MineMK:
Hello Sabi mama! My heart is heavy! All in all 14yrs trying to have children of my own. In my 40 and 2nd marriage. I am a good person and a believer! I was believing miracle would happen b4 now (Yes miracle does happen) plus hubby refused IVF option not until 3 yrs ago.The diagnosis was premature menopause . Prior to me trying I do not know alot about IVF. To cut the long story short. I did 3 cycle of IVF with donor Egg at Nordica and they were all BFN. We are devastated. I am devastated. My family are (I am the only one on the waiting list in the entire family). Oh I prayed...We prayed! Ok! According to them at NORDICAL they said I have 1 more round of DH semen available (We live in the state and I took 3 month leave (nopay). Should I do this last round with them? Should I let them discard the semen and go elsewhere? Each cycle cost nothing less than N3.6M. They also refused me at NORDICA to take any prenantal pre and post embryo transfer (stating they do not approve any one) Though they gave me Folic acid and low dose aspirin. Please help me. Any advice, recommendation? I have roughly 8weeks left. Can anything be done at this window? Yes I can cough out money for this procedure(if na borrow I will) and hubby can also come in for 2days and produce another semen. Please think for me. What can I do�‍♀️�‍♀️�‍♀️��������� Please read and suggest. Thank you

Hello MineMK, I'm only just reading your post, please, please go elsewhere for your last try. These days, there are so many ivf clinics in Nigeria but some are better than others. On my own Fertility Journey(23 years!) I tried at least 4 clinics but finally got a BFP from one of them. You will return to the States joyfully ijn. Kindly dm me for more details.

toffyz:
Where's Efe of BBN

This is one question I can answer: she's chillin in Australia with her Professor husband : in fact after she lost to Richard the womanizer, I completely lost interest in the Big Brother series. Sorry I'm actually referring to Ofunneka of Big Brother Africa.

Franking:
Happy birthday, sir. How come there are many of u in Nigeria yet the country is in a mess. God clearly doesn't listen to ur prayers.

On the contrary sir, without the prayers of these men of God, Nigeria would have been completely consumed.

Karlovych:
Sarah Soyemi and a single mother I'm not surprised one bit, spits.

Do not demonize any single mother if you do not know her story: besides, that could be your sister or daughter.

faithfull18:
If she changed five years into the marriage, then you should find out why. An action from your uncle could have triggered the reaction.

Spot on! Let the family elders find out why she changed:, she may have discovered that your uncle had secret expenses and changed henceforth. A hitherto reasonable woman does not suddenly become unreasonable without cause.

azpekuliar:
Just to mention that even those who have those things still commit suicide.
RIP to the deceased.

U're so right! It's not what happens to a person that matters but his/her reaction to it. My friend's single sister just turned 47: on her Status she's has a cake with a golden 47 boldly planted on it &, she's grateful to God. No matter our situation, if we have a grateful heart, life will still have real meaning. While there's life, there is hope o. Mama 70+ dey born with IVF o.

Who has seen the Dove TV. testimony of the lady who got a husband at age 48? My ppl, don't mind whatever anyone is saying about you, just make yourself happy & things will turn out fine.

engrsyer:
... And I took Pfizer vaccine. Am I safe?

Despite taken booster he still test positive and showing mild symptoms.


What's then the need to take vaccine if I can still feel mild symptoms?

'Mild symptoms' is better than being dead and buried. Pls take the vaccine if you've not already done so. One never knows how strong the immune system is until illness strikes. The virus is still around though not as widespread globally as before. Luckily in Nigeria it did not spread as much as feared but some cases are still being recorded in hospitals. Nigerians are still traveling o, and coming back home to mingle: that man/woman you're seating/standing next to in the bank/bus, you don't know where they've recently returned from! Repeat : even if you're not planning to travel abroad, it's still safer to get vaccinated.

ekpotek:
Update on UK visa application
Biometric 10/03/2022
Passport ready mail 24/03/2022
Passport collected 28/03/2022
Status: Visa issued on 21/03/2022 - 5 years

Hello house. I've very similar timeline which may encourage someone applying for family visit visa:
Biometrics 10/03/2022
Passport ready mail 25/03/2022
Passport collected 28/03/2022
Status: Standard Visa issued on 28/03/2022 - 10 years

I feel very lucky & blessed but must not fail to mention that I've been bitten once by being denied in 2010 so this time around, I self uploaded almost every document under the sun that I felt would favour my application. Having a US born child may have helped me but I left nothing to chance: e. g. photos of her & self with sponsor, school letter of introduction & exam results - yes o, even for 5year old, all na 'tie.'

