@Spyder, would you be able to supervise other building projects during this 180 day period?

Spyder880, what's happening with this investment arrangement?

aktopgun: Hello everyone, long time no post
still keeping an eye on this thread, used to be an old haunt for me back in the day.
Looking to start analysing nigerian markets again shortly. Finding good charts to post still a challenge though
heavily into trading the futures market for the last couple of years
Miss the guys
anyone still around, easi, pumping FOF2, wanajo etc
I hail.

@Aktopgun, long time! How are the candlesticks?

.

To all Hope Waddell Old Students at the University of Calabar

The Hope Waddell Old Students UK Branch will be holding their next meeting/ party
on Saturday 18th January 2014.

18 Gilesmead Court
(Boys Scout Hall)
79 Camberwell Church Street
London
SE5 7LN

Time: 4pm to 8pm

Food and drinks will be provided

All ex-students ,Malabites and Malabresses are cordially invited

The Hope Waddell Old Students UK Branch will be having a party on Saturday 18th January 2014.

Venue:

To all Hope Waddell Old Students

18 Gilesmead Court
(Boys Scout Hall)
79 Camberwell Church Street
London
SE5 7LN

Time: 4pm to 8pm

Food and drinks will be provided

All ex-students are invited

This thread is to connect all the old students of Hope Waddell Training Institution, Calabar together especially those that are based in the United Kingdom.

More details about our educational objectives can be found on www.hwosauk.com

We are making plans to visit the family of the late Reverend Hope Masterton Waddell in Ireland. For more information contact us via this thread.

To all Hope Waddell Old Students

The Hope Waddell Old Students UK Branch will be holding their next meeting/ party
on Saturday 18th January 2014.

18 Gilesmead Court
(Boys Scout Hall)
79 Camberwell Church Street
London
SE5 7LN

Time: 4pm to 8pm

Food and drinks will be provided

All ex-students are invited

Hope Waddell Old Students UK Branch will be holding their next meeting/ party on Saturday 18th January 2014

18 Gilesmead Court
(Boys Scout Hall)
79 Camberwell Church Street
London
SE5 7LN

Time: 4pm to 8pm

Food and drinks will be provided

All ex-students are invited

Bumped

Bumped

[quote author=]Greetings to you all, plz I need advise from u guys. I applied for Uk visiting to go see my mum. She's the sponsor and I submitted the necessary documents. I stated in my application that I'm unemployed but I added my bank statement which has 220k. I was surprised to see my refuesal letter today. The ECO said
"You have stated that you are currently unemployed in your visa application form but have a job lined up for october 2013. I note that you have provided your bank statement. The account shows that large funds were deposited just prior to your application. I am not satisfied this has not been done to artificially bolster the strength of your application. Given that you are unemployed it is unclear where these funds have come from. Your failure in providing any documentary evidence of this leads me to doubt your circumstances in Nigeria. This leads me to doubt your intentions on visiting the UK. Therefore, on the balance of probabilities, I am not satisfied that you are genuinely seeking entry as a visitor for a limited period not exceeding 6 months or that you intend to leave the UK at the end of the visit as required by paragraph 41(I) and (ii) of HC395.

Section 84(1)(c) of the nationality, immigration and asylum act 2002. Legislation.gov.uk"

I don't know if the ECO overlooked some of my docuements, coz I stated it there that my mum has been funding me, and I added some receipts of d money transfer I've been getting from my mum.

And now I don't know what to do. I was given limited appeal right. Should I review the decision. Will it work? Plz help[/quote]

Since you are currently unemployed you needed to show the ECO that you have an incentive to return to Nigeria at the end of your visit to UK. From historical migration patterns there is a likelihood that you may want to work in the UK in view of your economic circumstance.

Ik.kao:
Thank you so much for your advice...

I would make arrangements for the NHS bill before the application

We do have some emails dating to the first month of our relationship in 2011, and photos over the years... And we would have to try to get text and whatssup chat history printed if possible... And also letters from family and friends...and as much as we can lay our hands on...

