₦airaland Forum

Duisburg:
Oh, good. Congrats.

Favoredhighly:
I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped me on this journey, @topman thank you so much, I cried out here and you helped me out even till the day of the interview, I'm grateful!

I need to ask if I can collect my passports tommorow at the VI centre.
Also here is my transcript:

VO: Good morning
Me: good morning
VO: I see you are going to ASU for Management science..
Me: yes
VO: what will you be doing afterwards
Me: I'm coming back to Nigeria to take up a leadership role in a newly designed office on international programmes
VO: cuts in) I see you have assistance ship, who will take care of the rest
Me: My husband.
VO: what does he do
Me: Lead database Administrator.
Vo : I see that hes following you
Me: yes, hes just following me to settle me down and our baby because hes a special needs child. He will be back to his job in october
VO: moved to my husband) Hello where do you work?
Husb: I work with *****
VO: I see that you just moved to the organization.
Husb: yes, I've been in ***** prior to this for 8 years.
Vo: okay, how long have you been married?
Husba: 6 years
Vo: turns to me smiling) is that true
Me: I said yes.
Vo: Have you ever applied to any school abroad?
Husb: (shocked!) This is not in his Ds 160. He said yes
VO: which school
Husb : ASU
Vo: which course
Husb: phd in computer science
VO: so why didnt you pursue it?
Husb: I thought of helping my wife so she can achieve her career goal and dreams so I stepped down.
VO: okay
Congratulations I'll be giving you your visa.

That was all.

iyemizee:
Good evening guys! I paid another visa fee after my first visa refusal and after logging into the cgi portal to schedule a new appointment, they took away all options on my page!! What do i do please?

octavian:
Thanks for the information, by any means do you know when it will take effect?

Alexanderfrost:
Status: Visa Approved. Lagos on Tuesday, 28th of September.

Please find below the transcript I prepared Tuesday Night.

So this might be a tardy long read but please allow me to let out how this whole journey started.

First thought about traveling out for Master's in 2017. I actually applied to two universities. Yeshiva University, Newyork where I got a 5k scholarship. I applied to University of Maryland, and surprisingly I was also admitted. So two offers and I really didn't know what to do with it. 2017 was a very dark year and I was really going through it. Mentally drained and emotionally wrecked (not heartbreak). It's only the love of the few who actually cared that kept me going. Ended up not taking the offers. I resumed working and pushed career forward.

In the same 2017, I literally read the *General Student Visa* thread on Nairaland from part 1 to the the latest as at that time. I was consuming information I probably didn't have an urgent need for but they ended up been useful, one way or the other. As of today, I doubt there's any thread created for USA student visa on Nairaland I haven't consumed. Information is power, innit?

Applied to WIU last December. Of course, application fee was waived and the process was near seamless. I got admitted April but somehow, couldn't sort out Financial Statement up until late June. By the time i-20 came and I applied for Visa, the earliest date I got was Sept 28. I applied for expedite date and it was rejected late July. Days before then, I'd give up on going by fall and requested that WIU send me an offer letter and i-20 for spring. Two days after, they did!

While waiting for today's interview, I spent the days leading to today researching, attending virtual sessions and applying to other school's spring and fall '22 program. Person gats get plan B, right?

So today I went for the interview.

Alloted Interview Time: 10:30am

Got to the Embassy: 6:15am

Interviewed around 8am.

Five VO's were on seat. One caucasian guy, one slim black guy, one black woman and two caucasian women.

I was interviewed by the slim black guy. By the time the other guy was done with three candidates, black slim guy was still drilling the man in front of him. By the time it got to my turn, man beckoned on me to come.

VO: Good Morning

ME: Good Morning

VO: How're you today?

ME: I'm very well, thank you.

VO: First time going to the states?

ME: Yes please

VO: What's your undergraduate background?

ME: Economics

VO: Picks up my i-20 and asked me bluntly, Is this the original copy of your i-20 or what?
I said it's the original I printed. Man became visibly angry, picks the i-20 and brandish it in my face, across the divider and asked, 'Does this look like an original to you?'

In my mind, I was like so nah because of i-20 them go deny me visa? Thing is, I'd printed it myself using the office printer and it's in plain black and white. I honestly didn't know if he wanted it in colour or what his issues were, lol. So I asked him, do you want me to go and print it in colours and bring it to you?

He waived it aside and then continued.

VO: Who's your sponsor?

ME: I have a merit based scholarship and my uncle will be covering the balance.

VO: stares at me, so I continued

ME: He owns an Agribusiness and exports major cash crops like Cocoa, Cashew, etc.

