₦airaland Forum

Congrats babe.
This is good news.
[quote author=Dhollargurl post=57394682][/quote]

Amen babes, amen.

Dhollargurl:
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Awwww, thanks for taking your time out to reply me. Hopefully, I'll share my testimony soon. Thanks alot

The resume part: I didn't describe 'briefly' my duties. I guess I glossed over my duties in my first 2 applications. This time, I was a bit elaborate and I didn't hold back in using investment terminologies.
My ties: That I have lived in Nigeria all my life (Buliding my career in financial services over the last 10 years). If your spouse, your parents and your siblings live and work in Nigeria, say so. List the communities/groups you belong to. List the assets you own and state that they are important enough for you to return to.

Dhollargurl:
Thank you, also please, how did you make d job part look like a resume cos I actually didn't specify I'm a pharmacist on the Ds160, I only described the job duties and I guess it's one of the reasons too. Also, how did you demonstrate your strong ties cos I've only been married for 9 months too and had to change job when I relocated permanently to where hubby is. Pls kindly reply or better still,send a mail. Thanks in advance

The older white woman

Dhollargurl:
Congrats dear, I'm a July mom-to-be by God's grace too , and I was denied last week, I've reapplied though with my husband this time around and pls, which of the VOs attended to you (I known it sounds silly to ask though)

It was in Lagos

missexiest:
congratulations May2017,pls was this interview done in Lagos or abuja?

WARNING: LENGTHY POST

Hello house
God bless every single person who has contributed to this thread. Your contributions were of immense help to me hence, the need to give back. I have been reading as a guest but decided to sign up this morning.
Brief background: I have a good travel history but I have been denied a US visa twice. Yesterday was my third attempt. My husband is a frequent traveler to the US, the VO acknowledged this during my second interview but because I was newly married, he said I was still building ties.
What I did differently:
1. I filled the job description part of my application like I was writing my resume for a big job. I made a big deal of it
2. Where they asked for reason why previous application was denied, I strongly defended my ties in Nigeria
3. Prayer cannot be overemphasized. My mom, my sister and I were in a prayer chain which we neither planned nor discussed. It was after I got the visa each of them told me they had been interceding for me

VO: Good morning
ME: Good morning (passed my passport to her)
VO: (Looking through) what did you go to do in the UK?
ME: Vacation
VO: How long have you worked with Bleep? (I was wearing my ID card)
ME: 6 years
VO: (Nodding) Have you met me before?
ME: No
VO: Give me a minute to look through your previous applications, I see you’ve been denied twice and I’d like to understand the context within which you were denied
ME: Okay
VO: You say you’ve worked with Bleep 5 years?
ME: No, 6 years
VO: What do you do for them?
ME: I’m an investment manager. Currently, we have about Nxxbn in funds under management. I …
VO: (Cuts in) what’s your highest level of education?
ME: (I did not anticipate this question, so I stuttered) Masters. M.Sc.
VO: What field?
ME: Finance
VO: What institution?
ME: University of Lagos
VO: What year?
ME: 2010, but my B.Sc. was in 2006
VO: What are you going to do in the US?
ME: Childbirth. My husband is sponsoring my trip
VO: How long have you been married?
ME: 8 months
VO: Have you contacted any clinic?
ME: Yes. Hope Women’s Clinic is taking up my care. They’re in Richmond, Texas. The hospital is Oakbend. I have an acceptance letter from them
VO: Never mind. How much does your total bill come to? (Typing)
ME: $11,700
VO: $11,700? That’s a lot of money. If you’ve only been married 8 months, how are you able to afford that?
ME: We have an investment account
VO: (nodding and typing away) what does your husband do?
ME: He’s a banker. He works with Bleep
VO: Do you have any relative in Texas?
ME: Yes
VO: Are you able to stay with them?
ME: Yes
VO: Who might that be?
ME: My husband’s sister and my mom’s brother
VO: Plan to stay 3 months
ME: (Thinking it was a question) no, 10 weeks
VO: I’m advising you to plan to stay 3 months. You have to travel at least 4 weeks before your baby comes and it’s advisable to let your baby be up to 8 weeks before you get on a plane to take a long flight. So, give or take, 12 weeks
ME: Okay (wondering if that means she has approved my visa because she’s typing away)
VO: (Getting up and circling something on a white paper) Ensure you take along all your documents when you travel; your doctor’s letter, estimated costs, any prepayments you may have made, whatever. Just anything that can help you get in because you are going to have to show it at the border
ME: Okay
VO: Pick up your passport in 3 working days, I have just issued your visa (hands me the white paper)
ME: Thank you

I'm so glad this phase is over. Counting down to July