₦airaland Forum

Omox9:
I got my visa today and I'm also sharing how the process went since this thread was really helpful to me.

- Type: Short stay business visa first time traveller, single entry
- Validity: 3 weeks ~
- Appointment date: Monday March 30
- Transferred to consulate: Tuesday March 31st
- Approval date on visa: Wednesday 15th April
- Ready for collection date: Friday 17th April
- Picked up at TLS on Monday 20th April

It still showed "In process" on the tls website even after Wednesday 15th which was 10/11 working days from submission.
On Thursday 16th I emailed the consulate and got no reply, on Friday 17th I emailed the consulate again and also tls contact asking about the status.

I still did not get any reply sha but around 12pm, my tracker moved from "In Process" to "Passport returning from consulate" and by around 2pm it was ready for pickup, but they close by 3pm and I would not meet up, so I went on Monday for collection.

I do not know if it is because I emailed them I was able to get it back early, or it would have been ready anyway, but yeah that was my timeline.

Yayyy!!!! 🎉
I wanted to ask if you were able to get the visa since you mentioned you had a deadline.
I'm so happy for you 🥹
Congratulations!

Omox9:
Hi, please I want to ask how payment for visa fees is done (the 90 euros). Is it through transfer or a POS machine, and would it be before or after an interview, and at the visa centre?
Thankss in advance for your response.

POS machine via an ATM card. You'll pay in naira.

It’s good you asked this question because I forgot my card that day.
You’ll pay after the interview. It wasn’t really an interview tbh, they just checked my documents, sorted them, and told me to sign some papers, go for my biometrics, and come back to pay once I found an ATM card to use.

The person who attended to me only asked one question while sorting my documents, and it was whether two documents were together or not.

Additionally:
Photocopy all your documents because you’ll submit the originals and one copy of each. I was extorted by some people outside the centre.

Also make sure your passport photograph meets the required specs on the TLS site, if not, you’ll have to take another one there. My friend was asked to take another one.

PreciousofGod02:
Hi, I’ve been trying to book an appointment for March but I haven’t gotten a slot. Do you know any legit agent that can help?

Sorry, I can't vouch for an agent since I ended up not using any.

Omox9:
I'm really really happy for youuu. I got invited for an event too unfortunately I still haven't been able to get a slot🫠. Seeing your processing took 17 days gives me hope to continue trying, at least till this month ending.
Once again congratulations, hope you have a swell time there🎊

Thank you so much♥️

Oh wow, I thought you'd have gotten a slot by now 😯
Honestly keep trying, I almost gave up when I got my appointment date. I already even reached out to an agent the day before. My friend too could not get a slot when I did, but he kept trying and we both got our visas yesterday.

riaaaa:
Has anyone been able to get an appointment this year at all? I've been trying everyday and nothing so far 🥲

Got my visa today.

Sharing how the process went since this platform was helpful for me.

Processing time: 11 business days, 17 total.
Appointment date: February 27
Approval date: March 16
Delivery date: March 18
Validity: April 30 - June 13, 2026
Duration: 30 days
Type: Multiple entry
History: 5 previous schengen tourist visas, 3 spanish, 2 french as a minor travelling with parents. The longest valid for 1year from France, but unused because of covid.

I got a business visa to attend a 5 day professional event sponsored by a US based organization. First business visa DIY application.
I was unemployed at the time of applying (not anymore) so unemployment does not mean automatic denial for anyone who might be worried because I was.

I put unemployed under occupation in my application form, but I explained my brief work history in my cover letter. I recently completed an internship with the organization which indirectly led to the invite to the event.

The organization provided support docs including confirmed flight tickets, travel insurance covering $250k which is over the €30k requirement, signed invitation letter from the org that mentions they'll cover all expenses, signed letter from the hotel in Milan confirming reservation.

I added a cover letter, internship completion letter, 6 months personal bank statements with stable savings and no withdrawals past November 2025 (unplanned, I genuinely didn't need the funds), copies of past visas, my 2 expired passports were collected by TLS with the new one, proof of event registration (event confirmation email and printed ticket).

For proof of ties I submitted a signed letter from my parents confirming I stay with them and that I'll return, land use charge receipt with my address and dad's name, my birth certificate + parent's IDs.

On the day of my appointment, I got a print out that mentioned missing documents including tax clearance certificate, invitation letter from Italian company (the one I had was from a US company), bank statement of Nigerian company, certificate of business registration.
The application tracker on TLS showed a red dot on documentation confirmed because of this.

In my cover letter I acknowledged that I did not add those documents since I'm attending an event not representing a business.

I used personal bank statements generated from the Grey finance app since I got paid in USD and my savings were in USD. I was worried I'd get rejected since it's a fintech not a Nigerian bank. I got a proof of account letter from Grey that explained the arrangement. I also mentioned why I used it in my cover letter. My bank statements also showed past deposits from the inviting company during my internship.

I applied for single entry for 5 days since I've not traveled since 2016 (didn't use the visa after that because of covid), but got multiple entry valid for 45 days with 30 days max stay.

Luckyboy77:
Thank you.
Hbu have you heard from them

Nope, my appointment was just last Friday. I don't expect to hear back so soon.

Luckyboy77:
Hey everyone.
I got my visa today.
Glory to God

Finally! Congrats🥳

Foxfire12345:
@riaaaa do you mind if I ask if this was Lagos or Abuja

Lagos

Foxfire12345:
Good evening, please for those that have managed to book appointment by themselves first time traveller , can you suggest what days of the week and times of the day to look out for. My travel date is approaching but i didn’t succeed yet to find a date.

I was able to secure an appointment date on a Monday around 5:20pm, but appointments went fast. Slots were available across all of February on that day. My friend logged in 5 minutes after and did not see any available slot. He was able to get an appointment at the same time, on the following Monday.

I also saw what looked like cancellation slots randomly twice around 5pm and 1:30am, but didn't book those because the appointments were for the following morning and my documents were not complete at the time.

SunshineKemi:
kindly verify and back up the information you are passing across, if it was true. The website it self will give the notification for this information.

It's true, it's on the official site.
https://conslagos.esteri.it/en/news/dal_consolato/2026/02/notice-operational-suspension-of-the-vis-it-system-for-processing-and-issuing-entry-visas/

samegold:
Who has flown to Italy here before or knows the cheapest airline?

You can input your travel dates and destination, then filter by the cheapest on Skyscanner or Google Flights:
https://www.skyscanner.net/
https://www.google.com/travel/flights

samegold:
First time traveler (Tourist)

Biometrics: January 16th
Visa Approved: February 4th
Collection: February 5th (today)

Did you use an agent?

Omox9:
Ooh mad mad, thanks for this. I'm still waiting on some documents I need sha, so once I get them I'll just camp on the website cause it seems they only release slots for the current week / next 2 to 3 days at a time and i don't want to book before i have all the documents.
Thanks so much for this 🫡

You're welcome! Good luck 🍀

Omox9:
Just consulted with an agent but the price I was told is outrageous and it was just for getting a slot not even helping with everything🫠
I'm just tired atp cause as you said nothing is straightforward in this country. It is well.
My trip is still far so I'll just keep trying through February for dates. Hopefully luck is on my side

I don't think you need to pay for a slot... just keep checking. Saw this by 1am, there might have been more that I missed.

ify1234:
So what I noticed is that, there is appointment but very limited. Like this evening around 5:00 pm, they released appointment dates (first time travellers) for Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd. All appointments finished within 10 minutes.

So I now understand it is a game of tracking when they will release date.

Wow, this is serious🥹

Has anyone been able to get an appointment this year at all? I've been trying everyday and nothing so far 🥲