VO: What's his monthly income?

ME: 5-10 Million.

He said why am I giving him an estimated amount. I said Shey he knows cash crops are seasonal and income flow can't be fixed for all months. At the end, I told him 10 millions.

VO: How many employee does he have.

ME: Over 100.

VO: I don't want estimates. You keep giving me estimates, he raged in his somewhat East African Americanised accent.

ME: I told him 108. Cause he be like say this guy really wants 'facts and figures'.

VO: How many tractors does he have?

ME: 2

VO: How many hectares of land does he farm?

ME: 25

VO: Do you have his statement here.

I passed it to him and he spent like two, three minutes on it. Checking pages, after pages. When he's done, he asked me why I didn't print earlier months. At this point, I was getting 'angry' too and I told him what he's holding starts from February and ends August. That's 7 months. He said okay.

So in all these, I wasn't certain which direction the interview was going. I felt like he's taken the questions from the rear and was hoping he'd ask me questions I could possibly express my self well.

I just hoped 'Jesus takes the Wheel' and I can shine soon after.

Then he asked me.

VO: Okay, so what's Econometrics.

It's at this point I knew my prayer was answered.

ME: I spoke to the truth of Econometrics and I added Quantitative Economics to it. I finished my bullets here.

He nodded. I told myself, 'now we're in play'!

VO: So what will this degree do for you?

ME: In the short term, when I return to Nigeria, I'll be taking up the role of portfolio manager where I work presently. In the medium term, I'd love to work with CBN and this degree will make that goal achievable. In the long term, I'd love to set up my own consulting firm. The Industry knowledge I've gathered all these years, couple with this degree will make it attainable.

He was staring at me here. So I removed my glasses, folded it, dropped it and looked him eyes to eyes. Then I was spitting.

He then asked how long I'll be staying in the state and told him January 13, 2021 to Dec 15, 2023.

He then brought out white paper and started writing on it.

Then slid my passport back to me. I didn't even know what's going on.

Then he said something about me still having to send the original i-20 to him. I said I'll send today. He said I can chill till when they'll call me.

So bottomline, he said they're not issuing spring visa for now because spring is still far away . They'll call me when my visa is ready and I'll take my passport to DHL. I'm not returning to the consulate.

He gave me my passport, gave me the white paper and I left smiling like a fresh lamp.

For all the years I've been readying myself, reading transcripts and preparing myself for today, nothing I've read was ENOUGH to see me through what I went though today. He's angry with me. And then he still gave me the visa.

Isn't that God's Grace?

I sincerely wish those who're on this journey or about to start the very best.

Love and Light.

VMuna:
Love and Light bro.

I actually felt angry on your behalf. LOL.
Meanwhile that lady Visa Officer who used to answer questions here some years back said that Account statements weren't really necessary or required for their decision making. I don't know if that still stands.

Congratulations on your success.

I have plans of switching from banking to nursing.
Have got a B.Sc in Microbiology, have always worked in the bank but wish to pursue an Associate Degree in Nursing. I don't know what my chances are of getting the visa approved.

Another option I'm considering is to seek for an MBA, since that aligns more with my career, then switch course to Nursing upon landing.

What do you think?

Would appreciate your response please.

Thanks.

Charles61:
Hello guru in the house, is it possible to only evaluate HND transcript with WES ( course by course ) with out ND transcript?

kunlevski003:
No. You will be asked to submit it. The WES website is so programmed that you cannot skip it.

I wanted to evaluate my BSc certificate for course by course because I indicated i got in through DE. It automatically prompted me to add my post secondary school certificate (ND and or HND). So I had no choice than to do so.

Rriol:
I’m very much interested.

Gent2nice:
That reminds me, place of birth : Alagbado, State: Lagos, country: Nigeria.

It appears in D's 160 confirmation as Alagbado, Nigeria. Whereas on intl passport, it is indicated as Lagos, Nigeria.

So I changed it to place of birth: Lagos, state : Lagos...

So that the information on D's 160 will match that of intl passport Lagos, Nigeria.

Is that okay. Pls assist


None has responded yet. Will appreciate feedback

Mickeybook:
it's very ok bro ... Go ahead and aligned your datas with that of your passport

Alexanderfrost:
Status: Visa Approved. Lagos on Tuesday, 28th of September.

Please find below the transcript I prepared Tuesday Night.

So this might be a tardy long read but please allow me to let out how this whole journey started.

