₦airaland Forum

Thank you

Ashirioluwa:
50k for flight reservation is on the high side. You can get flight reservation for less than 10k through Naija Going Abroad as per the information on their website.

https://naijagoingabroad.com/visa-services/flight-reservation-for-visa

I bought a flight reservation through their website for 5k a long time ago to support a visa application.

Warning: I am not an employee, representative, or owner of this company. Please be careful when you are dealing with them.

Wondering if you could shed some light on getting a flight reservation for Schengen visa via Switzerland Embassy

Got a UK visa last week and I've bought return ticket. Plan to visit Switzerland, and France for 3 days during my UK visit. Got most of my paperwork ready apart from the flight reservation. Are you able to advise?

Also, anyone know how often dates for tourism application on the vfs site is released for Switzerland. Don't want a clash with my UK travel.

Thanks in advance, everyone.

riaaaa:
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.

Hi @Cashmadam, @Ashirioluwa, and @giselle237.

Wondering if you could shed some light on getting a flight reservation for Schengen visa via Switzerland Embassy

Got a UK visa last week and I've bought return ticket. Plan to visit Switzerland, and France for 3 days during my UK visit. Got most of my paperwork ready apart from the flight reservation. Are you able to advise?

Also, anyone know how often dates for tourism application on the vfs site is released for Switzerland. Don't want a clash with my UK travel.

Thanks in advance, everyone.

Hi Firebreather

Any ideas how to book a flight reservation?want to visit Switzerland June 2-June 5 while in the UK. Already got my UK round trip tickets. My problem is getting the flight reservation

firebreather:
Appealing is not a bad idea, but you already submitted strong documentation so you might not even know where you got it wrong, hence also not know what to appeal based on.

Don't have much experience other than this but I know for sure that applying with another country will definitely look suspicious and if you're reapplying soon it should be with France but then the general advice would be to address the reason for the rejection well.

Judging by all you said was submitted, there was no reason for the visa to be rejected so you can actually sue them. I've heard someone mentioned that but dunno how effective it is.

It'll also be nice if you can share full cover letter here (remember to redact identifiable information) for reference in case others too want to have a look at it.

Due to my inexperience beyond, I'll advise you talk to a travel agent that's versed in applying for Schengen visas. There's a lady I know who works for Ufitfly but I dunno if this thread welcomes sharing recommendations.

Recently, she helped about 3 - 4 people secure France tourist visas so it might be worth talking to her. You can approach for a consultation first and then seek her advice on the next steps too.

If you care for contact, send me a mail from my profile.




By the way, the land title documents you submitted was it the deed of assignment only or was there additional documents you added for the land?

Is anyone here also having delay in getting emergency appointments for interview?

Guys, I have a question.

An acquaintance (about 22 years of age) wants to study in Uk. She’s spoken to some agent and they advise that she keeps whatever POF in her own account. But I’m thinking, would the VO not question that kid’s source of funds? She’s got no work experience. Would it be better to use her sponsor’s (dad’s sister) bank statement instead?

Thank you

Emmafe:
You can collect in person, 12-2pm. Try to be there around 9am or 10am to get early slot, you’ll be surprise to meet over 200 ppl. Just go with photocopy of your int’l passport, write your tracking number on it. That’s all.

I’d like to ask please. Is it mandatory to use courier service for passport collection? Got a mail from vfs today saying my passport is ready, but in-person collection is not permitted till further notice. I live in Abuja. Biometrics & passport submission was done here. If I can collect in-person, what’s the procedure?

Emmafe:
Congratulations!

For Abuja Office:

Put all the documents below in an envelope and send to:

Visa Application Centre
Sterling Bank Plaza, 3rd Floor Plot No 1083, Mohammadu Buhari Way,Central Business District Abuja Nigeria
Documents:
-2 duly signed consent forms.
-2 copies of passport data page
-Passport Request Letter
-Yellow biometric slip
-Receipt of payment of transmission fee
N9,410 (you will pay this fee if you didn't capture biometrics at Abuja VFS) Ignore this since you did your biometrics in Abuja

-A paper with your contact details: name, phone number, email address, home address.

