₦airaland Forum

Pristineni:
Hey! Long time. Your posts concerning this visa ban gives me and others hope. May God continue to bless you.

But I can't keep waiting, I have diversified my options to Include Canada, UK, Australia.

Olawrites:
June is not feasible for this ban to be lifted, let's be honest with ourselves.

Abi no be US again, they will take their time.

Poormanpikin:
Ghana was on the list in June or July and was removed from the ban by September. That's how productive government negotiations with the US can be. Turkmenistan also got their non-immigrant visa ban lifted within months of diplomatic talks. Nigeria is apparently addressing US security concerns. US troops and drones are in Nigeria now. So I STRONGLY believe Nigeria will be removed from the ban by June this year.

Colony7:
With the recent massacre in Jos, the war in Iran solidifying trumps claim to tighter borders and BAT's growing moves to appease regions for 2027 moves, it's obvious Nigeria is not getting off that list this year.

Nigeria has no benefits to the USA in any regard whatsoever, and POTUS has three years with no reelection, so he has nothing to lose.

Colony7:
With the recent massacre in Jos, the war in Iran solidifying trumps claim to tighter borders and BAT's growing moves to appease regions for 2027 moves, it's obvious Nigeria is not getting off that list this year.

Nigeria has no benefits to the USA in any regard whatsoever, and POTUS has three years with no reelection, so he has nothing to lose.

ozibambam:
Hello, please has anyone recently renewed H1B stamp in Nigeria?

snoopy:
I went to renew my H-4 stamp on Monday, 30th March, at the Lagos consulate.

Transcript.

VO: Good morning, can I have your passport and your wife's I-797 approval notice?

Me: Here it is

VO: So is it like you travel back and forth? (She asked this because i had traveled in and out of the US 3 times in the last 15 months on an H4.)

Me: Yes (Gave her the reasons)

VO: So that means for every trip, you have to re-apply for a visa. (she said this because of the single entry rule for Nigeria and appeared sympathetic to the stress of reapplying everytime)

Me: Yes, I know it sucks, but it is what it is.

VO: when did you get married?

Me: Told her

VO: Where does your wife work, state and establishment

Me: Told her

VO: Hope it's not too cold for you

Me: We try to adapt.

VO: Have you been to Gaza or do you plan on going to Gaza?

Me: No

VO: Do you plan to go to Havard?

Me: No

VO: So we now do what we call an online presence review, to keep things interesting around here. I will start that process today and you'll get an email when to come and pick up your passport (She said this, handing me a 221g slip)

The visa status changed to Approved on 1st April after the social media review and changed to Issued on 2nd April

One thing I picked up from that interview, like many have said here, is that they are not giving anyone in the banned categories, NONE!

They will ask you the regular questions to see if they can flag anything from your responses that they can record for future reference and still deny you with the yellow slip, which contains the presidential proclamation.

A traditional ruler in his late 70's who has travelled the length and breadth of this world with children in US, Canada, Uk, and has been to the US an uncountable number of times, dressed in his full traditional regalia, was denied, and the old man couldn't believe it. He kept asking the VO, who got frustrated at a point and had to tell him that it's not her fault but the instruction they were given and that no one in those categories can get a visa unless the ban is lifted regardless of qualification.

Everyone on the line already prepared themselves to be denied, as you could hear the murmuring. Even me, I had to start praying on the line because the gloomy atmosphere started getting to me even though my category is not affected. People were looking at me like I was an alien as I walked out because mine had a different outcome, as they could obviously hear the transcript, even though they put me on 221g.

A lady came for an F-1 interview without an I-20 and said the school cited the visa ban for not issuing her the I-20. Amentum didn't even allow her to enter the embassy premises, as they told her the I-20 is the basis for even scheduling the interview in the first place, and her "trying her luck" without the I-20 won't work.

The H-1b renewal should be seamless provided you are in status and have a valid reason to travel out of your place of employment, it is even easier than H-4, aside from the social media vetting, because they will first vet my spouse's H-1b status before vetting my own H-4.

Good luck.

ozibambam:
Thank you for your detailed response. Good to know they are still giving stamp renewal. How stressful was it to get an appointment date?

snoopy:
Was pretty easy. Paid first week in February and dates were available as from the second week in Feb.

But there's a catch. At Abuja. Plenty dates are available all through till the end of the year. But for Lagos, I observed you could only choose dates in the particular month you schedule your interview and dates for the next month only become available on the last week of the preceding month.

Like I scheduled on 4th February, there were dates all through February only so I chose 27th. On the 23rd or so I saw that dates opened all through in March so I rescheduled to March 30th cuz I wanted the visa validity period to fall within the time I intend to travel.

snoopy:
I went to renew my H-4 stamp on Monday, 30th March, at the Lagos consulate.

Transcript.

VO: Good morning, can I have your passport and your wife's I-797 approval notice?

Me: Here it is

VO: So is it like you travel back and forth? (She asked this because i had traveled in and out of the US 3 times in the last 15 months on an H4.)

Me: Yes (Gave her the reasons)

VO: So that means for every trip, you have to re-apply for a visa. (she said this because of the single entry rule for Nigeria and appeared sympathetic to the stress of reapplying everytime)

Me: Yes, I know it sucks, but it is what it is.