First thought about traveling out for Master's in 2017. I actually applied to two universities. Yeshiva University, Newyork where I got a 5k scholarship. I applied to University of Maryland, and surprisingly I was also admitted. So two offers and I really didn't know what to do with it. 2017 was a very dark year and I was really going through it. Mentally drained and emotionally wrecked (not heartbreak). It's only the love of the few who actually cared that kept me going. Ended up not taking the offers. I resumed working and pushed career forward.

In the same 2017, I literally read the *General Student Visa* thread on Nairaland from part 1 to the the latest as at that time. I was consuming information I probably didn't have an urgent need for but they ended up been useful, one way or the other. As of today, I doubt there's any thread created for USA student visa on Nairaland I haven't consumed. Information is power, innit?

Applied to WIU last December. Of course, application fee was waived and the process was near seamless. I got admitted April but somehow, couldn't sort out Financial Statement up until late June. By the time i-20 came and I applied for Visa, the earliest date I got was Sept 28. I applied for expedite date and it was rejected late July. Days before then, I'd give up on going by fall and requested that WIU send me an offer letter and i-20 for spring. Two days after, they did!

While waiting for today's interview, I spent the days leading to today researching, attending virtual sessions and applying to other school's spring and fall '22 program. Person gats get plan B, right?

So today I went for the interview.

Alloted Interview Time: 10:30am

Got to the Embassy: 6:15am

Interviewed around 8am.

Five VO's were on seat. One caucasian guy, one slim black guy, one black woman and two caucasian women.

I was interviewed by the slim black guy. By the time the other guy was done with three candidates, black slim guy was still drilling the man in front of him. By the time it got to my turn, man beckoned on me to come.

VO: Good Morning

ME: Good Morning

VO: How're you today?

ME: I'm very well, thank you.

VO: First time going to the states?

ME: Yes please

VO: What's your undergraduate background?

ME: Economics

VO: Picks up my i-20 and asked me bluntly, Is this the original copy of your i-20 or what?
I said it's the original I printed. Man became visibly angry, picks the i-20 and brandish it in my face, across the divider and asked, 'Does this look like an original to you?'

In my mind, I was like so nah because of i-20 them go deny me visa? Thing is, I'd printed it myself using the office printer and it's in plain black and white. I honestly didn't know if he wanted it in colour or what his issues were, lol. So I asked him, do you want me to go and print it in colours and bring it to you?

He waived it aside and then continued.

VO: Who's your sponsor?

ME: I have a merit based scholarship and my uncle will be covering the balance.

VO: stares at me, so I continued

ME: He owns an Agribusiness and exports major cash crops like Cocoa, Cashew, etc.

VO: What's his monthly income?

ME: 5-10 Million.

He said why am I giving him an estimated amount. I said Shey he knows cash crops are seasonal and income flow can't be fixed for all months. At the end, I told him 10 millions.

VO: How many employee does he have.

ME: Over 100.

VO: I don't want estimates. You keep giving me estimates, he raged in his somewhat East African Americanised accent.

ME: I told him 108. Cause he be like say this guy really wants 'facts and figures'.

VO: How many tractors does he have?

ME: 2

VO: How many hectares of land does he farm?

ME: 25

VO: Do you have his statement here.

I passed it to him and he spent like two, three minutes on it. Checking pages, after pages. When he's done, he asked me why I didn't print earlier months. At this point, I was getting 'angry' too and I told him what he's holding starts from February and ends August. That's 7 months. He said okay.

So in all these, I wasn't certain which direction the interview was going. I felt like he's taken the questions from the rear and was hoping he'd ask me questions I could possibly express my self well.

I just hoped 'Jesus takes the Wheel' and I can shine soon after.

Then he asked me.

VO: Okay, so what's Econometrics.

It's at this point I knew my prayer was answered.

ME: I spoke to the truth of Econometrics and I added Quantitative Economics to it. I finished my bullets here.

He nodded. I told myself, 'now we're in play'!

VO: So what will this degree do for you?

ME: In the short term, when I return to Nigeria, I'll be taking up the role of portfolio manager where I work presently. In the medium term, I'd love to work with CBN and this degree will make that goal achievable. In the long term, I'd love to set up my own consulting firm. The Industry knowledge I've gathered all these years, couple with this degree will make it attainable.

He was staring at me here. So I removed my glasses, folded it, dropped it and looked him eyes to eyes. Then I was spitting.

He then asked how long I'll be staying in the state and told him January 13, 2021 to Dec 15, 2023.

He then brought out white paper and started writing on it.

Then slid my passport back to me. I didn't even know what's going on.

Then he said something about me still having to send the original i-20 to him. I said I'll send today. He said I can chill till when they'll call me.

