₦airaland Forum

Thank you.

Hello,

If you are still in status and your current visa is still valid, i believe you can still file for a change of status from the uscis office before your status expires or you will have to come back to your country to apply for F1 VISA.

Note, your case is dicy as there are lots of backlogs with all the immigration situation.

First, check if your status wouldn't have expire before the whole change of status so as to aviod the issue of overstaying but, if it won't work i would advice you return home and then apply for a F1 VISA.

You can do more research on that on the US official website.

Tobi1612:
Hello,

If you are still in status and your current visa is still valid, i believe you can still file for a change of status from the uscis office before your status expires or you will have to come back to your country to apply for F1 VISA.

Note, your case is dicy as there are lots of backlogs with all the immigration situation.

First, check if your status wouldn't have expire before the whole change of status so as to aviod the issue of overstaying but, if it won't work i would advice you return home and then apply for a F1 VISA.

You can do more research on that on the US official website.

What's your stamped in duration? If you are still within the date plus 30 working days, you should be fine.

My visa is valid till 2028. But I don’t know whether the 6months rule per entry will affect me cos with that my 6months should be up in November

CrownAgAutomate:
SEVIS fee payment services available.

how, I'm interested

DM me. When do you want to pay?

pongwa:
how, I'm interested

November 2025 date is available in Lagos.

CrownAgAutomate:
DM me. When do you want to pay?

as soon as possible

Lagos November 2025 dates are currently open on the avits site.

Olinga:
My visa is valid till 2028. But I don’t know whether the 6months rule per entry will affect me cos with that my 6months should be up in November

■●

Forget about the 6 months or whatever rules. The fact and major rule is that you must remain in the United States while your change of status application is pending even if your original visa expires while waiting (your current b1/b2 visa can also be extended while in the U.S).

If you travel out of the U.S while your change of status case is pending USCIS will term it as an abandoned application because your exit will reflect in their system.

■● Its usually 3 - 6 months before you can receive change of status decision notification by USCIS ( Form I-797 notice of action).

Mind you, even if your status is eventually approved ( from B1-B2 to F1 ) you must still travel out of the U.S. A in order to receive the new visa (f1) because you cannot receive any kind of USA visa while inside the United States.

■●▪︎ I will advice you to stick with Travel and Re-entry (come and process the visa, perhaps in the same country you got your B1/B2 from. Its straight forward, lesser risk and quicker).

Hi everyone,

I’d appreciate some advice on which sponsor to use.

My COA is $43,000. I was previously denied when I used my aunt as a sponsor.

Now, I’ve received partial funding of $25,000, leaving a deficit of $18,000.
My dad is retired and doesn’t have sufficient funds in his account to cover the remaining amount unless a large sum is added suddenly, which could raise concerns. However, my brother’s SOA can comfortably cover the deficit.
Although it’s generally recommended to use one’s father as the sponsor, can I use my brother as my sponsor in this case?
Thank you for your guidance

denniece1:
Hi everyone,

I’d appreciate some advice on which sponsor to use.

My COA is $43,000. I was previously denied when I used my aunt as a sponsor.

Now, I’ve received partial funding of $25,000, leaving a deficit of $18,000.
My dad is retired and doesn’t have sufficient funds in his account to cover the remaining amount unless a large sum is added suddenly, which could raise concerns. However, my brother’s SOA can comfortably cover the deficit.
Although it’s generally recommended to use one’s father as the sponsor, can I use my brother as my sponsor in this case?
Thank you for your guidance

■ Hi.

You were not denied because you used your aunt as a sponsor. You were denied as a result of inconsistent or bad application, and perhaps cum lack of good communication with the Visa officer.

■● If you want to challenge my stand okay, why do you still want to use your brother as a sponsor in your re- application ? Your aunt and your brother are in the same family-tree.

■● Ipso facto. If you are young and unmarried you can use your aunt or uncle or father or mother. If you are married your father is in the best reasonable position. If you are a very matured applicant then, let everyone gather the money together in your dad's account or to your personal account (while your DS-160 still indicates family funds).

■ Nevertheless, you can use anybody as a sponsor with good arrangements and explanation starting from your Form-I20, DS-160 and verbal communication with the consular.