Pay the transmission fee to
Canada Logistics Collection Account
Sterling Bank Pl
0065165839

Also note that you’ll have to pay vfs to deliver your passport to your desired location if you can’t pickup yourself in Abuja.

Passport delivery procedure
Pay 18,710 to Canada Logistics Collection Account (0065165839) Stealing Bank. forward the proof of payment to canadang@vfshelpline.com

I will attach the link to download courier service form, instead of waiting for vfs to send it. Download, fill and attach it together with the proof of payment.

https://www.vfsglobal.com/Malaysia/Nigeria/pdf/SMS-Request.pdf

Cashmadam:
So sorry for the refusal. My thoughts:

1. 4K Pounds is a lot for 2 weeks vacation. Maximum 2K
2. Perharps you need to include a cover letter next time - to explain deposits that do not relate to your employment
3. Wait for a minimum of 6 months to reapply - if you rush to reapply, it is a red flag
4. Prove your ties to Nigeria - properties and other investments are very helpful
5. Explain your family life - to prove you have family in Nigeria you don't intend to abandon
6. Explain how long you have worked and how much you love your job - to prove that you have a stable job you don't intend to abandon
7. Pray. God has the final say.

Good luck!

Thank you🙂
The £4k was actually inclusive of hotel accommodation and flights; both totaling about £2k. Evidence was attached. But other contributors have suggested I review downwards, and that’s noted. In my next application, I will make sure to detail all my proposed expenses in a cover letter.
I’ve kuku opened another account where all my side hustle money will be entering😄. My application did state that other monies from my organization was paid in as communication, bonuses, perdiem etc. I wonder why they ignored it🤷🏻‍♀️ and TBH, I didn’t think I should explain why other monies entered my acct. length of work was in my introduction letter written by the HR. So but anyway, we’ll try again soon.
Thanks again, and stay well.

giselle237:
pls 4k is too much. You have a salary work with 2 to 2.5 of that to be safe.
When you reach the real spending time u can spend up to 20 million pounds but on your application form you have to put down what they want to see and hear not what u like.
Secondly your organisation can not just be crediting you unnecessarily… if these are benefits your employment letter and a well detailed letter from the HR or company heads stating instance by instance what your benefits are and how they are paid will suffice. There is no assumption. If my salary is 1 million naira and my organisation will also give me 12 million naira extra there must be documentary evidence to back up all these.

Trust me, I had attached the offer letter from my employee that broke down my benefits. I also had irregular income- I do writing consultancy. How do I represent that on the next application? In a cover letter?

geolan:
I quite agree with Giselle. The 4k GBP is too much for such a short trip. Even if you will be spending up to that, for application sake, you should have reviewed it downwards. That raised the first red flag.

For the assumed money lodgement, did you write a cover letter explaining in details those bank transactions that could have raised eyebrow aside just mentioning it briefly in your visa application?

Yes, I did mention it in my application that I got other monies from my organization as benefits. I noted that the monies are traceable to the source, which is contained in my account statement. Not like the lodgement was bulk sum at once. It was small small money over a period of 6 months. I might have to write a letter in my next application. You’re probably right about the £4k. But if I took out the flight fare and the hotel accommodation fees) evidences were attached), I’d be left with £2k. When’s a safe time to re-apply?
Thanks…

giselle237:
They explained why you were denied.
1st reason- Your disposable income a month is 500k and same you wants to spend 4k pounds which is over 3 million naira in just 2 weeks. Why you are willing to spend such an amount just like that could not be understood by the ECO
2nd reason… money lodgement

giselle237:
They explained why you were denied.
1st reason- Your disposable income a month is 500k and same you wants to spend 4k pounds which is over 3 million naira in just 2 weeks. Why you are willing to spend such an amount just like that could not be understood by the ECO
2nd reason… money lodgement

Hi Giselle,

Yes I see that. At least £2k from my 4k was for flight and accommodation. Would they rather I spent less? Most of my money lodgement was from my organization. All monies had a sender name on the acct statement. I specifically mentioned on my application that I receive other benefits from my org. They weren’t bulk lodgement. They were paid in over time. Why did they say it was from unknown source? Like I’m confused.

Hey Guys,

Can anyone analyze why my application was refused? I think they just wanted a reason to refuse me- I can’t quite understand their reasons.

TIA