₦airaland Forum

Good evening house, I submitted my family application on the 14th of May and there has been no update since then. My hubby and I had done biometrics in February 2020 for a visit visa, although we were denied. They have only updated our biometrics number. How soon can I start tracking our application? Thank you

Good morning everyone. I would like to know if a guarantor and local govt identification are required for minors. I want to apply for my 6yo. Thank you

VISA RENEWAL UPDATE

BACKGROUND:
- Hubby and I got visit visa in 2017.
- I got pregnant and decided to birth my baby in the US
- Sent change of intent and got the generic response
- I declared at the POE that I would be having my baby and no issue was raised.
- Paid less than 5k USD for delivery
- Applied for renewal (medical visa) in 2019. I was pregnant then but due to COVID 19, appointment was rescheduled to August, 2022.
- I got all my receipts and zero balance from the hospital I used then. But thankfully, none was checked.

Below is the transcript of our interview.
Vo: Good morning
Vo: Why are you going to going to the US
Hubby & I: For Christmas vacation
Vo. Have you been to the US before.
Hubby & I: Yes, we were there between Sep- Nov 2017
Vo. What for?
I:. We went for vacation and I also had my baby in Chicago
Vo. Okay. Do you have any relation there?
Hubby & I: No
Vo. How long do you want to spend there
Hubby & I. 2 weeks
Vo. You said you are going for Christmas. There would be snow by that time.
Hubby & I: Yes. I'm ready to experience the snow. (general laughter)
Vo. I can see you applied for a medical visa.
Me. Yes I did, I was pregnant as at the time I applied in 2019. But I already had my baby in Nigeria in 2020. So we have decided to go for our family vacation during Christmas.
Vo. Are you going with the kids
Hubby & I: No
Vo. Oh, they are going to stay with grandma right. Laughs
Hubby & I: Yes. Infact, she lives with us (laugh)
Vo. What do you guys do?
Hubby & I: I'm a banker. Hubby is a field engineer
Vo. Have you guys visited any other country apart from the US.
Hubby & I:. No
Vo. How long would you like to spend this time for Christmas
Hubby & I:. 2 weeks Vo. I'm approving your visa ......

I want to thank this forum for being a huge source of info. I practically got all the info I needed for my visa interview back in 2017 as a first timer and subsequently for childbirth in the US.
Finally, I give all glory to God, he showed us favour. May His name be praised forever. Amen

Hello house. I was denied a visit visa in 2020 and I declared then that I was running an MBA program., even attached my admission letter. Now with ASUU strike palaver, I'm thinking of dropping out and pursuing a PGD in Canada. Is there a need for me to mention in my SOP that I am have dropped out of the MBA program. The reason is that I don't know if my previous file would be revisited when I apply for study visa. Kindly advise.

buchito1:
Do you mean PTA? If it's PTA, then you mustn't open a domiciliary account.

I got $4000 CASH PTA yesterday from STERLING BANK!

And I didn't open a Domiciliary Account.

CC - Semtu

No, its not PTA. he was talking about upkeep. you need to have opened an account abroad so they can pay the upkeep into your account. For PTA, you pick up cash before you travel

Semtu:
Okay thanks

Please what documents do I need to upload on the portal?

your admission letter, evidence of tuition payment, B.Sc cert and intl passort

Semtu:
Hello house.

Please I want to process student upkeep allowance using form A. I would like to know if the funds can be gotten in cash or whether I have to open a dollar Domiciliary account to receive the funds?

And is there a limit to the amount I can request for?

You need to open a domiciliary account to receive the fund. i think you can receive up to $4k per quarter.

Lekiboboe:
MY LANDING GIST!!!!

KLM Flight at MMIA, Ikeja. Lagos to Amsterdam (almost 6hrs layover at Amsterdam Airport), Amsterdam to Toronto.

Got to the Airport 4pm, August 11th

Brought three bags (22kg Clothes, 20kg Food), Laptop bag with my laptop, clear bag having my docs. & some other Contents (chips) inside of it.

Congratulations. i am not suprised you are already receiving favour. you have sown already and im sure by God's grace that the favour of God will not depart from you. Canada has already favoured you, continue to soar.

Yes, PTA can only be sold to travelers with return tickets.

Lekiboboe:
Good morning great minds

Is it compulsory for an international student to have a Return Flight Ticket before he/she can get PTA (Personal Travel Allowance) from a Nigerian Bank?


@Frankrobbn1
@JustMellow et al.

Good day everyone.

What can I give to my baby to gain weight. LO is 13month and currently weigh 9kg. Thank you

Hi Mamas,
Thank you for all the useful information you share here. May God bless you all.

