middle-east.

If I am to serve the 10 years ban, it will over in May 2017.

My question now is can I apply for a different type of visa since I have the opportunity to choose a training program to be sponsored by my employer.

Thank you.[/quote]Sadly you can't, you will still be refused. your 10yrs ban still stand.

There are far too many threads about this topic here already, please search the forum before starting a new thread

nipeks001: Pls,i demand to know why my comment was hidden Pls,i demand to know why my comment was hidden

It was hidden because you were trying to instigate unnecessary argument about the op.

saxywale: I just bumped into this discussion as i was going through the travel section. i have worked in banks both in Nigeria and the UK. Oh yes. when i was in the UK, we frequently get mails from high commissions to verify bank accounts.

It's very simple and straightforward, mind you the UK has one of the strictest data protection laws in the world, yet these embassies officials have a way of going round it and still within the data protection act.

what they do in most cases is use a true or false statement to weed out fraudulent bank statements used as proof of funds. Questions are asked based on what you submitted. The VO won't ask for the cleared balance on the 16th if the last transaction date on the account was the 12th.

This is just a scenario.

Visa officer: Was there a transaction of xxxx amount on given account number xxxxxxxxx on xx date.
Bank officer: true
VO: was there a transaction of xxxx amount on xxxx
BO: true
VO: The CLEARED BALANCE on xxxx date is xxxxx
BO: False.

Any false answer renders the statement fraudulent. The same method is now used in Nigeria.
And the bank always cooperate. All they need to do is fill out true or false or answer true or false.

Many will still tell you that their uncle/friend who worked in the bank for donkey yrs says embassies got no right to verify their account.

Check part 3 and 4 of this thread each time this discussion comes up there is panic in the house.

People who got denied for presenting fake documents don't tell us why they got denied, some will change ID and rejoined, while some will tell us some porkies.

[quote author=nas-jay]I do not see anything wrong with discussion like this, e b like say men no like dis discussion @ all, nobody is afraid (justwise), what will I b afraid of. Hahahhahahah , I just called my account officer and banker fm diff bank, they both said is not posible to verify ur recent account balance which is not part of the S0A, u can call and verify urself![/quote]

Again..why are you calling them? What are you afraid of? What have you got to hide?

[quote author=nas-jay]Yes o? you signed the application form, for them to verify all ur info n doc/ soa when needed, they can not go beyond that, how will they verify ur recent account balance, which is not part of the SoA, I just called my account officer and banker fm diff bank, they both said is not posible to verify ur recent account balance which is not part of the S0A, u can call and verify urself![/quote]This brings me back to my previous question which is...why are you afraid that the embassy will call your bank to verify your bank balance? If you claimed that everything you submitted is correct and genuine why are you afraid of verification of that level?

kclexa: I joined this forum in faith that it is common ground where we share good advice that would help us all. I hope we remain focus on the main ideology of credibly advice.

Except there is a Canadian visa officer on this forum; we can't be 100% sure or 100% not sure to which extent the documents or information we provide are verified. All we must advice is that everyone should ensure information provided are genuine.
On submission of our visa applications, we all signed an agreement that all information supplied were correct and also agreed to any penalty such as denial of trv if the information is deemed wrong.

I believe the right thing to point out to any prospective applicant is to ensure they submit legitimate and accurate informations that would not result in denial of trv if verification becomes necessary.

Thank you and God bless

Above all i regard discussion like this very important than anything else because this is one of the biggest problems we have in Nigeria, problem of forgery/ presenting fake documents and misrepresentation in our applications.

You can see that a lot of people are not comfortable with this discussion because its the elephant in the house but we can't shy away from it

[quote author=nas-jay]They can only verify the SOA, they have no right to know how much is in the accnt presently afther d S0A, signed the form declaring that everything you gave to them is genuine, the embassy has the right to verify d S0A, they have no right to verify the account balance, that is not parth of what you signed for![/quote]

When you signed the application form do you specify the area of your account the embassy should verify?

jadapinket13: I have been reading all your comments that sounds like a debate. I have been thinking of ignoring the whole thing by not commenting. But at the end of the day, I just couldn't hold it any longer. My advice for you guys is to please drop this topic as it's really becoming unhealthy for this forum, all this argument is not necessary and sometimes it can lead to something ugly. Please try to always remember that "UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL". Good night peeps.

