₦airaland Forum

OjaP:
Can anybody let me know where and how i can pay the SEVIS FEES in Nigeria?

There's really no official way to pay within Nigeria or even online for Nigerians. But you might try an Ecobank branch at Seme Boarder - someone in an earlier page of this thread mentioned making the payment there.


Cheers

djunit1:
I am yet to pay my sevis fee though I have already paid the visa fees. Is there a way to pay with an ATM card here in Naija or is there a way you can suggest?

There's no way to pay the SEVIS fee electronically if the SEVIS number is connected to Nigeria. The alternatives are either to pay using US cheque/money order or to pay through Western Union (see link at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/wu_instr.htm).

Cheers

illinois: i'm in abuja now for my visa IN d morning, good luck 2 me

my guy, bring home the good news oh.

nwaoma009:
hello house am back again.please is their anyone who can help and tell me how to book for an emergency appointment cos i just received my 1-20 and i have try to book but d available dates are from ang and my school will reopen on ang 9th so i need to be there b4 then.pls if any 1 knows how to book for emergency appointment pls help. even if is through an agent or anybody pls am begging

@nwaoma009,

easy oh,  so you don't end up getting swindled!

Right now, I can see Aug 3-6 available at the Lagos embassy (if you are a first time applicant that is). You should try booking any of those. And if that doesn't work for you, you can email the embassy to get an emergency appointment (see below quote off the USA embassy's website at http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/pr_12032009.html) and then strongly followup that up with phone calls.

STUDENT VISAS
Attention Student Visa Applicants in Nigeria

The Department of State and the U.S. Mission to Nigeria remain committed to facilitating the travel of students to study at American academic institutions.  To ensure that every qualified student visa applicant is able to begin or return to his/her program of study on time, the Mission has taken a number of steps to expedite and improve the student visa application process:

    *
      Expedited visa appointments
    *
      Reserved visa appointment slots for students
    *
      Dedicated e-mail boxes for student visa questions

Expedited Student Visa Appointments

To get a student (“F” visa) or exchange visitor (“J” visa) visa appointment:

    *
      Pay the visa application fee at a designated branch of UBA plc, and go on-line to https://www.usa-vfsglobal-ng.com/Index.aspx to schedule an appointment and pay the VFS visa appointment fee.  Make an appointment for the earliest available date.
    *
      If your scheduled appointment is later than your planned arrival, please e-mail the Embassy (AbujaStudentVisas@state.gov) or Consulate General (LagosStudentVisas@state.gov) to request an expedited visa appointment.  We cannot expedite your appointment if you have not already made an appointment and paid the VFS appointment fee.
    *
      Please include the following in your e-mail:
          o
            Your name and contact information;
          o
            Your institution;
          o
            Your SEVIS Number; and
          o
            The date you are scheduled to report to your program.
    *
      The Embassy/Consulate General will contact you as soon as possible with your appointment date.  Please allow a few days for a reply.

What do I Bring to my Appointment?

The State Department website at http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1270.html provides a complete list of documentary requirements for student visas.
Apply Early!

Demand for student visa appointments is especially heavy during the end-of-year holiday season.  The earlier you apply, the more likely we will be able to give you an appointment date that suits your needs.  You may apply as soon as you have your required forms and payments in hand.
Further Questions

For further questions about the student visa application process, please contact us at AbujaStudentVisas@state.gov or LagosStudentVisas@state.gov.

all the best!!

DASLEEKY:
Thanks, kinda work so only online @ night, abeg let me know when u'll be online so we can hook up on YIM,
House, I raised an issue on my major on admission letter being diff from what it's on I-20 due to , pls advise oh,
also anybody got an idea on way out on SEVIS fee payment

You can contact friends/family in the US to help you make the payment!

frank_ike:
pls i want to know if it is possible for USA embassy to issue visa without GRE test? my school does not require me to write any test. to be at the safer side, how should i go about the GRE test, i mean the enrolment and the exam date. i need your assistance pls

My take is, 

If it says so on the School's website, then simply provide that as evidence to the embassy. Or better still, if you can get the school to do you an official letter that'll specifically address the "no-GRE" requirement, awesome!

But then, remember ,

It's not a good idea to tell the embassy that this school was the only school you researched and/or applied to.

During my interview yesterday, a guy about 3 steps ahead of me was seriously drilled when he said he applied to other schools apart for the one that admitted him. Even to me, he sounded like he just made the decision to say that on the spot. Now, when he was asked to name the other schools, he equivocated for quite a while. With that kind of weak answer, even I would have asked him to produce some evidence of those other researches/applications. I really felt for the guy and started praying for him. Before he finished, I was called for my interview. So I really can't say for sure he was approved/denied. But it was already heading the wrong direction.

For me, I had to struggle some to mind my own business. I actually caught myself once trying to listen to what was happening at his stand even when I was at mine. So another piece of advice,  As soon as you're called for the actual interview, you need to block out everything else but the interviewer in front of you, his questions and your strong, clear and concise answers to those questions. Knowing that everyone behind you can hear your conversation and thinking about that during you interview can be a distraction.