I have a neatly used item for sale. Chicco next to me baby bed

Pls DM/Email if interested

seyewest:
Clear the cookies....

thank you guys, i cleared cookies and it worked

Mr100Dollars:
use another browser

i have tried on mozilla, chrome, internet explorer and edge. still got the same error message

Good evening guys, pls i need your help. im tryig to upload my application but have not been able to submit my passport. although my picture already passed the standard test, i get this error message while trying to upload, 'an error occurred while processing your photo, pls try again later'. i hve tried on 3 different browser. kindly advise urgenlty as i am stuck.

thank you

Good day all. Pls can someone help with the address of the post office in ketu. Also, I picked up my stuff that I ordered from Ali express from ikeja post office last month and I was asked to pay some amount before they could release them to me, is this acceptable, considering the fact that they didn't render any service to me. Nobody called nor texted me. Kindly advise. Thank you

yes, they do give change. They dont accept any card issued in naija, even if its a dom acct. so cash payment is the best option.

Senatornuella:
Thank you. I see you you advised we pay in $100 bills only. Will they be giving us $10 change or what?

uote author=borryworld post=63775088] You will pay with a Dollar card or pay $190 in cash. Apply as soon as you have your LO passport. Approval takes like 2 working days.

Bubbles123:
Baddoo, pls I'm also interested in that visa on arrival thing.
I've read severally on it but still a bit confused when to use it. Is it when you have newborns American passport but unable to get Nigerian visa in the US?

Yes, visa on arrival is used when you are unable to secure LO's naija passport.

You send ur application to Nigerian Immigration. You can get the format from previous posts. Endeavour to send it as soon as u get your baby's American passport as the approval doesn't come on time. I was almost stranded at the airport as United airline(connecting flight) insisted that they need to sight the approval before they can allow my baby to board o.

[quote author=Terminalia post=62369828]Hello, pls for peeps that used visa on arrival, how did you go about getting Naija passport for your LO in Nigeria. Kindly advise urgently. Thanks[/quote


Still waiting ooo. Pls help

Hello, pls for peeps that used visa on arrival, how did you go about getting Naija passport for your LO in Nigeria. Kindly advise urgently. Thanks

Hello all, below is my testimony (Poe experience).

Got to Newark at about 7.45pm and proceeded to immigration. The family before us was sent to secondary inspection. Hubby n I were scared but we kept praying.
Dude came back and asked for our purpose of visit and we replied 'vacation and childbirth'. Asked if we were going to stay in an hotel for 11 weeks cos it's going to be expensive but we told him we have booked intown suites which is way cheaper. He asked us what we do back home n we responded. He then stamped us in, B1 and asked us to proceed to baggage claim.
No document checked. Twas just God all the way.

I must say this forum has been of tremendous help to me. Thank you so much guys.

Richards08:
Hello house, glad to tell you that the visa is out, in fact, DW is now in the States. Thanks guys for your prayers and encouragement. You are the best! Love you all.

I like your doggedness abeg. congrats to u n ur wife, and i also wish her safe delivery.

Good day people,

Pls for those that traveled with palm oil, I heard one has to freeze it. Question is do one allow it to defrost before packing it with one's luggage or you pack the frozen palm oil like that? Thank you

TWoods:
Since you obviously know more than the VOs - https://www.nairaland.com/1792662/u.s-non-immigrant-visas-listening/176#56565515

Feel free to argue with them.

I think misinforming people is telling them that it is ok to lie at visa interviews and then send in a letter of intent. Just because 1 of 1,000,000 applicants got a reply does not mean that is standard procedure.

Mr Woods, let each person do what suits them, you are neither a VO nor a CBP officer. It's not everyone that lies during their visa interview (if that is what u do or did).

TWoods:
Obviously you must be new here. Letters of intent are not read or acknowledged by the US embassy... essentially they are a waste of your time. You should inform the embassy of your intention to have a child in the US at your interview. Make sure you take correspondence from your doctor and show proof that you can cover the expenses. You should be good.

Hello,
Letters of intent are acknowledged by the US embassy, a lot of pple have been saved from unnecessary headache just because they sent the letter. let's not mis-inform people. thank you

Harberdy:
GTB don't give student with a one way Ticket PTA.i don't think the understand how the rules apply to student.I got my PTA with a one way ticket from UBA.Go to any UBA branch with your Passport,Valid Visa,Your Oneway Ticket and your Admission Letter.Fill the Form A.You must have a minimum balance of N1,440,000 in your UBA bank acct.360x$4000.After verification,You would be called to come and collect your money.