So bottomline, he said they're not issuing spring visa for now because spring is still far away . They'll call me when my visa is ready and I'll take my passport to DHL. I'm not returning to the consulate.

He gave me my passport, gave me the white paper and I left smiling like a fresh lamp.

For all the years I've been readying myself, reading transcripts and preparing myself for today, nothing I've read was ENOUGH to see me through what I went though today. He's angry with me. And then he still gave me the visa.

Isn't that God's Grace?

I sincerely wish those who're on this journey or about to start the very best.

Love and Light.

BAZ001:
Good morning house,

I have F1 visa and admission in Northeastern University.
pls is it possible that
1. I go to the university register few courses and then transfer my admission to another school?
2. I go into America and process a new admission entirely for Aug/sept 2021 and not resume at all.

You will be wondering why all this?
Na because of high school fees, way too expensive and I thought I will get more scholarship but only 10% off for now.

tiptoe1:
Number 1 is possible but do you have the other i-20 with you already? infact some school won't even require you to spend a semester with them, they will just transfer your Sevis record to the other school you want.

I know someone (BSC) who got admission into a university and a community college but got his visa with the university i-20 and when he got to the usa, he went to the university and told him he would like to transfer to the community college instead but he gave them good reasons.

They transferred it and went to the community college which was just $4500 per year, he did the best thing than staying out of status. But most schools won't transfer your Sevis record to a different school without you spending at least a semester with them

Goddy001:
Don’t be scared I had same experience, I changed my password and everything returned back to normalcy.
They want to be sure you are the one accessing you portal.

NigPatriot:
Congratulations. This is one of the best transcripts I've seen in a very long time. You did a very good job. I'm Soo proud of you, you'll surely do exploits.

Diedi:
Update: I deleted this and just wrote "that i was refused a visiting visa in 2014 on grounds of 214b

Hello, please can I send you a mail?
Visa approved this morning in Abuja
PhD Public Policy and Administration
Funding: GA $5520
Deficit: $13920
Sponsor: Mom
VO: Blonde Lady
Fall 2021- class resumed 23rd august and I resumed online. It was stated on my i-20

My interview lasted 3mins at most

Me: Good Morning Ma
VO: Good Morning
I passed my documents
VO: I see you are going to Jackson State University for a PhD in Public Policy.
Me: I am going to JSU for a PHD in Public Policy and Administration and I'll be specializing in Public Policy Analysis
Types...........
VO: what do you currently do in Nigeria
Me: I work as a graduate assistant at the University of Calabar where I graduated from.
Looks at her screen for a while
VO: when did you graduate from your masters program
Me: 2019 with a CGPA of 3.63/4
VO: will you be carrying out any thesis?
Me: Yes, my thesis will investigate the impact of public policy making and implementation institutions on economic development in Nigeria. This research is relevant now because Nigeria is at the verge of an economic breakdown as a result of bad policies and lack of seasoned policy analysts. My thesis will be supervised by Dr Johnny Gilleylen.
VO: What will this degree do for you
Me: it will enable me take-up a full-time lecturing position at my University. I cannot be a full-time lecturer without a PHD.
VO: I see you have a deficit, who will be paying for it
Me: my mom. She is the CEO of........an independent petroleum marketing company with 3 branches in Nigeria, i mentioned them.
Types...........
VO: I'll be approving your visa, gave me the white paper,
I didn't hear the rest, I almost left out of excitement, she laughed and called me back and said something about taking my i-20 with me to the port of entry and the UK and some European countries being banned from entering the US.

I was denied a visiting visa in 2014 but that didn't even come up.

Special thanks to Teemah and Omolola. I'm so grateful to them for patiently fine-tuning my transcript. Listen to advise and ask questions on this journey.

I'll be willing to help anyone in any little way I can

Femotech123:
Please how can I pay on duolingo English test. I want to take the test. Have tried to pay with my uba MasterCard but an error. And my school said I must submit my score in two weeks time to be consider for admission and scholarship. Please gurus in the house how can I go about it please. Thanks in advance

Femotech123:
Please how can I pay on duolingo English test. I want to take the test. Have tried to pay with my uba MasterCard but an error. And my school said I must submit my score in two weeks time to be consider for admission and scholarship. Please gurus in the house how can I go about it please. Thanks in advance

cupcakes11:
I was able to pay with my UBA master card last month. You can try using barter, that should work as well.

kunlevski003:
Nigerian cards don't work on Duolingo. I had someone in the US pay for me when I wanted to write mine then.