God Bless you, I appreciate you time and advice...

Mwah!!!!

Your unpaid NHS bill has nothing much to do with your 'Spouse visa' application, since you do have an NHS card it would be assumed that you were entitled to the treatment at the NHS and there shouldn't be any unpaid bill claim against you. If you delivered a baby at the Hospital on the NHS bill you would be required to pay for it as ECO's do undertake NHS checks for child deliveries.

lagerwhenindoubt: There are valid reasons for placing limits on job eligibility based on AGE. it is mostly a HR decision but there are some guiding principles

1: In a competitive work-place, you expect the young employees to aspire to positions at the Top-Level. It is a career incentive and a people-centric HR strategy. This way you maximize your human capital to an age range where the employee can dis-engaged and enter similar high-placed positions in other endeavors. You cannot have that much of a career plan at Age 30-40 applying for an entry-level job.

2: In most organizations (especially Financial Institutions), you are a Manager after 8-10 years work experience .. that is like 25-35 years of age. You cannot have a 35-40 year old man working under you and expect to drive him as you do other in-experienced hands under you. He may flare-up and start asking you how old you are, or can't you at least respect his grey hairs. such terse workplace situations are to be avoided. It is sad, but the economy does not favor older persons in place of younger ones especially when work demands you look up to one young brash manager.

3: Health Insurance is also a factor, Young means less likely to have ailments that affect us as we get older say from 30+ and above. It is a period where you can still instill some healthy habits and pay less on BUPA and other Health insurance schemes.

There are no valid reasons for placing job limits on people based on their age. That is utter ignorance and amounts to age discrimination. It will just take one person, one victim and/or one HR professional to stand up and be counted to take on this unlawful practice that has been masquerading itself in Nigeria's HR environment as good practice in the law courts very soon.

target007:


@LondonCool, Your judgement of the situation is very poor and wrong ... I couldn't get advice from you ... what do you mean 'out smarting the ECO'... Yes when they did the bookings they had issues with credit card but they thought it was rectified and never checked the booking until they goot the visa refusal.

The training company is reputable ...check [url]hhtp://www.thegtcgroup.com[/url]. Sometimes we let our dirty minds becloud our judgement ...just like the UK ECO I am amazed that you were towing the same line of judgement the ECO took to refuse the visa I think you need to understand that not all Nigerians wants to disappear into the UK, some are really going there for genuine business and deals to better their lives... at least ask some sensible questions and you'll get corresponding sensible answers.

Anyway, please does any one has any idea what we can do to get this visa approve this time around?

I beg to differ. My judgement of the situation is not poor. I know exactly what I am talking about.

The person making the decision to grant the visa is not a Nigerian (he doesn't think like you), he's British and they are trained to follow certain lines of thinking before reaching a decision.

If you want to get a UK visa then you need to see things from the UK ECO's perceptive. That's the only perceptive that matters. They work with trends, patterns and accurate intelligence.

From the website used to book the hotel there is a common trend that most Nigerians book and cancel their bookings (red flag). Are you saying that your guy didn't get any email confirmation informing him that the hotel he booked and paid for was canceled?

He had a print out of the original transaction which went through which was also used to support the application. I doubt the Hotel would cancel the booking without notifying your guy. You may appeal if you strongly feel that the hotel made an error.

To Nigerians, going to UK for a 2 or 3 month holiday shouldn't be an issue. To the ECO that's a strange amount of time to spend on holidays as a visitor.

The ECO is the first line of defence protecting the UK borders so it's his job to be sceptical about someone wanting to travel for a one week training course with a cancelled hotel booking, and no family commitments.

If you study the reasons given in visa refusal letters you can easily understand the mindset or psychoanalysis behind an ECO's decision.

The IO at the UK ports are the second line of defence and would also question the guys motives on arrival even if he was able to get a visa. Their line of questioning is to pick up flaws in the purpose of the visit.

