Hi, see my reply in bold below.

famzynet:

Is having a domiciliary account in Nigeria cheaper for money transfer from UK? It depends...do you have an aboki/agent that'll give you good rates? If not, then it's probably not the best for you. Some online transfer services seem to have very good rates these days. Read a couple of pages back on this thread for their names. How much does GTB charge for it and any minimal deposit? No charge for inflow, 0.5%+tax for outflow. There's no maintenance charge for dom accounts.

No, it is useless.

inphoenix:



Congrats!

Hello everyone, first post on this thread even though I've been following through from the very first page. Great job everyone is doing here!

I have a question on this driving topic please... of what use is a Driver's Abstract from FRSC in the UK for insurance and maybe licensing purposes? I'm aware that for Canada migrants, your Abstract is reckoned in determining your driving history and is useful to reduce insurance premium payable. I would like to know if this could apply in the UK as well? Tx

Yep, just do a wire transfer from your bank. I did this from my HSBC & Lloyds online banking accounts to GTB dom account several times. HSBC charged £4 flat rate while Lloyds was free because I had their international account. You need to provide your naija dom account details plus SWIFT/IBAN to your UK bank.

tolajay:
Dear UK people,

Would you please confirm if there's a structured way to deposit pounds directly from UK into a Nigerian pounds account?

THanks

Yes, they collected my UK Licence the same day so I no longer hold a UK licence. If I do move back to the UK in the future, I'd be able to exchange the Ontario licence for a UK one again.

sagoe1712:


Hi,

Would they return your UK driver's licence after getting your G licence?

So true, I learnt this the hard way. Typically I'd have eaten at the airport but most restaurants were closed and klm lounge was only serving pitiful sandwiches. From now on, I am team bringmyownfood abeg.

SlowlybtSurely:


Congrats on your 'hard' landing. Very informative post. Well done.

Not many people realize they can travel with cooked food. Yes, you can. I always do. If any officer asks, just tell them you have dietary restrictions and they won't bother you. My suggestion is to use 'coolers' that retain heat for up to 24 hrs. Make sure to add your favourite snacks and. . . enjoy your flight.

Amen o, thanks

Chenkes:
Breath of fresh air. May your new home favour you

Hi all, I did my 'hard' landing just over 2 weeks ago and wanted to share my experience with the forum long post ahead o:

So I 'softlanded' earlier this year with my partner (he did hard landing) and our initial plan was for me to move to Canada finally next year. Then covid-19 scatter ground and I lost my job in the UK so operation Canada in full swing.

FLIGHT
Flew with klm through Amsterdam and both flights were FULL! The only thing I am grateful for was that KLM made masks compulsory. No boarding for anyone not wearing proper masks (cloth covering or bandana not allowed).
Also had to do a temperature check before boarding. Boarding took a while and we eventually departed ~20mins late.
*Tip: I initially had a middle seat but when I got there and realised that both aisle and window seats were occupied, I didn't feel comfortable with it o because no social distancing. So I asked a flight attendant if I could pay to upgrade to Economy Comfort. She said yes, that they still had space so she gave me a new seat with nobody on my row. The interesting thing is that she didn't charge for the seat so it is definitely worth asking if you end up in a similar situation.
There was no hot meal on the flight, only a bag of snacks (water/coke/2 tangerines/2 chips/2 stroopwafels and a piece of cake). Snacks don't fill me so hunger almost killed me and I could barely see by the time we landed in Toronto. If you fly klm and you can pack your own food, please do.
We were given a covid-19 form to fill (name/dob/address/phone number/email address). This was collected when we landed.

IMMIGRATION/GOODS TO FOLLOW:
I used the electronic machines then was directed to an immigration officer. Not sure but I think this was because I checked that I have goods to follow (GTF) coming by air freight later. The immigration officer first started telling me that I should have brought my GTF list when I initially did soft-landing. I knew this was bullshit so I kindly corrected her that I didn't come to settle last time and that I am a first time settler (this is important to mention because Immigration rules differ from Customs). She stamped my passport and directed me to Customs. The Customs area is after baggage claim so I picked up my bags first before going there. Got there and everything went smooth. I had a friendly officer, he took my GTF list (I printed out two copies) and asked me the total value of the goods I am bringing in. He also asked me to sign both copies. Then he took them into another office and came back with one copy of the GTF list stamped and also a receipt showing customs fee due as 0.00. Told me to bring it along when my shipment arrives. I had initially prepared a Goods Accompanying List but he didn't ask for it and I didn't offer it. Took a Lyft taxi and left the airport to my new home

14 DAYS ISOLATION PERIOD:
During my isolation period, I received one email and two phone calls from Government of Canada to verify that I was obeying the isolation orders. There was no physical check. I was told that the Isolation ends on the morning of the 14th day but I decided not to go out until the next day (15th day) to avoid stories that touch.
We used doordash/ubereats/instacart and walmart to order food/groceries since we weren't allowed to go out. Doordash have a referral program and 50% off first order for new users so that came in handy. Ubereats also have referral programs so make sure you get referred to benefit from the discount.

