₦airaland Forum

If you could obtain a passport from any
country in the world, which one would you pick? Keep in mind that what passport you hold says a lot more than you may realize about your access to the world.

Can’t decide? Here’s some advice: You’d
be wise to go with a member of the
European Union, which is home to nine
out of the top 10 countries whose citizens have the most freedom of (visa-free) travel, according to the 2013 index from Henley & Partners, an international residence and citizenship planning consulting firm.

In the report, produced in collaboration with the International Air Transport Association, Henley & Partners ranked citizens’ visa-free access to other countries as of July 2013 on a 219-point scale. The United States’ total score of 172, for example, means that U.S. passport holders may enter 172 countries and territories without a visa, a marked increase from 2012.

Citizens of Denmark, Germany and
Luxembourg can also enter 172 countries and territories, though it’s citizens of Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom who, with a score of 173, edge out all others to have the best passports for global travel. Rounding out the top tier are Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands at 171, followed by Canada, France, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Portugal and Spain at 170.

On the flipside, passport holders of
Kosovo (38), Lebanon (38), Sri Lanka (38), Sudan (38), Nepal (37), Eritrea (36), Palestinian Territory (36), Pakistan (32), Somalia (32) and Iraq (31) have the least visa-free travel options among all countries and territories surveyed, save those whose passports were issued in Kabul, Afghanistan. Afghani passport holders can only visit 13 percent of the world, or just 28 countries, free of formalities.

In general, passport holders in North
America and Europe have the most
freedom of travel, while passport holders in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia have the least.

Scroll down below for a complete look at the best and worst passports for global travel.

Top 10 Best Passports For Visa-Free
Travel

1 Finland, Sweden, UK
2 Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, US. 3 Belgium, Italy, Netherlands
4 Canada, France, Ireland, Japan, Norway,Portugal, Spain
5 Austria, New Zealand, Switzerland
6 Australia, Greece, Singapore
7 South Korea
8 Iceland
9 Malaysia, Malta
10 Liechtenstein

>>> Nigeria, Guinea Bissau, Timor Leste are co-joint ranked 78 with 48 visa free travel.

Bottom 10 Passports For Visa-Free
Travel

84 Equatorial Guinea
85 Bangladesh, Burundi, Ethiopia, North Korea
86 Angola, Djibouti, Iran, Myanmar
87 Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, South Sudan, Syria
88 Kosovo, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Sudan 89 Nepal
90 Eritrea, Palestinian Territory
91 Pakistan, Somalia
92 Iraq
93 Afghanistan

www.ibtimes.com/best-passports-have-unrestricted-travel-around-world-1422038

Asorock 1: Fill ''yes'' since you have been employed at the same organisation for that long . And also be ready to answer questions relating to your job.

I will do all you said Tzetztfly , please what about at the previous application where I mistakenly put NO, because I didn't understand that part well? Won't it be seen as inconsistency in application

How do I make the VO understand. By writing or Oral during the interview. Because some may not ask you but will think you lying.

God bless you

It is not a material misrepresentation and this can be overlooked by the CO. He / she may now in this regard, ask you for your payslips and or bank statements to prove your claim.

Asorock 1: Tzetzefly thanks for the reply, I'm really grateful, please how do I go about the conference, I went to their website but didn't understand the process , I know it does requirement payment but other things like submitting abstract, call for paper, I don't really understand that part, please can look into it and help me.

You are to e-mail the organisers of the conference you prefer to attend, and let them know of your intention to partake in the event. Further instructions will be mailed to you from their centre. It also allows you to have a personal contact with the conference organisers.

Asorock 1: -When is the best time to go for the interview since the conference in Orlando Florida is march

You can attend your interview by February 2014.

Asorock 1: -please what are the likely questions and best answers to give during the interview for conference purpose.

You will be asked why you're going for the conference, where the conference is being held and how many days you will be away.

Asorock 1: -When filling the application, on the part of we're you previously employed for the past 5 years, i should still fill NO and then fill the details for the present employer, note once more i have been on my present job for more than 6 years now.
Sorry I'm asking a lot . I think others will also learn from my case.
God bless you.

Fill ''yes'' since you have been employed at the same organisation for that long . And also be ready to answer questions relating to your job.

Asorock 1: Hello tzetzefly and everyone
in the house, please I would like some clarifications on this issues, please advice and immediate replies are needed.