In as much as I empathise with your friends nephew, the fact remains that you need to prepare your visa application from the way an ECO would view it; and any little doubt would lead to a visa refusal.

My postulation still stands that if the company sending your friends nephew were to be a reputable one, he would have gotten the visa.

Lots of Airforce Staff annually get UK visa's for quack aviation courses in Salisbury, while even ex-Niger Delta militants who can't read or write have been sponsored to do short welding and crane operator courses in UK.

I have just checked the website of the 'training provider' and my hunches were right . It's one of those providers that specialise in the training Nigerian Government officials. I have just seen a testimonial from Air Commodore Adigun there.

They usually refund feeding money and part of the course fees back to sponsored Government course attendees as part of the 'arrangee' deal.

I just mentioned the 'training' scam above about Nigerian Airforce staff visiting UK. I won't be surprised if the ECO is automatically refusing visa's to go on training at the company. What course was he going to do? Back to the drawing board.

oluwaseun23: @Londoncool
If it smells like it, it's probably is right? Lol. We aren't just acquaintances tho, she's been my girlfriend for some months now. We text, call, skype and all that. The move to meet was initiated by her so it's not like i'm trying to play smart at all. Anyway, it's back to the drawing board to re-scheme. You've been very helpful, thanks brah.

P.s: I just lost two ribs to that dry fasting part hahaha.

Cyber-Girlfriend? Abi na e-hugs and e-kisses you dey give am?

target007: Hello Guys,

I need your help to analyse and advice about my friend's nephew application for a UK visitor visa to attend a training to be sponsored by his company.

He was given a letter of introduction detailing his position, type of employment, salary per year and also stating that they they will be sponsoring him to the one week course and the benefits of the training to him and the company. This is an IT organization.

But here are the wordings of the refusal:

In order to be able to make a decision on whether or not to grant you an entry clearance in this category I have taken into account your stated circumstances in Nigeria, the reasons for your visit and your proposed travel arrangements. You stated that you are employed as a software developer with XXXX limited earning N99K per month and that you have no family commitments. you also state you propose to travel alone to attend a course and have no friends or family in the UK. Given the statements you have made and the documentary evidence you have presented to support you application I am not satisfied that your circumstances in Nigeria, coupled with your reasons for wishing to travel to the UK, are such you have shown your intentions are stated or that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your proposed visit. I am therefore not satisfied that your application meets the requirements of paragraphs 41 (i) and (ii) of the immigration rules.

You have submitted a hotel booking for so so and so hotel via booking.com as evidence of accommodation in the UK. According to the website booking.com the hotel reservation has been cancelled. This leads me to doubt that your arranged accommodation is as claimed. therefore on the balance of probabilities, i am not satisfied that you will be maintained and accommodated in the UK without working or having recourse to public funds or are able to meet the cost of return or an onward journey as required by paragraph 41 (vi) and (vii) of HC395.

I have therefore refused your application because I am not satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that you meet all of the requirements of the relevant paragraph of the UK immigration Rules.

I agree that the ECO has a point about the cancelled hotel bookings though but I would have thought that should have been the only ground for refusal but to start to make decisions based on the person's circumstances in Nigeria who is working and the company is sponsoring him...how can that be...I am fed up with this UK ECO's judgement.

Just before you ask me though...he submitted the following documents:
1. Letter of introduction from his company
2. Letter of awards of training from the training organization
3. To who it may concern letter from the training organization
4. Receipt of payment for the one week training

According to him he submitted his payslips, 6 statement of accounts and also financial statement form the company.

What should he do or what other documents should he need to re-apply, the training school has agreed to shift training to another date?

Your friends nephew wanted to outsmart the ECO by cancelling his booking and ended up dribbling himself. That was a bit insincere of him do. What kind of 1 week course did he intend to do in UK that could not be done in Nigeria? The company wasn't a reputable one otherwise the ECO would have considered the companies resources and ability to financially facilitate the training in UK (irrespective of whether he has family ties in Nigeria or not).

oluwaseun23:

i appreciate the info bro. Obviously, the odds aren't in my favour as there too many red flags like you said. I might have exaggerated a bit about the projected duration of stay. Let say a 2-3weeks at most but i do not intend to over stay or abuse the system whatsover and oh yeah, you right we haven't met physically before. She's a part-time beauty consultant and single mom of one.