SIN: Already did this when I softlanded. As far as I know, you can now do this online.

Health Card: Ontario are currently waiving the mandatory 3 months wait for new arrivals so I got this done at the closest ServiceOntario immediately after isolation. Took the following documents: PR card, Intl passport and proof of address. The ServiceOntario guys are pretty strict about proof of address, they will only accept original copies sent by post. Click here for List of acceptable documents So as soon as I landed, I asked my partner to add me to his Tenant Insurance and we requested a paper copy to be sent by post. This arrived during my isolation period and that's what I used for proof of address. I was given a printout containing my health card number, which I can use to access health services until my heath card arrives by post within 14 days.

Driving Licence: I have had a UK licence for over 2 years so I was able to exchange this for a full G for a fee of $90 after passing an eye test. The only documents required are the UK licence and Intl Passport. I was given a temporary slip and told to expect the driving licence within the next 14 days by post.

Mobile: My partner uses Freedom and network is good where we stay so I decided to go with it too. Ordered a new sim during my isolation period through their online chat service. The sim fee of $10 was waived! Note that the chat is only open between 8am and 12pm (noon) Mon-Fri, which is stupid because I kept missing the window for the first couple of days. Eventually set an alarm so I wouldn't forget. Sim arrived within 3 days. Freedom have a referral program which gives $25 to each person so of course we used it! Referral bonus was credited to both our accounts within 5 days of activating my plan. I have my own phone and we have wifi at home so I opted for a sim-only plan: promo Freedom 1.5G plan with unlimited talk and text for $29 ($24 after auto-pay). [url=https://www.freedommobile.ca/en-CA/prepaid-plans?planSku=Promo%20Freedom%20Nationwide%20Talk%20%2B%20Text%20%2B%201.5GB]Click here for promo Freedom 1.5G plan[/url]

Bank: Opted for HSBC because they currently have the highest bonus for newcomers ($300-$500 plus up to extra $500 if you meet other conditions) Click here for HSBC Newcomer Program Filled out the form online and booked an appointment at the closest branch to complete the process. I went with the following documents: PR card and Intl Passport. Opened the Advance account (for $300 bonus, requires $5k min deposit), a savings account and a credit card with $2.5k limit and $50 bonus. HSBC also have a referral program that gives $100 to both parties so I asked my partner to fill out a referral form so we could get this too. I expect to receive a total bonus of $900 from HSBC plus $600 partner has already received when he opened his own account earlier in the year. This will be $1500 overall! HSBC seem to have too much money to throw at newcomers so please don't dull!

I am sure you can see a trend now, I love good deals Will post more as I find them, redflagdeals is a good place to find them. If you need a referral or any other info for any of the companies I mentioned above (Freedom/Door Dash/Uber Eats/HSBC), feel free to PM me.

I think that's about it for my landing gist. Job-hunting is now in full swing and praying for God's favour to land a good job soon. Is there a whatsapp group for Nigerians in Toronto? Would love to connect if someone can share a link.
Thanks for reading!

[url=

She doesn't need an international driving licence. The regular Nigerian licence is sufficient. But then, how does she qualify for a Nigerian licence if if she can't even drive?
Best bet is for her to learn in the UK and work towards getting her driving licence here.

Monmarri:


Ok.. thank you but, I learnt that driving lessons in UK is very expensive. She has never driven before ooo. Please do u know how much is the international license in Nigeria?

Tap water is safe to drink but people have their own personal preferences.
For me, when I'm in London for work, I don't drink tap water. It doesn't have a good taste and I think it's because the water is hard. But when I'm at home in NE Scotland, tap water it is.

HiddenID:
Good Morning everyone.

This is a weird question but I just want to know, what type of water do you guys drink at home?

I was advised that tap is safe. I've also read a couple articles/forum comments on the Internet saying that UK tap is safe for drinking at home.

I just want to make sure I'm not alone

Congratulations man! May the land continue to favour you.

Your recommendation re:job search is spot on. My partner also got a dream IT job not long after landing in Toronto by doing exactly this - he narrowed down jobs he wanted to apply for, then used his LinkedIn connections to get current employees to refer him internally.