*Try not to rush to submit, you can save & keep going back to your application until you're satisfied; you can also succeed without using any agent who may even complicate things for you.
*under 'additional info', pls try to explain any large deposits into your bank account
*even if you're being fully sponsored, try to have a reasonable amount in your own personal bank account to cover expenses
*No tax clearance but I explained large deposits.
*Finally, if you're sincerely visiting & not planning to 'disappear' once you land there, just be truthful in your application & prayerfully go for it no matter the length of visa.

Simplicity01:
In the spirit of giving back. I went to Abuja for my interview on Wednesday.

The interview took less than 2 mins and We were denied. They didn't even check our documents at all.

Just 3 questions and she gave us the pink paper.

Question: Where do you work? What do you earn? Where have you been to? Why the US and not UK (Hubby work with Uk here in Nigeria and we both had our masters in the UK).

That is all. I really do not know where we went wrong though. I have decided to apply again but the date is the problem. If you have any idea of what we can do to get another close date. I will really appreciate.

We have all documents updated, Dr's fee paid, accommodation paid and bank statements of both showing good fund.

Thank you

Friend who had a too long visa interview date decided to forfeit previous payment and cancel her 2019 appointment, pay another visa fee and pay an agent through the nose for a 2018 interview date. Don't know how these agents get these so called unavailable dates but they really fleece desperate people!

chibertha:
Get a letter from your referring Dr here and one from the receiving Dr in the USA with appointment date then go to your portal and request for expedited appointment while also uploading the said documents.

Thanks Chibertha. Getting correspondence from a receiving ENT doctor is her main problem. The contacted one that's used to international patients is yet to reply. Would be grateful for any contact that will respond.

CaptainStephen:
on what premise did you take this standpoint.

No particular profession condones rudeness, just a particular category - Nigerian government workers (nurses, police, etc), once they realise you belong to the lower economic strata and can't afford to grease their palms nor are you powerful enough to punitively report their bad behaviour. The uninformed public also encourage this behaviour by the way they bow, scrape and treat them like lords because they believe they/loved ones are at their complete mercy in their wards/cells.

overlord77:


Can this urgent ENT medical attention not be handled here that she has to fly thousands of miles abroad for?

Am not aware of any body or paper that can fast track someone's visa interview.

thanks 4 responding; he has indeed been seeing doctors here but even they acknowledge that some delicate surgery in a child so young is best safely and successfully done overseas hence her readiness to travel the distance even with the attendant high cost for self pay treatment.

Good morning house;
Experienced people and parents, kindly help out.
This is actually a post US childbirth question but please help if you can. A friend's US born baby needs urgent ENT medical attention in the US but his mother has been given February 18 2019 visa interview date in Lagos after dropbox application for visa renewal.

*Just like childbirth services, are there people/bodies who can assist the mother in getting a letter from a US ENT specialist/hospital (Dallas preferably) so that she can be given an earlier emergency appointment date for the visa interview?

*are there other options for fast track apart from getting a letter? pls, do not 'waka pass!' All input gratefully accepted!

Hello Summerrr, being straight up at POE is always the best policy; actually many of us before getting to know this thread had considered or been advised to lie about our US childbirth intentions but this thread enlightened about that and it paid off for us at our interviews and POE! You are not likely to be denied entry if you go 'armed' (e.g. with proof of financial solvency & intention to return to ur country).
Most hospitals will require you to contact them by phone & they are the ones who will give you info on whether they also provide water birth services (most of us Nigerians just want to deliver safely & cost effectively on our hospital beds!)
You may need to ignore proximity. You can still have a good childbirth experience in a state where you don't know anybody; in fact many of us discovered that staying with friends or relatives only complicated matters.
I'm not advertising for them but doctoresparati services seem to be one of the few that don't mind you coming in as late as 36 weeks - most US doctors/hospitals prefer that you register with them much earlier so you need to consider this.

