₦airaland Forum

I actually pity the consular officers. They have maybe 5 mins to decide whether to give you a Visa or not, and they don't know whether you are Boko haram........

Wow It's been a long time I've been here. Man must work.
Ok, just my random thoughts on visa applications from Nigeria

1. Like someone said what has God got to do with a Visa (and you know you go to the embassy with fake documents)

2. People go to school in the US by borrowing i.e school loans- the consular officer is actually very nice by giving you a visa if anyone other than your parents are paying

3. Think for a minute about how many people all over the world apply for a USA visa everyday; your case is not special. To the consular officer, you are just the next number on a list.

4. Imagine you are a Nigerian embassy staff interviewing people who in Somalia, or Niger, or Iran, who want to come to Nigeria, how many people will you give visas to Nigeria. Be honest with yourself!

Peace.

Chinedu Echeruo, whose businness was sold to Apple for $1 BILLION is a Nigerian with a success story. But you know what, he went to GRADUATE SCHOOL. And not just any graduate school: Harvard Business School. But do you have to make 1 billion dollars to be successful? In my opinion, no. But there are a few things to note:

Most Americans(including immigrants) are in the "rat race' or the 'debt treadmill'. You know you are in trouble if you cannot afford to slow down.

2 types of immigrants to the US:

1. Those who come in and they have a well informed strategic plan of how to get to the top of American society. These are the people with vision and they will not mind sacrificing to go back to school or finding ways to improve themselves.
2. Those who come to the US thinking you can 'hustle and you will make it big'. To tell the truth, almost all the people in this group end up still 'hustling' till they retire, and then have to depend on Medicare/social security after retirement. No, I do not despise them, it's what they chose and are comfortable with.

Lest anyone shout me down, let me give you my current personal stats: what I pay in income taxes is more than what approx 60% of americans earn, yet I drive an 8 yr old Toyota Corolla. I buy good clothes on sale (but high quality ones because they last long), I have never paid a kobo in credit card interest because I never buy what I cannot afford. What do I do? I can't say it here. How did I get here? I went to school. I got an advanced degree. I realised quickly when I got here that if you join those looking for money, and you don't aim high, you will never be able to stop working 2 jobs, you will not sit down to eat with your children (you are always working) yet what you make will go to paying off the store cards, the car note, the mortgage. I have debts, but only beacuse these are leverageg. If the bank asks for their money, I can affordd to pay them off with just some minor discomfort, but will not be bankrupt.

So why am I writing this: you definitely can make it in the US, but you need top notch information. I wonder why people are not asking how they can come to America and be successful on wall street? As pharmacists, doctors, or in bulding a business that will transform the world?

Can I come back to Nigeria? Yes I wish I can, I would love to, but it is too late. Could I have made it in Nigeria? Yes. Without any doubt. If I knew what I know now, before I left Naija, I would be more successful there.

Happy New year to all. Will contribute more as I see fit.

My own example, livin in NY, in 2005:

Salary: $53,000
Less tax: Approx. 17000 (you pay more when you are single-and you pay to the fed. Govt, Newy York state and NY city)
Less Rent: 12000/yr ( sharing a 2 bedroom apartment), but was lucky I did not have to pay electricity and gas
Less Car note (loan) 3600/yr - for a 3 yr old used car -can be more or less depending on your credit score
Less parking: 1200/yr ( my side morror was stolen when I parked on the strret)
Car Insurance: 900/yr
Cell phone: 720/yr
Internet and TV: 960/yr- (you get deals, but they expire, but you can call them thay you will stop your service, and they will tell u to pay same amount)

Now, I had very sparse furniture ( I would never pick up things from the street , which some people do), but if I bought on credit, I would have to pay it back.

Now magine if I had a child. Or two. Or 3......

In thinking about the perennial question whether to come to the US or not, whether you can make it in the US or not, I feel the correct question to ask yourself is this: How much will I make in the US over X number of years for me to leave Nigeria. You see, people saying you can make it here are not telling you the whole truth. Lets look at some issues:

1. The average wage in the US for 2012 is $44,321.67 (about 8 million naira) This is what you can reasonably expect to earn after a Bachelor's degree. Without going into details, this is nothing if you have a family (for example, a standard daycare will easily cost you $9000 a year. If you cut corners, think of this- that person you are leaving your child with, is he/she a child molester?)

2. Nobody tell you the whole story: the OP in this thread mentioned living in Minnesota. While I have nothing agaainst livin there, but I people should also have the information that it is one of the coldest places in the US., with easily 6 months of winter (below freezing temperatures)

3. Nursing: Ah! The nigerian favourite. Since I work with nurses, I am aware of the situation. As an RN, you can make between 40-60, 000 working 4 days a week on the average. Sounds wonderful? Well, the whole story is that your salary does not change much over the years, meaning after 20 yrs on the job, there will be no huge difference, and remember, younger people are coming behind, and they will earn almost as you. This is why most people work 2 jobs which takes you out of the home 6 days a week, i2 hrs per day. Now you are begining to see why you have to pay the daycare 9000 dollars.

Summary of my advice: there is no short term gain to coming to the US, except you come to study and then return to Nigeria for a job.

To truly evaluate people here, just ask them to tell you their net worth, meaning the difference between their assets(how much they have) and their liabilities (how much they owe). You will be suprised........

Hi all, as a new member, and a Nigerian living abroad, I have read a lot of threads about different views on living in Nigeria and everywhere else. As someone who has lived in 3 different western countries, I think I can contribute to helping people understand a bit about living outside Nigeria, namely the UK and US and.

Post your questions and I will try to answer to the best of my ability. A few rules though: as a professional,with a very precious license, I will not engage in any abusive or discriminatory conversation(because you can then sue me!). No abuse will be tolerated. I have no leverage or knowledge of how to get visas other than go to the embassy with your application, so I cannot help you with this.

With these out of the way, I will now welcome questions you may have about life abroad, and try to answer to the best of my ability.

Cheers!