Sp for anyone job hunting, don't just submit online applications, you stand a better chance applying through a referral. Explore and exploit LinkedIn to the max.

bests:
This is my Testimony…It can only be God

Today is April 18th and I have already spent 10months of great experience in Canada...I needed to share this because I promised God to give this testimony on this platform

Hi all, wanted to share this offer from HSBC in case anyone is interested. It's specifically for newcomers, $500 bonus for a min deposit of $10,000 within one month of opening the account. Account is also fee-free for the first year. There's also an additional $200 bonus if you meet certain conditions.
My partner and I landed recently and we needed somewhere to deposit our POF so this was a no brainer!
Here's the link for more info: https://www.hsbc.ca/chequing-accounts/offers/account-offer-ntc/

It is separate from CoS. As far as I know, there's no such waiver for tier 2 applicants, see here for details: https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/who-needs-pay

Who pays depends on your employer, some companies cover the cost, some don't.

Gundi:
Hello guys, I've come again o.

Thank you for the answers to my previous question.

I want to ask, does the COS for Tier 2 Visa cover IHS surcharge?

Or can the employer make a waiver for it, as part of the documents he'll send, or it's my sole responsibility to pay for it?

The bolded section is inaccurate and very misleading. 730 days in 5 years can be achieved in multiple ways - there is no requirement to stay 5 months in any given year.

NaijaCanadian28:

730 days divided by 5 years is about 146 days in one year, which means(if the 730 days info is right) you should be physically present in Canada for at least 5 months in one year. 6 months is a bit risky to me( 7 months and above should be out of your options), you should aim for lower. Quick question- How do you know you can land in August? When is your Medical expiring? Pls do a thorough research before making a decision.

Thats the official website, it's legit. Lots of people come in through shortage occupancy, myself included. What exactly do you want to verify?

nappy760:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-k-shortage-occupation-list


Can anyone here verify this information

2 years ago, I did treasury bills for my mum without physically going into the bank. We drafted a letter with the investment instructions, my mum signed it, then it was scanned and emailed to her relationship manager. This was for diamond bank (now access).

justwise:
@All

I want to know if its possible to invest/buy TB through any Nigerian bank without walking into the bank to get it done..basically can it be done online?

Many options: worldremit, azimo, TransferWise, etc

Transformium:
Hi Guys, For those that moved funds from UK to Canada. How did you do it? Cc smslive2

Let me do one better than justwise proposed Nationwide flexdirect 5% on balances up to £2,500 for the first 12 months. See more details here: https://www.nationwide.co.uk/products/current-accounts/flexdirect-overview

Also you get £100 referral if you switch another account to nationwide, easy money! PM me if you need a referral.

Aphrodite007:


Wow! I didn’t even know this and I have an FD account! Thanks

I send pounds via bank transfer to my aboki, he also has a pounds dom account and he transfers naira from his naira account to mine. But note that gtb charge 0.5%+vat (~£5 fee on £1000) for the transfer since the source of funds is from outside Nigeria. I'm not sure but I heard first bank don't charge a transaction fee (confirm with the bank sha).

RalphJean:

Hello.
Nomad26:
Please how does this work?

Why not open a pounds sterling dom account in Nigeria? It'll make things easier for you.
This is what I did and I find it better. I send pounds sterling direct to my gtb dom account (no charges for incoming transfer) and I change to naira as needed via black market.

tshoboy:

Yeah I wanted it paid in $. My experience when using naira was better. I got what was quoted.
Do you have any other recommendations?

That's strange. Did this happen recently? And was it over the phone or online? I'd suggest trying again when your insurance is due. I did mine online a while ago (over 2 yrs) with no issues, and I'm still with them.

fatima04:


How come people are getting cheap Aviva insurance and I was told I couldn't get a quote since I was new to the country (2yrs).

Yes you can, you don't need the international driving licence, your regular Nigerian licence is adequate. You can use it for up to a year from your first arrival date to the UK.
This is what I did when I initially moved here. Then I switched to full UK licence after about 6 months. Funny enough, my insurance was cheaper using my Nigerian licence, it increased by £100 after I switched to full UK. Admiral said it was because I have now become 'a new driver' mshewww thieves. I switched to Aviva shortly afterwards and paid about 40% less.

EngrSaks:
Greetings everyone, please can someone buy a car in the UK and get insurance using naija driving licence...

For our application, we went with option 2 for my spouse's work experience and it worked out fine.

DOMHG:
Thank you so much.