Summerrr:
Hi All, I’m not Nigerian but I hope it’s ok to ask a few questions - there is so much knowledge in this thread!! I am pregnant and looking to give birth in the USA. I am eligible for ESTA so I don’t believe I will have any visa issues. I’d like to bring my MIL along and she will need one but hopefully I can work out a tourist visa for her.

My main concern is lying about my objective at the POE, I was considering saying I was on a baby moon but everyone in the thread seems to straight up say they are coming to deliver. Doesn’t that risk being denied entry? When I have travelled to the States as a tourist they are mean enough, let alone as a pregnant woman on a mission.

Also, I am having trouble figuring out where to give birth. Hawaii is the closest state to me, is there anyone with info about giving birth there? My second preference would be NYC because that’s the only city where I know a local.

Doctores Para Ti seems to be the only website in English with a birth package, do you know of any in Hawaii or NYC? I sense from the posts that the alternative is googling hospitals and asking for their rates for non insured patients, is that right? Do you ask for these in writing and present them when you arrive, hoping to get the same numbers? If you arrive in the 7th or 8th month do you need many check ups or do you just visit the hospital for the birth?

This is a long shot but I’d love to have a water birth, is this normal in any US hospitals that you know of?

Thanks xx

Ebony84:
I think you did the right thing declaring your true intentions at POE. You never know, it might have complicated things much later at the renewal stage. I've read scripts of people being denied because they did not state they were coming in for childbirth at POE even though they were not asked.

Completely agree with Ebony84. I think it's even wiser to declare even if one if not asked so that it would be on record so pls don't regard those 40 minutes as a waste! Also, in some cases, an earlier medical visa does not seem to be a guarantee that one would not be called for interview after a drop box application for renewal - maybe it's to ensure they're not owing on previous childbirth bills.

toesyn:
In Spirit of giving back, I had my interview today, Although I was denied but I was happy that I said the truth at the interview.
Had my first visa in 2015 Sept for visiting but gave birth in Dec,never knew I could declare child birth,I remember I saw a heavy pregnant woman that and I and hubby was saying she's bold.
Anyway, I paid all my fees and we went on vacation again in 2016 with no issue at POE.
It was here I knew about zero balance, hospital and doctor correspondence etc.... I called Boston Medical centre and my zero balance was sent.
We did Dropbox for renewal, hubby's own was issued and I was called in for interview.
Before the dropbox, I already called hospitals and doctors in Boston since I knew I would be called to explain myself...below is my transcript:

VO: Good morning,can I have your passport
Me: Good morning and hands over the passport
VO: Why are you going to the US
Me: For childbirth
VO: How long did you stay in the US the last time
Me: 20 weeks
VO: What were you doing
Me: I had my first child
VO: When
Me: December
VO: You had your visa in September and gave birth in December, that means you lied during your interview.
Me: Yes and am sorry for the lies
VO: Do u have proof of payment
Me: Yes and I showed it to her, she went through it
VO: what do you do
Me: I told her where I work and I explained my duties extensively
VO: what does your hubby do
Me: I told her what he does
VO: We take the issue of 'credibility' very serious, am sorry ma'am I can't give you the visa.

Lesson learnt:
Before embarking on any project, do your research very well and extensively, if I have the information I have now in 2015,I wouldn't have been denied the visa.

I hope the newbies learn from my experience and always be truthful.

Kpele toesyn; if not for this forum, there go I. Me too suggest (if you still have time), that you re-apply & in the DS160 space for 'reason for visa denial' acknowledge fault & sincerely apologise without sounding desperate. Go for interview again with all your previous receipts with the optimism that you'll be given a 2nd chance. Good luck!

TWoods:


When in doubt, ask your hospital to avoid stories that touch the heart. Most hospitals will not be able to differentiate between self pay because you’re a non-citizen and self pay because you are indigent and can not afford health insurance. The government grants hospitals in low income areas (the type of hospitals folks here frequent in houston) Medicaid payments to cover for the indigent. They may erroneously apply it to you without even thinking. That’s why the VOs are often suspicious. The costs of birthing here continues to amaze me, no one else I know pays that low... and I’ve got siblings and cousins who have had babies in the last year.