Can you tell me what is wrong with discussion like this?

onuawuchi: It is completely wrong and negates the standard practice in banking. Banking relationship is run on confidentiality and secrecy. Moreover, I don't believe CDHC check up on peoples account like that. If they do, what's the point asking applicants to provide statements from six months back, since the signature allows them free rides on an individuals account? Here is a gathering of academia, some finance students can help us end this argument

No its not true, you have given the embassy everything about you and signed the form declaring that everything you gave to them is genuine, the embassy has the right to verify any document submitted to them if such document raise an eyebrow, its not against any law and the bank do corporate with them embassy because its in the interest of the bank to do so.

You can not sue the embassy or the bank for verifying your account, every embassy has a section that verifies documents and they know what they are looking for.

igelomo: Go ahead and do just that if that will make you happy. FYI..i am not driving traffic away, its done everywhere in the world. Check other Big forums, you will see it. NOBODY can drive away traffic from this forum, it is here to stay. I dont see what the problem is if smaller websites try to improve their stats and moreover, my blog is NOT in direct competition with Nairaland. So CALM DOWN.

Its not done everywhere in the world, in many websites you will be banned, yes it does drive traffic away from this section because people will visit your blog to read the material rather than reading it here, that drives the traffic away.

Removing the link already and will keep doing that until every single link is gone.

igelomo: Because you moderate this thread does not mean you can just use your supposed power without discretion. I have a blog that i run and there is nothing wrong if i put up a teaser on nairaland about tips for first time travelers to Dubai and then put the link for readers to continue the reading on my blog. its just for traffic purposes and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I am not even a travel agent and i am not asking anyone to pay any money. Its just a GENERAL TIPS. Even there is an existing thread about that on nairaland, mine is conspicuously different.

What is wrote is more like a complete tips rather than the scattered tips different people gave on the thread. It actually saves people the stress of having to sieve through the numerous tips that other users have given.

The next thing i knew, you blocked the topic. That is very WRONG and i think you are doing more than what you have been directed to do. I am pissed at you right now and to tell you the truth, IT HURTS.

What a very self centered selfish human being you are, so there is nothing wrong with driving traffic away from this website to your blog? What planet are you living on?

I allowed many of your threads with links to stay but after reading this garbage from you i'm going to remove every single link attached to all your previous threads, i promise you that.

kjbobo: Bros.....let's not flog issue....but let's look at issues very deeply...in a sane country...somebody will give my details(the amount I have) to a third party without my consentand you say it is normalThat is why I am afraid for Nigeria....we are beginning to see how we are treated as normal!
I CAN bet it with you they aren't doing it this way in Europe....even if there are verifying!

Tell me this...why are you worried that the embassy will call the bank to verify your documents?

kjbobo: So it is wrong for a friend to sponsor me eventer if I established a reason??And you telling me that banks disclose amount in account without consent of the owner(even if it yes) Of which I know it's not absolute....they don't try it with some other countries I want to believe(finding out accounts statement without consent)And please that things they do to Nigerians aren't what they apparently try in other places
Mind you....the funding I got covered my tuition and living expenses and there was probably no need to verify.....which brings me back to his statement...that it can't be all cases!

What are they doing to Nigerians that they can't do in other places? If you got nothing to hide then why are you worried about the embassy calling your bank to verify?

If the embassy accepts the reason that your friend wants to give away his millions for you then fine but that is not the issue here.

Embassies verify documents and they don't need the consent of your uncle or whoever to do that because there is nothing illegal about it.

kjbobo: Nanana....I used a very close friend's account as one of my sponsors....and I can categorically tell you they didn't contact him or his account officer![/b]You don't make statement and tell people to go research(it's called fallacy)...if u coming for a research based prog... You will know you ha've to back up any claim with evidence!
[b]Secondly,do you know how weighty it is for banks to disclose bank accounts of say a sponsor who is your uncle in quote without his due consent? honestly,this task is easy for them to carry out in Naija cos of our criminal records....all the Africans in my class had less stress and verification exercise to come in......
So please explain how my friend's account wasn't verified?

I really hope you don't regret some of the things you post here.

Embassies have the right to verify your documents, you gave them the right/ consent by signing that application form with your documents attached. They don;t need the consent of your uncle or whoever to do that.

Don't get too excited if you got away with it now, your documents are filed with them and all you need to do now is pray long and hard that they don't pick you out in future.