1.) I read from a post from someone here about putting NO at the place on US ds160 form when ask if previously employed for the past 5 years, since he is still working with his present employer for more than 5 years now. I think this is my case as well , when I filled my application last few months , at that place i filled NO, and then filled my present employment details because i wasn't previously employed , I have been working with my present employer for more than 6 years now, and during the interview the CO asked me how long I have been working i said 6 years and 4 months as at June. Please is this a mistake, does it pose a treat to my future application, and how do I correct this when applying again , because the form will ask from date of attendance to end date?

The job you're currently into is what is required of you.

Asorock 1: 2.) I intend applying for UK visit visa by the end of October to travel for Christmas holiday but alone without my family because my wife will stay to look after my sick mother in-law as she wants them to come during this Christmas and stay with her. Is it ok for me to apply As to also boost my travel history.

It will be difficult for you to secure a UK visa, if not impossible. Reasons being that the question part on the UK application form asking if you had been refused visas to any country and your reply will be yes: US and France. Now tell me in a situation like this, with the UK always looking for avenues to deny intending travellers from Nigeria, wont they just say, ''you're not qualified without going through your documents?''

Asorock 1: 3.) I have decide to go with a conference as a reason for applying for a US visa next year. But my questions are; won't the CO see it as inconsistency in reason to visit US are what are the likely questions and best answer to give during interview for conference.

The CO will not see your application as inconsistent as long as your travel situation changes and also a change in your circumstance.

Asorock 1: 4.) Please tzetzefly, you said something about a conference on Global Marketing Strategy or Business Consultation/ Development, I have been able to see some conference that required payment on business and economics relating to my field on some sites like allconference.com, conference alerts etc for next year but i don't know how to go about this, like submitting abstracts etc, I have never been to a conference before. These are the conferences;
a.) International Business Research, Economics , Finance and Management, location is Honolulu , Hawaii, US. From jan 6th to jan 9th 2014 again another one from feb 14, 2014 to feb 16, .14.
b.) Orlando winter conference- Research/teaching excellence in Business and Economics conference , Orlando, Florida, US. From 16th to 18th of march, 14. I want to know if these conferences would be recognized by the US embassy as important and is there any other conference i might go to be seen relevant , which one do I choose how do I go about it, what is the best time to apply

Choose the conference in Orlando, Florida. That location is closer, budget friendly and more travel sensible in the eyes of a CO.

Hawaii, Honolulu is an expensive location and quite far from Nigeria. Hawaii, does not border any other U.S. state.

The CO will take your economic circumstance, previous conference travel experience and your present situation in Nigeria in arriving at his/her decision. Quite a difficult prospect that one, Hawaii.

Asorock 1: 5.) last, a friend of mine wants to apply to UK for the Christmas holiday and he ends 95k monthly after tax, he put married as a marital status when he went for his international passport early this year, and now he just wish to put single as his marital status in his UK application since he doesn't have documents and pictures to support it and owing to the fact that he thinks his income is low for a family person since UK normal ask a lot in their form like how much you spend a month from bills and a lot, so now is it ok for him to just state single in his application
Does the embassy verify the informations on the passport like marital status apart from the one on the passport data page


Is it ok for him to just state single, note he hasn't applied for UK visa before, but has been to some African countries.

He can enter single on the UK application form as long as he can show consistency in his future application process.

Nigerian oil tycoon Folorunsho Alakija is now the richest black woman in the world with an estimated fortune of $7.3 billion.

Africa boasts of 55 billionaires - far more than previously thought - and they're worth a staggering $143.88 billion in total, according to pan-African magazine Ventures Africa.

Starting her career as a secretary in a
bank in the mid 1970s, Alakija, 62, then studied fashion in London and returned to Nigeria to start a label, Supreme Stitches. But her biggest break came in oil.

In 1993, her company, Famfa Oil, was
awarded an oil prospecting license,
which later became OML 127, one of the country's most prolific oil blocks, by then- president Ibrahim Babangida.

The company owned a 60 per cent stake in the block until 2000 when the Nigerian government unconstitutionally acquired a 50 per cent interest without duly compensating Alakija or Famda Oil.

In May 2012, Alakija, a married mother- of-four, challenged the acquisition and the Nigerian Supreme Court reinstated the 50 per cent stake to her company.

She also has a charity called the Rose of Sharon foundation that helps widows and orphans by empowering them through scholarships and business grants.