Seconded, TWoods! That's why I continue to be so grateful & appreciative of this thread; in fact my US based aunt had warned me that I needed at least $30,000 for childbirth & that I also had to hide my pregnancy during visa interview but thanks to Nairaland, not only was my childbirth intention & due date embassy recorded, I was graciously granted a B2 visa which was utilized at less cost 'cos' of the info gathered here.
So 'forumers' do pls continue to accommodate the endless questions of newbies - many, including some VOs are really unaware of the large discounts available to cash patients in some places & they need to be constantly educated & updated. Researchers/legworkers, pls continue to unearth more discounts to beat the exchange rate palava. Honest Naija people go continue to survive!

wonyi:


Also check those pharmacies. Ebus is one of the biggest in dispensing drugs.if Ebus doesn't have ,ask for the time it will be available.

This is probably late praisefulmum, but may help someone who still needs it; female Viagra suppositories can be obtained by contacting Dr. John Bowen thru johnbowen12@gmail.com - he's a Canadian based in Malaysia & one of the very few people who compounds it on a commercial scale for ivf patients; you cannot get these suppositories OTC from any US or UK pharmacy as they are specially compounded on prescription for ivf patients there, much less get it in Nigeria; in fact all the big Lagos pharmacies I visited in my pre-cycle search for female Viagra looked at me as if I was crazy upon enquiry (what they know is the tablet form for men) even one Lagos ivf clinic that uses it manages the tablet form for its patients. Bowen's Viagra is in syringes in cream form.

He will send it to you after bank payment - I paid £100 for pack of 30 last year. I discovered him on an online UK fertility forum & was encouraged by the fact that no one ever complained about being defrauded by him & indeed he sent my package to my UK based sis who then priority mailed it to me in Lagos. My Dr, (Emeka) kindly delayed my treatment for it to arrive.
Viagra may or may not have contributed to our finally successful ivf attempt but the rest as they say, is history. She's kicking & smiling at me now as I type; to God be all the glory! . My still TTC sisters, it's not over as long as we're still breathing, pls prayerfully try any proven success aid & the God who did it for me after 23 years of marriage will honour your faith.

tbash16:
Good evening, pls is there a need for a notarized form for BC collection? I tot it's only needed for passport when hubby isn't around.would like to know pls

You are indeed right; you need the notarised form for baby's US passport application, not BC collection, it's just that since both Passport Office & Records Office are close to each other in Elpaso, you might as well take the form along with you when collecting the Birth Certificate and apply the same day for the US passport after collecting the BC. If you're able to supply baby's SSN along with the application, the passport will be ready for you to pickup 3 days later.

maideyz:
Hello Thermolady, i am happy for you and hope your baby is doing great. Please i am currently in elpaso in the elpaso to have my baby and i have been informed that it takes a long time for the birth certificate to arrive. Please i will like to know if you had to an extra fee for the certificate to arrive early. Kindly advise on how you were able to scale through.

Pardon late reply; LO's fine, thanks. No extra payment needed. Just keep checking epcounty/public records website by inputting ur baby's name. When the certificate is ready, u will see '1 result found,' u then immediately go to records office with hubby/notarised form & ID for collection. Takes about a week for certificate to be ready for collection.

maideyz:
Hello Thermolady, i am happy for you and hope your baby is doing great. Please i am currently in elpaso in the elpaso to have my baby and i have been informed that it takes a long time for the birth certificate to arrive. Please i will like to know if you had to an extra fee for the certificate to arrive early. Kindly advise on how you were able to scale through.

Pardon late reply. LO's fine, thanks. No extra payment needed. Just keep checking this site : www.epcounty.com/publicrecords by inputting ur baby's name ; if the certificate isn't ready, result will be 'no records found' . as soon as it's ready U will see '1 record found.' You can then go immediately to records office with hubby or notarised form & ID to collect it. Takes about a week. (I used to impatiently check site 2x/3x daily !)

olokings:


me i dey use my kpalasa fone dey view/read as i stand for garage under bridge dey form egbe-wager.

man ust wack and gather for one final journey before one president will comman ga'an think of building african wall ooh.

the hustle is really real

ifedee:


Awesome testimony. I thank God on your behalf. I literally had goosebumps all over while reading your testimony. What an awesome God we serve!