Cheers

Hello all,

Here's where the story started from,

www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-240241.2368.html#msg6034689

then

www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-240241.2336.html#msg6028111

So today, I went for my Student Visa interview ,  and Praise God for His Blessing,  I got it.

I was asked basic questions (ofcourse) and thrown some curveballs. But didn't show a single document though i had a bag full of my entire life history.

Questions were,

* So you are going for some sort of advanced degree or something? ( )
* why do you what to do an MBA?
* what school is it?
* how long is the program?
* have you been to the school?
* what dates where you there?
* how many times have you been to the US?
* is your wife going with you?
* what visa is she on?
* green card?
* how did she get it?
* So she got it when she was like very young?
* so, what does she do in the states?
* do you have children?
* how old is the child?
* where does she work?
* where is that?
* has she filed for you?
* why hasn't she?
* so you'll be leaving together?
* says in your I-20 you got a school loan, how did you get that?
* where do you work now?
* how long have you worked there?
* does your office know you are going?
* are you planning to come back to your work?
* when would you start you own company?
* where did you say your wife works? ( )

Then

"So am going to give you a visa without cancelling your existing Visitor's visa. Be sure to explain to the immigration officier at the port of entry that you are entering on your student visa and not the B1" and he handled me the green slip and VFS address.

In my excitment, I forgot to ask for pickup date. So people, pick up is usually three working days after the interview, just like the visiting visas, right?

Thanks for all the wonderful contributions on this forum. Particular to @oyewolejos and @Pittbaby for their insights.

My advise? Know everything you need to know and know it twice (front-to-back, and back-to-front ). And DO NOT give false evidence. It could hurt you.

Cheers

Thank you folks (pittbaby & oyewolejos) for your responses.

I just did a check on USCIS website and saw this

Change My Nonimmigrant Status

If you want to change the purpose of your visit while in the United States, you (or in some cases your employer) must file a request with USCIS on the appropriate form before your authorized stay expires.  For instance, if you arrived here as a tourist but want to become a student, you must submit an application to change your status. We recommend that you apply as soon as you determine that you need to change to a different nonimmigrant category.

Until you receive approval from USCIS, do not assume the status has been approved, and do not change your activity in the United States.  For example, if you are currently a nonimmigrant tourist, do not begin attending school as a student until you have received authorization from USCIS to change your status. If you fail to maintain your nonimmigrant status, you may be barred from returning to and/or removed (deported) from the United States. Your authorized status and the date your status expires can be found in the lower right-hand corner of your Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record.

In general, you may apply to change your nonimmigrant status if you were lawfully admitted to the United States with a nonimmigrant visa, your nonimmigrant status remains valid, you have not violated the conditions of your status, and you have not committed any crimes that would make you ineligible.

see full page at www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=92f23e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=92f23e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

also saw this at http://singapore.usembassy.gov/student_visas.html

Do I Need a Student Visa?

If you will be enrolled as a full-time student in a program that leads to a degree, you will need to apply for a student visa. If you are in the United States already on a Tourist (B-2 or B1/B2) visa, you will only be allowed to change to student status if you declared your intention to do so when you entered the U.S., and you will not be allowed to begin your program until the change of status is approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). The approval process often takes a long time, so it is not a good idea to try this.

J-1 Exchange Visitor visas are also commonly used for structured academic and vocational programs, though generally not for full-time programs that lead to a degree. Click here for more information on J-1 visas.

If you are going to the United States for some kind of educational activity but will not be a full-time student, you may not need to get a student visa. Click here for a discussion of other possibilities.

;d

Hello people, I would love to hear your opinions about a situation regarding my planned US student visa application.

am applying for US student visa for an MBA program. Sponsorship is by an approved loan from a US lender linked with the school. So, i guess i don't have to proof personal funds (what do u think?).

my spouse is a permanent resident and my child, a US citizen. How do u good people think i can prove to the visa officer i don't have immigration intentions and i plan to come back to Naija?

by the way, i have a valid multiple entry visitors visa that I've used several times.

BeeMe:
my visa interview is next tomorrow. for a 2 months course. my company is sending me.
i have the following document
sevis (paid)
my 1-20
proof of payment of school fees
company bank statement for 6 months(original)

hello @beeme,

Please how did you paid your SEVIS fee?

I noticed that the SEVIS fee can't be paid online at www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/ for any SEVIS number that's associated with Nigeria.

About 3 weeks ago, I had a really short time to help my sister pay the fee. Tried paying with both Nigerian and US credit card, no show. Asked at Ecobank, no show! Even the guys at VFS Global couldn't tell me how to go about it within the country. Eventually, I had to transfer money to the US (transfer charges and all) and couriered the I-20 (guess i shouldn't have) before eventually paying it through Western Union over in the US. Not before my sis had to change her student VISA interview date though. Clumsy and a bit more expensive than needed (since i had to courier documents back and forth). Anyway, i thank God it was settle with no issues and just a slight delay.

Am going to be paying another SEVIS fee soon for myself. So, please do let me know if you have an easier incountry way of paying. will appreciate it.

Cheers

I like the craigslist concept!

'

.

.