Hello everyone
I filled Abuja in my DS-160 but I wasn't able to find a suitable appointment date in Abuja but I found in Lagos embassy which I've booked already. Please will this in anyway affect me? I'd really appreciate some advice on this. Thank you all

Thanks for your response.
I may be wrong, but I felt using my brother would be more believable than an aunt with a different last name.

Efetobore1980:
■ Hi.

You were not denied because you used your aunt as a sponsor. You were denied as a result of inconsistent or bad application, and perhaps cum lack of good communication with the Visa officer.

■● If you want to challenge my stand okay, why do you still want to use your brother as a sponsor in your re- application ? Your aunt and your brother are in the same family-tree.

■● Ipso facto. If you are young and unmarried you can use your aunt or uncle or father or mother. If you are married your father is in the best reasonable position. If you are a very matured applicant then, let everyone gather the money together in your dad's account or to your personal account (while your DS-160 still indicates family funds).

■ Nevertheless, you can use anybody as a sponsor with good arrangements and explanation starting from your Form-I20, DS-160 and verbal communication with the consular.

Fill a new ds-160, then send a message to support on Avits website to update your barcode number. When it has been updated, print your new appointment letter. Crosscheck to make sure the barcode on both the new appointment letter and ds-160 match before going for the interview.

Dimma03:
Hello everyone
I filled Abuja in my DS-160 but I wasn't able to find a suitable appointment date in Abuja but I found in Lagos embassy which I've booked already. Please will this in anyway affect me? I'd really appreciate some advice on this. Thank you all

Dimma03:
Hello everyone
I filled Abuja in my DS-160 but I wasn't able to find a suitable appointment date in Abuja but I found in Lagos embassy which I've booked already. Please will this in anyway affect me? I'd really appreciate some advice on this. Thank you all

Go on the site now. Keep checking. Abuja just opened

Thank you for your response

missidy:
Fill a new ds-160, then send a message to support on Avits website to update your barcode number. When it has been updated, print your new appointment letter. Crosscheck to make sure the barcode on both the new appointment letter and ds-160 match before going for the interview.

Thank you. I just checked now. It's January, March and may 2026 that came out. I'm looking for a date in November or early December 2025. I'll keep checking

Chiscolala:
Go on the site now. Keep checking. Abuja just opened

Dimma03:
Thank you. I just checked now. It's January, March and may 2026 that came out. I'm looking for a date in November or early December 2025. I'll keep checking

Okay.

Thank you very much

Efetobore1980:
■●

Forget about the 6 months or whatever rules. The fact and major rule is that you must remain in the United States while your change of status application is pending even if your original visa expires while waiting (your current b1/b2 visa can also be extended while in the U.S).

If you travel out of the U.S while your change of status case is pending USCIS will term it as an abandoned application because your exit will reflect in their system.

■● Its usually 3 - 6 months before you can receive change of status decision notification by USCIS ( Form I-797 notice of action).

Mind you, even if your status is eventually approved ( from B1-B2 to F1 ) you must still travel out of the U.S. A in order to receive the new visa (f1) because you cannot receive any kind of USA visa while inside the United States.

■●▪︎ I will advice you to stick with Travel and Re-entry (come and process the visa, perhaps in the same country you got your B1/B2 from. Its straight forward, lesser risk and quicker).

Remember to choose Lagos when filling the new ds-160.

Dimma03:
Thank you for your response

Good day

My friend had his Visa denied on Friday, 5th October 2025, according to him he said the VO said the policy has changed and it's strictly applied to, one must have Funding or Scholarship.... i.e, Funding from a US university or Government Agency

Now he is on the search for funding from US Uni or Government Agency or for a Scholarship

And I asked what if I have the funds to sponsor myself..? According to him that won't fly according to the policy change

This has got me so worried.

Has anyone been denied on this grounds?

I responded to your DM.

pongwa:
as soon as possible

cesil26:
Good day

My friend had his Visa denied on Friday, 5th October 2025, according to him he said the VO said the policy has changed and it's strictly applied to, one must have Funding or Scholarship.... i.e, Funding from a US university or Government Agency

Now he is on the search for funding from US Uni or Government Agency or for a Scholarship

And I asked what if I have the funds to sponsor myself..? According to him that won't fly according to the policy change

This has got me so worried.

Has anyone been denied on this grounds?