Please give more insight regarding the Nigerian Visa application. Did you send it directly to the Nigeria embassy at Roswell Atlanta as they have conflicting information on their website or did you send it to OIS as advertised on their website.

Kindly help a sister out!

Hope not too late; Very demanding new 'oga!' Sent my application/supporting documents to embassy at Washington as indicated on site; but U first have to purchase 2 money orders before U start filling the online application as you will be asked to input the details on the money orders: $180 money order addressed to Nig embassy & $ 85 addressed to Innovate1Services [they work with embassy]. Embassy site will redirect U to Innovate site for the application process. A Reference/ID no. is generated on completion of your online application. This is what the embassy needs to process your application.

P.S. u need to be a little fast (& patient) when completing the form to avoid several time outs but don't be discouraged, it's quite easy to fill!

akmid:

did you use doctoresparati or some other hospital in elpaso

I used doctoresparati

Mandex11:
@thermolady please can I PM you. ? thanks

Pls feel free to do so. Would be glad to help in any way I can.

*Would also like to say big 'thank you' to NL brethren for congratulatory messages & prayers. Nefertitiram, as per ur ibeji prayer, am co-opting u as unpaid nanny/au pair if it comes to pass since mum-to-be of twins cannot travel alone!

*to answer a previous poster, when I flew to Dallas with my 13 day old baby, I was asked to provide the airline with an ok-to-fly letter from paediatrician & copy of birth certificate. I think it's same requirement for international travel for less than 14 day old infants.

for the 1st time today, someone called me by my baby's name instead of the usual 'aunty'[sometimes in derision] of the past. Gave me a very nice warm feeling!

Greetings to all in the house: 1st ‘missionary’ journey successfully concluded mainly thanks to advice & tips from this Forum.

For me, it’s been one favour or miracle after the other.
1st, my Godsent, confident Elpaso obgyn allowed me to have a vagi/normal delivery despite my quite advanced age & high risk, precious nature of pregnancy. Was successfully induced at 40 weeks.
ii. this normally superbusy doctor patiently stayed with me for over an hour in very final stage of labour, encouraging me to push despite 2 doses of oxygen & my worry that it might end in C-Section.
iii. Discharged on morning of 3rd day. After being presented with xtra bill of $1,900 (despite paying full package price b4 delivery), hospital later relented after visits & calls & adjusted my account balance to zero.
*Note: After delivery, even if for ex, u’re on a payment package covered by doctoresparati, you may still get bills outside of the package; don’t panic, simply ensure you see/call the Fin. Counsellors of the hospital & explain you are on selfpay package. E.g I was sent a $10, 944 anaesthesia bill despite epidural being already part of package costs. However some bills must be paid outside package e.g 2nd PKU test for baby [$12] & separate Pathology bills for mother & baby[ours was $159 after 30% discount].
iv. My Naija paediatrician saved phototherapy cost by ordering sunbathing 4 jaundiced baby instead[His bill: $300]. LO otherwise in perfect health. Speedily refused hearing test for her (fear of xchange rate is beginning of wisdom!) Baby’s Birth Certificate [$23] was ready after 1 week. Collected it with Int. Drivers’ Licence & Lagos US embassy notarised form [‘FEDEXed’ to me by DH].
*Note: In Elpaso, Nigerian Voters Card NOT ACCEPTED as ID for baby’s BC collection. [I photographed & sent my signature & passport photo by email to DH who then applied for Int. Drivers’ license on my behalf].
*[/b]Asked for my baby’s Social Security card to be mailed to Dallas address. On receipt, [b]trusted Dallas based relation opened it & gave me the no. over phone which I then supplied to Elpaso Passport office.
v. Applied for baby’s US passport & flew to Dallas following day. It’s usually ready in 3 days but as I was leaving Elpaso b4 it would be ready, I had it posted [$165+$15] to me in Dallas. Wasted time & money in Dallas for overnight return courier envelope in applying for Emergency Travel Certificate for baby only to be informed that it was no longer being issued. With travel date being the following Monday, had to apply online for Nigerian Visa [2 money orders of $180+ $85] & sent baby’s US passport (with return courier envelope) to Nigerian embassy on Friday (without agent).Visa issued same day (proper one, not biro) & baby’s passport couriered back to me in Dallas the very next day (Saturday)! God bless Mr. Usman for prompt & free assistance to me.
vi. The Elpaso landlord (who had been temporarily away in Naija )of the accommodation that I relocated to from Intown Suites, briefly returned to Elpaso & realised that he had been my private SAT/TOEFL student 20 years ago in Festac, & freely chauffeured, shopped and even babysat once for me in last few days of my stay in Elpaso. I returned to Lagos 2 weeks later & in Akoka [Lagos] miraculously ran into him AGAIN while he was visiting someone before he finally returned to Elpaso. MORAL: [/b]it’s a very [b]tiny world! Never be nasty/cheat anyone in the belief that you’ll never meet again.
vii. At Dallas airport, was charged $71.60 for infant ticket by Emirates. Had paid N524, 000 for my own return ticket in November 2016. No bassinet on 14.30 hr Dallas/Dubai leg but journey not bad. Allowed to take special (black) airport baby stroller (mine had been checked in at Dallas boarding gate) overnight to hotel. Bassinet provided on Dubai/Lagos leg but baby preferred my arms!
• I must say, this Forum has been an invaluable source of info to me; may it grow from strength to strength; Forum Old Timers, u’re like classroom teachers, pls do not tire of repeating answers to the questions of Forum Newbies or rudely tell them to go back & start reading from 1st page; not everyone has the time or strength for research!