So does it make more sense for her to just come down to nigeria for now as an independent tourist or something while we meet and by so doing, we'll can establish a storyline that i may use later say next year in my own application when confronted with questions like how she and i met blah blah blah.

She's just a friend you met online, why do you want her to leave her job and only son and visit you in Nigeria? You would want her to pay for her accommodation, transportation and feeding in Nigeria, abi? Who's the mugu? (remember she is not even your girlfriend or fiancee!!). Do you really want to visit her in UK (don't you have family or Nigerian friends in UK)? If she's not coming to Nigeria to get married to you, Oyibo ECO will not believe your storyline. If it smells like a rat, it must surely be a ...(complete the word).

If you can show proof that you do have sufficient ties to lure you back to Nigeria you may go ahead and apply for your visa(and enter dry fasting). However, there is too much 'serenpidity' in your case. Good luck (but dont waste your money on an Agent)!!

oluwaseun23: Firstly, i wanna commend all contributors of this thread. I've been reading in stealth mode, you guys rock.

I humbly seek your advice in sorting out my own case abeg cos i might just be the defination of a learner right here now. Thing is i've never been overseas before or nothing but I intend visiting the Uk to spend a month or two with girlfriend before the end of the year. She is white, full British citizen, financially doing well and more than willing to host and send me all documents needed to ease my application. Now my questions are: Under which visa type is best for me to apply bear in mind that we aren't engaged or married, just bf/gf thing. Secondly, since she's more than willing to foot the bills, do i still have submit financial documents from my own end cos i'm still a student who doesn't operate a current account, not employed so nothing like payslips, tax clearance etc. My saving account's closing balance at the moment is just about #100k accrued from normal street hustle.

Do i stand a chance at all as a first timer couple with my situation above, or what would you rather suggest i do?

You stand a chance of getting a visit visa (50/50), however your profile fits those who normally visit UK and refuse to return. Hence, the ECO would need to make a subjective call on your application. They may even make up reasons for your refusal just to back up their prejudice about your application.

You would need to explain in the Additional Information section of the Visa Application Form(VAF) how you met or know your UK friend/Sponsor. What exactly will you be doing in UK during the 1 or 2 month visit? (By the way, 2 months is a long time to visit- that's a 'red flag' for the ECO). You stated that your friend is 'financially doing well'. I know that that is a common Nigerian used phrase but its also relative and subjective. What exactly is she doing?

Finally, if I was an ECO I would be very concerned why the UK lady would be willing to sponsor the whole financial outlay of your trip( she's not even your Fiancee or Aunty). Most likely I can safely presume you haven't even met her face-to-face (another 'red flag'). I would also need to be satisfied that you have sufficient ties in Nigeria that would prove you'll be returning back to Naija after your visit. It's the ECO's call.

FrontPageLawyer: Hi LondonCool, Can i write out my traveling itinerary for a six days visit in a separate sheet of paper? i.e company's letterhead. Thank you

You can either write it on a separate sheet, or include it in the additional Information section on the form. Is your company the on sponsoring you? You don't need to use their letterheaded paper.

signature2012: Good day all,plz what and wat will i need to get a UK tourist visa for 6months and the least of money i av to have in my account and if i will want to be there beyond my tourist period,what will i need to do,though i av an inlaw that has been in UK over 30years,on wat way can d person be of help to me in achieving this?justwise,vcjustice and london i need ur quick answers.

What is your purpose for visiting UK? What is your employment status in Nigeria? Why do you intend to stay in UK for 6 months as a Tourist? Why do you intend to overstay your 6 months visa? Can you satisfy the ECO that you are a genuine visitor to the UK? Your traveling intentions don't seem to be credible. You can easily go to the UKBA website and confirm the requirements for obtaining a visit visa there.