One more question, we are trying to avoid getting work reference letter for my spouse, because of the complexity involved.
1. Are we to add his work experience on the profile now (PRE-ITA) and then move it to personal history (POST-ITA)?
2. Do not declare his work experience at all PRE-ITA (I just saw that with/without his work experience our CRS score does not change), then add it to Personal history POST-ITA.

Seniors please feel free to chime in

That's not true na. All package holidays are ATOL protected and everyone will get a refund, regardless of which payment card was used. The only people that MAY lose out are those that used debit card to pay for flight-only deals with Thomas Cook and that one sef they can still contest it.

RalphJean:
One advantage of a Credit Card is that you get full refunds whenever you make purchases and the company goes bust before you have value for your money.

Example:
Those who used Debit Cards or Cash to buy Thomas Cook holiday package have ‘entered voicemail’ as we used to say in Naija.

However,
Those who booked using Credit Cards will have FULL refund of their money.

Conclusion:
Credit card is definitely a great idea iff (if and only if) one is financially disciplined and doesn’t see the credit balance as ‘free money’

First off, I'm really glad that you went directly to the official website to do your research
Here's how I interpret it: you can combine the two jobs only if it was continuous e.g. you started the second job the next working day after the first.
I'd suggest trying it out yourself - create a profile and see if it returns as eligible. Also try checking out canadavisa forum for similar cases, there are usually several others who have the same situation.

Vousmevoyez:
So I had given up on applying for now after getting replies about the “one year continuous work experience” clause because I left NYSC early but then I did more research and this highlighted part is giving me some hope but I might be wrong. Full time at more than one job for 12 months So if I did NYSC for 10 months and have additional 2 months of experience somewhere else and fortunately it’s the same NOC and this work was even right before I did NYSC, according to the highlighted part, doesn’t that mean I could be eligible? If this is not what that statement means, could someone please explain better? Thanks for your anticipated response

Very safe. Get a referral from oga lexus and you'd even get 10 pounds off your transfer.

sgtponzihater1:


Hope these Azimo thing is not risky, as in them no fit run away with person money?

Are you claiming points from siblings or family members? I believe this is what the proof of relationship placeholder is usually for.

Hephzibah2018:


Good morning beautiful people. A quick enquiry please! So I have listed on my Post ITA document checklist "Proof of relationship". It's difficult to tell if this is meant to be proof of my relationship with my husband or my family members (parents and siblings). When I hit the question mark right on the side, it stated birth certificate, marriage certificate. It's really confusing because marriage certificate is also listed as one of the required documents. Has anyone else experienced this as well? I would appreciate your kind suggestions based on the same experience as mine. Thanks guys

Yayyy congratulations!! Please bring small chops, let us help you celebrate

etrange:
People, gather! Everyone!

It's PPR announcement!

My name is etrange and I've gotten my PPR!

No 1 is a best practice but there are many other factors that determine your credit score. For example, the type of credit you hold (short vs long term) also plays a role.
Credit utilisation is calculated across all your cards. So it'll be (spend on X + spend on Y)/total credit limit.

RalphJean:
Hello Guys, Here is my Credit Card-related question:
What does total Credit mean?
1. It is an 'unwritten rule' and Best practice to keep spendings to around 30% of total credit yes?
2. If I have two cards: X (credit limit £1000) and Y (Credit Limit £1500). If I use £1000 from card Y, and £0 from card X. Would this amount to me utilizing too much? One thing I am sure is that I will ALWAYS pay every single kobo by the end of the month.

in the example above, when my credit score is being calculated, would it be that I have utilized (1000/1500)*100 = 66.7% of Credit (on card Y)
or
I have utilized (1000/2500)*100 = 40% of credits available (cards X and Y)?

Help a brother.

I want to build a solid credit history please..

No it's not necessary, this is me speaking from experience

SchwarzMann:
Hello my people,
Does anyone know if its necessary/required to sumbit a copy of ones residence permit for non resident Nigerian EE aplicants?

I'd advise you to raise a CSE and declare it asap. You don't want to have waited this long and still get rejected.

kapelvej:
Please I need for help, I submitted my application for permanent residence 5 months ago, everything has been fine till, now, but all of sudden, I begin to get scared, because I was once refused a UK visa and I did not mention it in my application, I do not know If they will detect it.
Please advice please. Thanks

Hi, my partner and I recently got PPR and we only submitted the certificate, we didn't add the fingerprint pages.

Homextras:
Good morning House, on police certificate, are we to scan all the finger print pages along side the certificate itself, is it compulsory?

I am asking as I only uploaded the certificate without including the finger print pages; I just submitted my application.

Should I raise a cse or let it pass?