So finally my e-brethren, I’m very glad to be back home to our dear Naija despite the heat, encountered primitiveness & NEPA. [there is no place like home ]. What matters is that after a safe delivery, I am now a mother at last after more than 22 years of marriage.[still ttcing sisters, pls. hold on to ur dream]. I give God all the glory.

XX01:
So, really, these Dallas people just decided to disturb me for no reason.

Could be for any number of reasons; maybe the time of your arrival coincided with when some cranky, irritable CBP officers were itching to be relieved from their shift or one gets lucky when one's fatigued face and swollen feet is evident to all, but above all, it was my singular prayer throughout the flight from Dubai to Dallas that I would meet with POE favour.

feddy27:
Thermolady, congratulations! God who has started this good work will perfect it.

I'm waiting to celebrate your testimony with you

Amen! I will be back here to testify ijn

My Dallas POE testimony: God at work again!

Got to Dallas via Emirates few days ago. Did thumb printing & scanned passport at self service . Joined the POE queue to be interviewed and as it got to my turn a CBP officer standing to the side asked me if I had food. When I said yes, he pointed me towards the Agric Section instead. There I met a tall black Agric Officer. In a chatty, friendly tone he asked: ‘Where are you coming from?’

Me: Lagos, Nigeria
Agric Officer: Are you Yoruba? Ibo?
Me: Yoruba
Officer: Ba wo ni?
Me: Adupe

Takes passport & Looks at landing slip: ‘El Paso, going to meet family?’
Me: no, to have my baby
Officer: what food do you have?
I hand him a small list. He looks at it; ‘it’s ok’ and loads my bags onto the scanner.
His seated oyibo colleague looks up & casually asks me: ‘how long do you intend to stay?
Me: about 8 weeks

Friendly Officer reloads my scanned bags onto my trolley
Me: thank you
Officer: anything for you
Handing me my passport & pointing to exit, he says, ‘you can go.’
I start moving forward, then turn around, confused: 'But my passport has not been stamped!'
Seated colleague gets up, takes passport from me & goes over to POE queue on other side, gives it to one of the interviewing officers there who stamps it for him, then he hands it over to me.

That was it o, my e-brethren; just 1 or 2 questions from the Agric officers & I was sent on my way! Despite my worries about POE, the only ‘paper’ that was checked was my food list. He is indeed a prayer answering God!

Akorkor:


Congrats. I tap into this. @bolded, is there anywhere given to explicitly state that you are giving birth in USA on DS160 form? Or

On the DS160, I used the space for reason for a previous visa denial years ago to also explain that I was applying for childbirth purposes this time around. However if one has never been denied before, don't really know where one can slot it in on the form. Others with suggestions can please step in.

mumdearest:


congrats. May your hussle for $ and POE be successful.

Amen o. Thanks!