The £3,000 bond is supposed to be returned to either the applicant or sponsor when the person visiting has been confirmed to have embarked from UK. So whats all the fuss about?

peggykorol: @justwise thanks a lot.i have been able to get my return envelope back from the uk embassy Abuja.tho it wasn't immediate your help is greatly appreciated by me.ok now my problem now.my hubby got a job in Aberdeen for an oil and gas company.we were meant to relocate with him,the company was fully aware even the recruiter talking to my hubby on behalf of the company.now due to delays from the uk embassy to get my passport back we(my hubby,myself and daughter )couldn't apply for the visa together cause the company didn't want any more delays from him.so he applied first and he was granted a 3 years visa.the company wanted him to resume immediately and he told them to give him like one month more to inform the present company he is working for now that he was leaving as that was the agreement he signed on his employment letter,the company in uk said they couldn't wait any longer so they withdrew his employment contract.so now my hubby wants us to use this opportunity to travel down together and spend like 2 weeks.now me and my daughter don't have our Visa.how do we use my hubby's visa to tie into ours so we would be granted also.since the company turned him down the recruiter is no longer involved in processing ours.awaiting your reply.thanks a lot

Most likely your husband was granted a 3 year Tier 2(General) visa. If your husbands UK company have withdrawn their contract offer and your husband still has an Entry Clearance endorsed in his passport, the visa is no longer valid and your husband would be refused entry into the the UK by the IO on arrival. The employer is obliged to inform the UKBA that they have withdrawn the Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship that was given to your husband and it would have been logged into the immigration system for curtailment. He would also be refused entry for a change in purpose from the original reason for entry into UK. The appropriate thing to do is for the whole family to apply for a visit visa together. It's fraudulent to try to gain entry into UK on the wrong visa.

lovesavvi: Thanks sir,I will tell my brother to include those documents. Am using my persional saving acount and the account was running almost every weeks both inflow nd outflow. But am still single,hope dis will not affect d application as a strong tie to naija? Thanks sir

A savings account is not supposed to be running nearly every week. It's primarily meant for savings. A current account is meant for that. The ECO assumes that funds in the savings account is not meant for spending but as a proof of financial stability( since they don't know how you got the savings). A current account shows the ECO a more clearer picture of your finances because they can verify your debit and credit transactions from your employment or business.

Did you remember a time the UK govt banned visa's from Nigerian applicants from the age range of 18-30 years? That was because of the trend of that age range overstaying their visit/ student visa's. Most of them are single with not much 'ties' to Nigeria. Hence, there is still a high tendency to refuse visa applications within this age range.

Capt. JH Miller:
I am apply to a school in the uk and I was just asked if english is my first language, please what do I answer?

Is English actually your first language?

xexes89: Hey guys...good day.
I hv been here since last yr,readin pple's coment n i must confess,u guys ar just d best.
Pls i hav some enquiries to mk n pls i need ur candid advice.
I applied for uk visa lik 2weeks ago,i got all my necesary documents.my cas leta,i hav paid 7000paunds out of 1008 paunds,i hav lik 2.1mill in my acct wich its been dey for more dan 28days n i submited d statement,i also submited my dad's statement as my sponsor and his acc has lik 4 times d amount dat in my acct,i hav my birth cert from population office indicatin my relationship wit him,he also gav me a cover leta clearly statin dat i am his son and he has been responsible for my education eva since n he is wilin to continue,i just finishd my nysc dis june and i am 24yrs old,i submited my bsc cer,nysc cert,my cisco cert,my transcript from my former uni,my cert from zoom technology india cos i ws dey after sch for a couple of months to do some IT certifications.i got a 6months visa den bt i spent only 4 months and 2 weeks,after my program,i returnd home.pls i am so tensed as i need dis visa so bad,pls wat do u tink ar my chances of getin d visa?...i jst need to talk to someone.tnx n God bless.