■ Your friend is spreading unreasonable lies and he can be prosecuted if he continues to post unofficial visa policy on social media.

▪︎1 His first lie is that no USA visa officer will tell you the reason for visa denial verbally. They always give you 214B denial slip which contain no specific reason for denial. Any USA embassy staffs who does that verbally will face prosecution.

▪︎2 His second lie is that does it sound reasonable to you that, all F1- visa applicants from all the countries of the world should get fundings from less than 6,000 Universities in the United States or the United States government Agency, where will they generate the money from ? Tell your friend that the yearly budget of United States cannot cover all f1 students tuitions from China, India and Africa talk less to include other countries of the world.

▪︎3. Lets assume that you are the popular Mr Aliko Dangote or the popular music star DAVIDO and needed to do STEM-MBA just to update your profile and you have a billion naira in your account as POF. will they deny you f1 visa because you did not have school or Government funding ?

4. Lastly, ask your friend that , will all applicants from anywhere in the world who is able to secure school or Government agency scholarahips get automatic f1 visa ? Or is there no history every year, where some full funded Msc and phd visa applicant's got f1 visa applications denied ?

■ Distance yourself from such information, and continue with your application if you can sponsor yourself. The only F1-visa applicants who needs compulsory fundings from 75% above are PhD applicants.

Does anyone know a good hotel that is within walking distance from the US embassy in Lagos or reasonable price

Thank you so much for this, I share same thoughts with you

It's completely impossible to bar Student's who can adequately finance their studies and stay in the USA

Efetobore1980:
■ Your friend is spreading unreasonable lies and he can be prosecuted if he continues to post unofficial visa policy on social media.

▪︎1 His first lie is that no USA visa officer will tell you the reason for visa denial verbally. They always give you 214B denial slip which contain no specific reason for denial. Any USA embassy staffs who does that verbally will face prosecution.

▪︎2 His second lie is that does it sound reasonable to you that, all F1- visa applicants from all the countries of the world should get fundings from less than 6,000 Universities in the United States or the United States government Agency, where will they generate the money from ? Tell your friend that the yearly budget of United States cannot cover all f1 students tuitions from China, India and Africa talk less to include other countries of the world.

▪︎3. Lets assume that you are the popular Mr Aliko Dangote or the popular music star DAVIDO and needed to do STEM-MBA just to update your profile and you have a billion naira in your account as POF. will they deny you f1 visa because you did not have school or Government funding ?

4. Lastly, ask your friend that , will all applicants from anywhere in the world who is able to secure school or Government agency scholarahips get automatic f1 visa ? Or is there no history every year, where some full funded Msc and phd visa applicant's got f1 visa applications denied ?

■ Distance yourself from such information, and continue with your application if you can sponsor yourself. The only F1-visa applicants who needs compulsory fundings from 75% above are PhD applicants.

Goodmorning everyone
I'm looking for November/December dates in Abuja. Anyone that comes across any available dates in these months please kindly share here . Thank you all

Sorry, I couldn't access this platform for a long time.

I can help you if you still need my help.

AIT1:
Good day everyone.

Please, I need help @oyotunjiusa @chibertha and other bosses.

I intend to submit application to schools but getting referees is my biggest challenge. It’s very difficult for me to get 3 people that I would use as my referees (I intend to apply to a number of schools), so I need people that would be willing to submit for me all the time.

Please, what can I do. I really want a solution to this🙏🙏


Thank you.

chibertha:
Sorry, I couldn't access this platform for a long time.

I can help you if you still need my help.

Hi Chibertha, thank you for your response. I will update/quote you soon if I would still need help with this. Thanks.

Hello family. Please is anyone in a date-hunting group, kindly add me. I will be grateful. Please invite me to date hunting groups so I can get a visa date on time.

If we all look out for each other, we can find a way.
Thank you in advance!

Hello,

You can try to go online from 11am to 3pm during the day. Be in there for a long time while refreshing between Lagos and Abuja, you might be lucky to see a date popup plus try to visit here frequently. Someone might give a hint for date.

Tobi1612:
Hello,

You can try to go online from 11am to 3pm during the day. Be in there for a long time while refreshing between Lagos and Abuja, you might be lucky to see a date popup plus try to visit here frequently. Someone might give a hint for date.

Thank you.