UBA will not give your USD with one way ticket ooo for PTA, but if u want to pay through form A, your school's acct will be directly credited, u will not be given the cash. Thanks

favouredmum:
Hi dear,
The CBP officers really frowns at any form of misrepresentation as the onus lies on you to be honest during ur interview. However if you knew you were pregnant during your interview, you should have mentioned it to them as they always say " birthing in the U.S is not a crime but frowned at when ones true intention is not disclosed".
A friend of mine renewed her visa via drop box a month to her travel date and came in through Chicago. In her application, she stated she was going for a 3 weeks vacation and shows up a month later heavily pregnant with a return ticket showing she will be in the U.S for 3 months. She was really harassed (this could have been avoided if she was honest from the beginning) and was eventually stamped in for 3 weeks only. I believe the reason she was not sent back was because she was with her son who she had in the U.S earlier and had paid her bills. Long and short she overstayed the 3 weeks and I really don't know what will happen upon renewal dou she got a lawyer to help file for an extension of her stay.
My advise to you is this, so you are not caught up in all this mess is to ensure you use the visa for the purpose you got the visa which is vacation. I know some organizations (like mine) wont give you annual leave and maternity leave in the same financial year. You can consider taking some time off work without pay. That wont hurt if you really want to have your baby in the U.S and wont like to have any issues upon renewal. Anyways, this is my own opinion on this issue.

Thanks y'all for your contribution, really appreciate.

TWoods:
Your entire story here is basically a fraudulent one.

1. You applied for a visa for a "vacation" in february but mistakenly happened to get pregnant barely 4 weeks later? Since you're 3 months gone in April, it suggests you took in as early as february or earlier... which likely suggests you were actively trying well before your "vacation" plan. Methinks you definitely planned to get pregnant and you should have declared that at your visa interview. Thankfully, VOs now read through these sort of ridiculous stuff.

2. If you could not go for your "vacation" in february because of dollar scarcity, why then are you now able to go for childbirth barely 6 months later... when the dollar won't be any more available and at a significantly higher cost than if you had simply gone for a vacation as you claimed?

3. It sounds like you've learnt the trick - apply for a visa while actively trying for a baby, go for a "vacation" so as to claim to have used your visa for the intended purpose, then send a "letter of intent" to the embassy before proceeding for your real goal - to go to the US to have a baby. FYI - letters of intent are now as useless as the paper they are written on - precisely because of frauds like you who have abused it thoroughly.

4. Yes you weren't asked if you were pregnant at your visa interview... but you knew that you were actively trying, you should have been honest then.

5. You're not confused, you're simply looking for someone to validate your fraudulent actions.

Unfortunately stories like yours are what makes me strangely agree with people like Afonjaboston... the earlier the US does away with Jus solis, the better... if you have a baby in the US, he/she should only get the passport of the birth parents. Soon you'll be here asking if your child can now access "free" medicaid and creche... the things i have read on these pages... why a regular Nigerian cannot be straightforward, ever, is beyond me.

Thanks for your contribution. i think you can actually pass your message without necessarily abusing people. you dont know me so why should you jump into conclusion. like i said, i didnt know i was pregnant when i went for my interview.
You are not a VO and shouldnt speak like one! no be by force to comment.

ire o

Hello house, pls I'm in a fix now and I need some clarification. my hubby and I got a visa for vacation in February, we really wanted to go for vacation then but due to the dollar scarcity, we shifted it. mid March, I was confirmed pregnant. mind u, I wasn't asked if I was pregnant during our interview and neither did I know I was pregnant den. now, I'm 3 months gone.
The issue now is my hubby and I planned going for the vacation next month (may) den I can go for childbirth later but I was told today at my office that I can't take my annual and maternity leave together in a year.
So now, I don't know what to do. can I go for childbirth later with a letter of intent since I wasn't asked if pregnant then? what are the options available for me now as I'm really confused. gurus in the house, over to u.

Hello house, pls I'm in a fix now and I need some clarification. my hubby and I got a visa for vacation in February, we really wanted to go for vacation then but due to the dollar scarcity, we shifted it. mid March, I was confirmed pregnant. mind u, I wasn't asked if I was pregnant during our interview and neither did I know I was pregnant den. now, I'm 3 months gone.
The issue now is my hubby and I planned going for the vacation next month (may) den I can go for childbirth later but I was told today at my office that I can't take my annual and maternity leave together in a year.
So now, I don't know what to do. can I go for childbirth later with a letter of intent since I wasn't asked if pregnant then? what are the options available for me now as I'm really confused. gurus in the house, over to u. lady Guinevere, kaptainafrika etc, over to u.

KaptainAfrika:
Dont mind Abike Dabiri.

The stories I have read are one kind. A man travelled with $300 on him and $3000 on his cards. A total of $3,300 and he said he has friends in the US that can help, him raise more cash if needed.

The other one travelled with his pregnant wife and kids. Did they apply for medical visa, or used a visa first for vacation and then go for childbirth in the US, it is never stated.

But as soon as one person says they were mistreated, Abike goes on the air and starts giving advice.

Oh lest I forget, in South Africa, Nigerians are actually being killed. You have nothing to worry about in the US POE, so long as you can defend yourself clearly.

Thanks KaptainAfrica

Dear Team, pls assist oooo with this conflicting info from the minister of foreign affairs and abike dabiri. Hubby and I would like to go for vacation next month. Pls what do we need to do in order to avoid stories that touch at the POE.
kindly assist a sister, mbok