No disrespect mate, I'm finding it pretty difficult trying to decode your cryptic style of writing.

feyi4luv: My Brother inlaw(sponsor) has a current account wit gtb so he want to give me dat one to include wen re applyng bt as for my husband I dnt knw if including his pay slip will help he's a teacher.as for d accomodation I submitted hotel booking confirmation but dey dint return t

The arrangements are not looking too good.

lovesavvi: pls londoncool help me look into dis situation

Your brother needs to add his UK bank statement, a letter from his landlord giving him permission to temporarily accommodate another person in his house, and a copy of his employment contract.

I hope you are not using your business / company account for the N500,000 proof of funds? You need to show that you still have strong ties in Nigeria ( i.e family ties, business ties,etc).

Vicjustice:
You're using a sponsor who has N300k balance in his bank account statement and you expect the visa officer to believe that you'd be a genuine visitor to the UK?
That would be impossible even with the 600k. By the way, it is obvious that your sponsor will run out of cash.., that is not what the visa officer wants.

Gbam! Right on the money.

Teecov: Hello everyone, Is loan facilities from bank can be used as strong ties in Nigeria for visa application?
Vicjustice ur opinion pls

The ties relate to strong family ties like wife and children, or business ties - family business, or proof of landed property ( with title deeds).

FrontPageLawyer:

Thank you vicjustice and oga justwise. I have decided to book a hotel in westminster or hyde park London. Am I good to go?

My friend, go to Travel lodge website and book their London hotels they are the most cheapest you can get. They also have hotels around Tower Bridge, Stratford , Blackfriars, Aldgate, Kings Cross, etc which are in Central London (apart from Stratford).

Get a proper convincing travel itinerary. E.g.
Day 1: Taking the Big Bus Tour around London
Day 2: Visiting Westminster- House of Parliament, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Change of Horse Guards,etc
Day 3: Visiting London Eye, London Acquarium and taking a Cruise across River Thames.
Day 4: Museum day- visiting Natural History Museum, Science Museum, etc
Day 5: Checking out Demons at the London Dungeon
Day 6: Shopping day : Shopping at Liverpool Street Market, East Street market , Oxford Circus, Westfield Shopping Centre. Window shopping at Harrods and Selfridges.
Day 7: Visit the Tate Modem Art Gallery, strolling by the Embarkment, locating Trafalgar Square. Jermyn Street is close by , so include shopping at TM Lewin, Hewes and Curtis and Savile Row tailors.
Day 8: Visiting Nigerian restaurants- 805, Wazobia Restaurant and Calabar Kitchen ( all along Old Kent Road).
Day 9: A visit to Emirates stadium ,etc

This is how a proper traveling itinerary looks like( no need to add visiting London Underground, lol).

Day 5 was only tongue-in-cheek, you can remove the Demons there.

feyi4luv: I included in the application we are gong togeda and he also write a letter too bt he already has a 2yrs visa dey said I dnt include my marriage certificate which I did

What is the purpose of your UK trip? Where will you be staying in UK ? Why isn't your husband supporting your application financially? Traveling is about financial economics, that's what the ECO looks at, (i.e. the economics of the trip). Your circumstances do not match the profile of a 'genuine visitor' to UK. What are you going to be doing in UK? Why would your in-law want to spend an outlay of around N400k to N500k of company funds for your trip to UK? (i.e flight ticket, accommodation, transportation, feeding, shopping, etc?).

Your present situation could have improved if you had direct family relatives in UK inviting you to visit, but with your husbands civil service status his bank account cash flow ( credit and debit turnover) may not be enough to support your visa application. The ECO's normally frown at applications being supported by company bank accounts (without any meeting minutes where it was decided that the company should pay for your UK trip).

My advice: clarify the purpose of your trip. Get your inlaw to transfer his funds to a current account. Or get the funds in your account and start petty trading as proof of your financial circumstance, so that you could travel as a Tourist who also intends to buy things for her business in UK. That looks a more plausible presentation of yourself.