Forbes magazine had estimated Alakija's fortune at $600 million, as of November 2012, but the magazine's editor-in-chief Uzodinma Iweala said his researchers were 'closer to the ground.'

They noted that Brazilian oil company, Petrobas, was looking to sell its 8 per cent stake in OML 127 for $1.5- $2.5 billion, and extrapolated that if they managed to sell it for $1 billion, Alakija's 60 per cent stake would be worth at least $7.3 billion.

Iweala claims this and other estimates included in the report are actually 'on the conservative side' and said the magazine expect to unearth more African billionaires shortly.

The overall richest African is Nigerian manufacturer Aliko Dangote who is worth $20.2 billion. Twenty Nigerians are listed in total.

According to Forbes, Oprah Winfrey is worth $2.9 billion.

www.naij.com/news/49275.html

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has
been seized by armed men from a hotel in the capital, Tripoli.

Mr Zeidan was taken at dawn "by gunmen to an unknown place for unknown reasons", said a statement on the government's website.

The details of the incident are unclear -sources say Mr Zeidan was arrested by an anti-crime department militia, but others that he had been kidnapped. On Tuesday he called on the West to help
stop militancy in Libya.

In an interview with the BBC on Monday, Mr Zeidan had said Libya was being used as a base to export weapons throughout the region. He called on the West to help stop militancy in Libya.

https://bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24470850

Passengers were, yesterday, dazed at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA2 and the General Aviation Terminal, GAT, Terminal 1 as airline operators increased airfares astronomically.

Vanguard gathered at the terminal that there was a sharp increase in fares. For instance a 55-minutes flight to Abuja attracted between N22,000 and N26,000 in the economy class depending on how early a prospective passenger bought the ticket.

Before the clampdown on Dana Airlines, the tickets were sold for between N18,000 and N20,000. First Nation Airways that resumed flights recently after closing shop for about 14 months charged N25,500 to Abuja while Aero collected N22,500.

Some passengers, who spoke to Vanguard, lamented that the operators were using the opportunity of the crisis in the industry to exploit hapless travellers.

One of the passengers, Mr. Wisdom Clark said the situation was unfortunate and pathetic, stressing that in a country where the economy was going down, airlines were still charging exorbitant fares.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/airlines-hike-fares-dana-airlines-suspension/

According to an eyewitness who spoke to P.M.NEWS under anonymity, after Murtala was shot dead, the police
constable then fired again in the air
twice to scare the people around and
escaped on his motorcycle.

Moses Andrew, a friend who was with Muri, as he was popularly called, at the Time Out Lounge party venue in Barnawa, narrated that there was pandemonium after Muri was shot and Okpe, the policeman, had escaped .

“We were confused while trying to revive Muri, when a guy informed us that he knows a friend to Okpe’s girlfriend that had left the party for a club called X-One at Barnawa,” Andrew said.

According to him, they quickly moved to X-One and fortunately met her there. “We picked the lady who identified the policeman who killed Muri as Alex Okpe, and that he serves at Kakuri Police Station but deployed to guard Nigerian Brewries Plc.,”

We learnt that the killer policeman was later tracked down and arrested by officers from Barnawa Police Division after the case was reported there.

Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Femi Adenaike, who confirmed the incident to P.M.NEWS, said it was true Alex Okpe was arrested and during interrogation confessed to have killed Murtala Aminuat a party venue.

Adenaike said Okpe claimed in his
statement that he fired at Muri in “self
defence” when he and his friends were trying to fight him over his girlfriend.

He said the police didn’t send Okpe to
Barnawa at that time and if he is found guilty, he would be dismissed and taken to court for trial. “The suspect is in the cell and we have commenced investigation.

And if he is found guilty, we will give him an in- house trial and summary dismissal so that he can face the law for homicide,” the state police boss said. Adenaike urged the family of the deceased to remain calm as the police are doing everything possible to investigate the case and ensure justice is done.

The blind father of the late Muritala,
Mohammed Jimoh, told journalists at
press conference at their High-Cost residence that as a Muslim he’s taught to accept the death of his son and bread winner as an act of God.

But he said if his son had to die, it should not be in the hands of a policeman who should have been responsible for protecting him. “Yes my son , a first class economist for that matter and our hope, is dead, but I want justice done in this case,” Aminu said.