VO: when did you get married?

Me: Told her

VO: Where does your wife work, state and establishment

Me: Told her

VO: Hope it's not too cold for you

Me: We try to adapt.

VO: Have you been to Gaza or do you plan on going to Gaza?

Me: No

VO: Do you plan to go to Havard?

Me: No

VO: So we now do what we call an online presence review, to keep things interesting around here. I will start that process today and you'll get an email when to come and pick up your passport (She said this, handing me a 221g slip)

The visa status changed to Approved on 1st April after the social media review and changed to Issued on 2nd April

One thing I picked up from that interview, like many have said here, is that they are not giving anyone in the banned categories, NONE!

They will ask you the regular questions to see if they can flag anything from your responses that they can record for future reference and still deny you with the yellow slip, which contains the presidential proclamation.

A traditional ruler in his late 70's who has travelled the length and breadth of this world with children in US, Canada, Uk, and has been to the US an uncountable number of times, dressed in his full traditional regalia, was denied, and the old man couldn't believe it. He kept asking the VO, who got frustrated at a point and had to tell him that it's not her fault but the instruction they were given and that no one in those categories can get a visa unless the ban is lifted regardless of qualification.

Everyone on the line already prepared themselves to be denied, as you could hear the murmuring. Even me, I had to start praying on the line because the gloomy atmosphere started getting to me even though my category is not affected. People were looking at me like I was an alien as I walked out because mine had a different outcome, as they could obviously hear the transcript, even though they put me on 221g.

A lady came for an F-1 interview without an I-20 and said the school cited the visa ban for not issuing her the I-20. Amentum didn't even allow her to enter the embassy premises, as they told her the I-20 is the basis for even scheduling the interview in the first place, and her "trying her luck" without the I-20 won't work.

The H-1b renewal should be seamless provided you are in status and have a valid reason to travel out of your place of employment, it is even easier than H-4, aside from the social media vetting, because they will first vet my spouse's H-1b status before vetting my own H-4.

Good luck.

ozibambam:
Thank you. When did your old stamp expire? My stamp expires in December, can I do it earlier like in May?

MikeBlazee:
Please, has anyone gone to the US embassy in Abuja or Lagos for a F-1 Visa interview recently for a fully funded PhD program?

Akinlot:
Read a few posts above. Some with plenty of money to waste are still going.

MikeBlazee:
No one made any mention of a fully funded program. All that was discussed was already known information. That’s what I am looking for- a fully funded visa interview

MikeBlazee:
No one made any mention of a fully funded program. All that was discussed was already known information. That’s what I am looking for- a fully funded visa interview

Akinlot:
For those like me with full funding and are hoping to make it by fall, it is highly unlikely Trump will lift the ban except a miracle happens. The only country (Turkmenistan) that was lifted off non immigrant ban between June and December, their president met with Trump at the White House during the Central Asia US Summit. I suspect it came up as part of their discussions.

I am not seeing any sign of seriousness from the Nigerian government.


Our only hope of making it by fall IMO will come from the courts.

Follow up with the following cases

Chikumba vs Department of State

IMMpact Litigation — 39-Country Ban Case (Yet to be filed)

I wish us all good luck.

Olawrites:
Our own jollof president is hiding from visiting the White House to talk man to man.

Going by the post of Trump on Truth Social regarding Nigeria, it's not looking good.
Based on his obsession, I don't see him lifting the ban throughout his administration.

Akinlot:
I completely agree. Except the lobbying firm the government employed is able to pull off a miracle, there is nothing that points towards Nigeria getting off the ban by June or before he leaves office.

NoLevel:
Hello All, I am a Nigerian living in Canada as a Canadian Permanent Resident. Am I affected by the visa bans? I have been admitted for a Masters program in US - to resume this fall - and need to apply for an F1 visa. Thank you.

NoLevel:
Hello All, I am a Nigerian living in Canada as a Canadian Permanent Resident. Am I affected by the visa bans? I have been admitted for a Masters program in US - to resume this fall - and need to apply for an F1 visa. Thank you.

NoLevel:
Hello All, I am a Nigerian living in Canada as a Canadian Permanent Resident. Am I affected by the visa bans? I have been admitted for a Masters program in US - to resume this fall - and need to apply for an F1 visa. Thank you.

Olawrites:
But you're a parmanent resident already in Canada, why do you still want to still go and study master's in the US with all the uncertainty. School no dey tire una.

I mean you have PR Canada in the bag already and living in Canada.

Taal17:
Yes you are affected because you currently have only Nigerian passport. Your PR doesn't exempt you.
You need to wait till June when the ban would be reviewed and wait and see

Alapereketu:
As a Nigerian citizen, you are generally affected by the current partial visa restrictions to the United States. However, Nigerian students who already hold a valid F1 visa are not affected. Because you need to apply for a new visa, you may be subject to increased scrutiny and potential denial based on these restrictions.

NoLevel:
Hello All, I am a Nigerian living in Canada as a Canadian Permanent Resident. Am I affected by the visa bans? I have been admitted for a Masters program in US - to resume this fall - and need to apply for an F1 visa. Thank you.

NoLevel:
The doors a US Masters will open for you in my field, you’re never getting that in Canada