Until Murtala Aminu’s death, he was the youth leader, Catholic Holy Family Church, Barnawa. He also owned a shawamar and roasted fish outlet at Narayi-Highcost.

www.pakurumo.com/2013/10/sad-news-first-class-graduate-shot-dead.html?m=1

Yeecar: they are into production of drugs (pharmaceutical company), they also sell raw materials for drug production. i dont think they really regocnised in the US cos they are not popular.

Google this pdf file:
www.state.gov/../87206.pdf

vital info as to the instructions a
CO follows in arriving at a visa approval decision is contained there.

Endeavour to observe Pages 17, 18 and 22 N12 paragraph a & b.

You will see from this page, why there was a conflict of decision in the minds of the VO who did not know how to place your visa application.

She was lost as to the reason for such sponsorship and training by the organisation in the States. And this situation in her mind, was a clear case of either an attempt to engage you in a temporary employment / training in the US which ordinarily should have been classified under an ''H'' visa category, or you as an applicant tried to be smart in your visa approach by coming with a ''B'' visa category.

If you had started the whole process with a ''J'' category visa, then you probably would not have gone through all this i guess.....

Yeecar: thanks alot bro youve been great. The company that gave me the scolarship is a private company in the USA and not a USA government organization. The scholarship covers everything excluding TFare and that is where my employers are coming in (they are paying for my return ticket) cos they dont want me to loose this oppurtunity. Do you still feel i should go for the j1 considering the long process involved just for a month visit and dont u think it will be late considering the fact that the training is by january ,2014?

Private company you said. Ok. But what sort of activities are they into and are they firmly recognised in the States?

Yeecar: Oh thanks alot blawwi1. My monthly income is 99,554 naira. the training is 100% connected with my job as a matter of fact, my employers are willing to sponsor the trip. they even gave me an introductory letter to that effect, i told the CO but she didnt ask for the letter. Or was i suppose to have shown her the letter not withstanding? Am just confused you know.

You claim in your interview and on your DS-160 form, that you are a government sponsored worker, that in itself, is a prelude to obtaining a J-1 visa which you are unaware of. Your intended reason for travel is to seek a Training in what is presumed specifically for cultural change / Technological advancement (your related field of work) to your home country. The VOs are aware of this, but you do not.

That was why she/ he felt your case was lacking facts as she / he wondered why your office does not know this procedure hence, she didnt want to waste her / his time interviewing you.

The Exchange Visitor Program promotes mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by educational and cultural exchanges.

The J-1 Visa provides countless opportunities for international candidates looking to travel and gain experience in the United States. The multifaceted programs enable foreign nationals to come to the U.S. to teach, study, conduct research, demonstrate special skills or receive on the job training for periods ranging from a few weeks to several years.

Through the Government Visitor program, distinguished international visitors develop and strengthen professional and personal relationships with their American counterparts in U.S. federal, state or local government agencies.

Government Visitor (which you claim you are due to your sponsorship), must be:

1.Selected by a U.S. federal, state or local government agency.

2. Engaged in observation tours, discussions, consultations, professional meetings, conferences, workshops and travel.

3. An influential or distinguished person.

Go through this website for additional specific requirements:

www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1267.html

@Yeecar,

To take part in one of the J-1 Visa
programs, locate and contact a designated sponsor. It is a long process, but you can get the necessary details here:

www.j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/

Asorock 1: My good people of nairaland, just like I said, I will keep you guys posted on my france visa application issue.
Well I arrived so late here in lagos yesterday being thursday, I had no option than to sleep at the ABC terminal, I just managed to brush my teeth and changed to my suit there is no place to bath, the bathroom is for drivers only, it started raining heavily here in lagos very early in the morning, for those of you who stays in lagos can testify to that, after waiting so long for the rain to subside, I had to go under the heavy down pour to avoid the lagos popular traffic jam, even though it later turned out to be what it is. I was so soaked with my suit cos i dressed well thinking it will be an interview issue. I arrived at the france embassy at 8:25AM with wet body, there was a man waiting as well, then the security men told me i have to wait till its 10AM. At the said time the back door was opened then i realized that its a Nigerian girl that we have to meet at a counter just like the US embassy counter. By then we already have so many people waiting, I was the second person. The man ahead of me was allowed in , though I don't know the reason, when it was my turn , I explained to the girl why I'm there, she took my passport and the refusal letter with my name and the other names glanced through it, then she asked me to wait and she also took the receipt of the woman behind me, she left the counter and went into the consulate . We waited for like an hour or 45 minutes before she showed up then gave the woman her passport and return my passport to me without any refusal stamp but with another letter this time having my full name with my surname and other names. I was speechless, disappointed , and I felt the pains more than I did initially , what I was actually afraid of really happened, I left my job, time , spend money, the stress and all i passed through both under the heavy rain and so on to come to lagos and collect a corrected sheet of paper. If not that I'm a man really i should have cried. But I remembered the music our driver was playing on our way to lagos. The music said " no matter the struggle, God does his things at the right time". I explained to the people around me who cares to know what happened because i later asked the girl to give me back the initial paper with my name and the other names , she went inside again stayed for 30 minutes came out and told me that the main Oga has taken up the matter that the system showed i was refused, i think she became mean because i told her i want to petition with the paper as i strongly believe there is a mix-up with my application and someone else. But after the argument with the Nigerian girl, a lady and a man called me aside and told me that the truth is that France hardly replies to appeals except in an extreme circumstances, the reply to 2 out of 100 petitions. That I should go an apply for UK visa as that will be easier for me then if I apply again they will give me. I left, I'm
Still here in lagos but will be leaving with the first bus tomorrow.

NOTE: a lot of people who were there actually came to withdraw there applications , I think I didn't even see anyone work out with a France visa on his passport maybe the woman behind me.
A police DPO came shouting that his application has stayed for almost 4 months, same with one other guy who already has a Mexico visa but needed a France transit visa decided to withdraw the passport as he intends to travel with it today then the Nigeria girl after consultation with the useless france consulars inside told the guy to get a copy of his ticket so he could be issued a visa, his application already stayed for months.
So many people were complaining that France embassy presently have a very big technical issue. I regretted applying there.

I don't know what to do next. I can only change the things which I can change and to live with those things which I cannot change.

I strongly believe that one day i will write my testimony so long as this.

Opinions and advices are welcome. Thanks and God bless.

What more can i say, this is so pathetic.....

Yeecar: I am a federal
Civill servant .I recently got a
scholarship to come to the US for
a 1 month training which will be coming up by January 2014 . I applied for a
B1 visa. An invitation letter was
sent to me through d email which
I presented to d Consular officer.
But suprisingly I was denied a
visa . I told her dat a leter of
introduction was also given to me
by my employer but she didn't
ask.Please what can be the
reason for my visa denial? I was
properly dressed and I was even
puting on my ofice I'd card. I am
just leaving the embassy shocked
and disapointed. Thanks in
anticipation of Your quick
response as am thinking of
reapplying next week.

Sorry to read of your refusal, but there are several factors involved that may have resulted in such outcome. This factor should be clearer if we know what Federal Civil Servant you are?

But the only pointer i can think of that led to your immediate refusal, maybe unconnected to your visa category which you choose i.e. a B1 visa. The proper category should have been under a J-1 visa. I believe this would have been more tolerable to the Visa Officer.

Asorock 1: Thanks blawi1, I will keep the house posted.

Endeavour to go along with all your initial documents submitted for the France visa application. You never can tell, an interview may be awaiting as a blessing.....

Asorock 1: But my question is what if I was asked by US if I was previously denied any visa , what will be my answer ? That's if after If I don't travel to Europe before December that I intend to apply again.

The US CO will not ask you if you were denied visas to visit any other country. The question will be asked you only pertaining to their own visas.

Asorock 1: Secondly will turkey or any other European visa boost my chances for US visit visa.

Definitely yes, only if you actually did travel with the issued visa (sticker)with entry / exit stamps to prove your journey. The reason for your journey will however be indicated on your issued visa assisting the ECO or VO as the case maybe.

Asorock 1: Do i just forget about any other trip and reapply for US visa by December this year with just the Dubai and Ghana trip. Will that show changes in circumstances within 6 months of rejection since I was denied US tourist visa on June 11th this year.

It will not show a change in your circumstance but lead to a further refusal. It will be assumed by the CO that you cannot substantially change your circumstance within six months of your first refusal. Except you're a part of a government sponsored delegation to the States. Which can get you a visa even a week after your refusal.

Asorock 1: Please tzetzefly I know you want me to ractify the issue at hand with my france application first before any other thing but please let's assumed that it is what it is at the moment rejection. Please look into my above questions and contribute ok, justwise and other gurus don't a let a brother to be frustrated. Happy independent everyone. Anticipating your replies.
God bless.

Your are not to apply at the major embassies for now to avoid waste of resources and psychological demoralisation. And also to mention a case of unnecessary suspicion by the ECO and CO on your application case file.

benson3788: I have something very important to discuss with you. Your email please?

It is on my profile on nairaland. Click on the send E-mail message before the profile image....

blawi1: @ tzetzefly, I did an SA trip in March and a France application in September of d same year so it is possible to make 2 trips (whether vacation or not) in one year.

Offcourse it is possible to make as many trips in a single calendar year. I never disputed that. The only issue is the need to explain to the ECO on a separate note, the type of visas you were issued previously.

That is if you dont have a visa sticker on your passport which can show if your purpose was visiting, training, medical, tourism etc.

Hope you understand now?

Asorock 1: Is very very obvious that you are a blessing to this generation and I hope that one day I will be here giving people advice just like you. I will keep you posted on this.
God bless you.

It's alright.....

Asorock 1: Ok I will just that tzetzefly , you didn't say anything on the side of them not stamping any refusal on my passport does it mean something is wrong or they mistaken my application for someone else ?

When you receive a feedback from them after your e-mail, it should be clearer to you. It is not something we can claim knowledge of.

You need to know the decision on your treated case at the France embassy. As other countries will ask you if you'd been refused visa before. And a clear knowledge of your case is necessary, so as not to have someone else's ban on your file.....

Asorock 1: Please tzetzefly I don't know if this is wrong please can i have your cell number to call you now. Or an email i need to ask a lot though is true I'm suppose to do that here for everyone to learn but I need a guideline as some issues require urgent attention.

Send me a message on my nairaland profile....

Asorock 1: To go for a conference at US won't that be seen as irregularity in application , remember on the first US application I applied for tourism and sightseeing , now if I change my purpose of visit to US to conference won't that affect me negatively, again can I apply for a conference or business visa immediately at any of the shengen embassy that offers an opportunity for an interview like Germany anytime , I wish to go to Europe before November and return to apply for Christmas holiday in US. Try to understand me

You need to first clear the mistake in your name before you can be safe for any Schengen Visa Application.

Send them an e-mail....

Asorock 1: Remember you only know that I went to Dubai for vacation because i did tell you and the house, i didn't want to lie, if you have seen the stamp on my passport without me telling you the reason to have been there you will not know, same with the consular officer , my employer understands what I'm doing and have given me that opportunity to use my one month annual leave twice, that's why i spent just a week in dubai then ghana trip was a church program, my employer is more of a friend than boss to me. And he is willing to help me too.

And you tzetzefly, justwise and other gurus are the Oga at the top , please help me. I need that US visit visa this Christmas.

It doesnt matter to them at the embassy, what they want to see is a straight forward application with all the holes covered.

Yours was not fully covered. There was clearly entry stamps for two destinations on your passport and just this current year to be precise. A little note attached to your application explaining your past travels, would have done a little trick on your behalf to clear the ambiguity.

These ECO are pressed for time and they are humans as well. Helping them out with explanations on paper can go a long way to separate an organised traveller to a less attentive one.

Asorock 1: I want to ask, since is only a stamp and not visa sticker that Dubai and Ghana gives , why would the consular officer conclude that I already went for a vacation? I could have been to Dubai and Ghana for any other official purpose, I could have been given the opportunity to explain that had it been it was an interview.

Please I still want to know what to do as I wish to be in US this Christmas.

That is the beauty of an opportunity for a face to face interview. Which most people get scared of.

But i need to tell you that the US CO will surely be waiting for an application such as yours to deny again. Let enough time pass before you appear before them again. It is your only chance and this time, go for a conference or training in what i indicated above.

All the best.....

Asorock 1: In addition to the information i provided above i just checked my passport properly and saw that the France embassy didn't stamp the refusal stamp on my passport, I'm happy for that in a way then the refusal form they have to me indicating the reasons for the rejection bears only my surname on it the the other and first name is someone else's name , please what does that mean

Your application is not problematic, but to be on a safe side so as not to have a mistaken identity possibly with someone with forged documents who may have been banned, i suggest you send them a message with your Visa Application Reference Number, Your Passport Number, Name and Date of Birth and the Mistake made as your message body.

Do this as soon as possible....

BnBarbie: Hmmmm....Dear tzetzefly,
What if i have a UK visa which i intend to use in December with my husband, and i would like to use that opportunity to visit france. We visited dubai for honeymoon in january and our first yr anniversary is coming up. So we intend leaving late december to 1st wk of jan. Christmas in UK and anniversary in france. Are u saying the likelihood of being denied a schengen visa is high? kindly advise.

Your honeymoon in Dubai in January 2013 is an applicable holiday to newly wedded and this honeymoon could have been anywhere in the world, with a limited time frame from work.

And i suppose you have your marriage certificate at hand to prove your matrimony which is less than a year presently and dont forget pictures as well.

Going with your assertion that you possess a UK visa already, this is a bonus to securing a Schengen visa. But a written note by you to the ECO is relevant along with your application in letting the ECO know your likely travel plans, which is to celebrate your one year anniversary in Paris or Marseilles as the case may be or ECO may not understand why you need to visit France from the UK.

Also a letter from your office permitting you to proceed on this Leave which i presume is your annual leave will be relevant.

If your application is without clarity, the likelihood of a denial cannot be over-emphasised.

Hope this helped a bit?

Asorock 1: Hello tzetzefly, just wise and other gurus in the house. I want you to please tell me what is exactly wrong with my application and what to do to avoid this rejections. Today I just got my processed application from vsf France, and to my disappointment i was denied a France tourist visa. My intention is to go and return back as I just want to build a travel history to enable me reapply for US visit visa on December, after my first US denial, I have been to Dubai and Ghana. This is the documents I submitted and as well as my profile:
Married
Sales supervisor
31 years old
I have a one year old kid
Have been working for 6 years now
Have up to 1.7m + in my salary account
3 months salary pay slip.
Have a monthly income of #145k
I have 2 plots of land though yet to complete the payment valued at #3m so no C OF O only temporal receipt issued , I intend to complete the purchase once i return from Europe by October ending. But I didn't submit this temporal receipt
I Intended to stay for just 9 days.
Medical insurance
Flight reservation
Hotel reservation clearly showing 9 nights
Introduction letter from my employer
Leave letter
Marriage certificate
My child's NPC birth certificate
Copy of my work ID card
Bank stament for 3 months showing my stated income in the introduction letter
Application form and other requirements
My passport and other travel stamps.

Please what's wrong with my application with the rejection stamp on my passport now. the Dubai stamp and other African countries stamp, do I stand a chance to secure a US tourist visa by December if I don't go to any European country Please advice me on what to do , I'm nearly at the point of frustration, is there any European country or any other country i can apply for a visa to better my chances ??
Or do I just reapply at US embassy with just the Dubai and Ghana trip because the guy who interviewed me at US embassy Abuja on June told me the reason for my denial is lack of travel history.

Please help me just wise, favor gal , tzetzefly fly and the good people of nairaland.
God bless you.

I must tell you your application documents will secure visa for you in any major embassy. The only issue that worked against you, was your lack of travel history and visa stamps(stickers)in your passport. Forget the Dubai entry / exit stamps on your passport, it never works like that for the Schengen visa procedure.

If i had known you were planning to submit your application at the France Embassy, i would have advised you otherwise. You only just took vacation to Dubai this year and this is reflected on your passport and you also want another vacation in France. This smells like migration to any ECO.

Your job in the eyes of the ECO will never permit you to embark on two Leave of Absence from work. It is never done anywhere in the world. The only acceptable format is an accumulated Leave which can be taken three months at a stretch or more (possible across Europe and North America) and i doubt if this is possible in Nigeria.

The only way your application could have passed, was if your intended reason for travel was for Conference / Training or a Course to develop yourself at work.

Stay away from any Schengen, Uk, Canadian & US, Embassy / Diplomatic or High Commission till next year. And this time around,try to apply for a conference on Global Marketing Strategy or Business Consultation/ Development. This can be of immense help in your job related activities.

All the best......

nubiangyrl: Hello Justwise, blawi1, favoured gal,tzetzefly,suxes2005 and all the good people of this forum, first I would like to appreciate everyone’s input on this forum so far. I need your honest opinion. I had my interview for b2 tourist visa on the 25th of sept and I was denied.
My interview went as follows:
Me: good morning
CO: good morning
CO: what are you going to do in the U.S?
ME: to spend my vacation and tourism
CO: where in the US are you going?
ME: Orlando
CO: why Orlando
ME: it has most of the theme parks and tourist attraction I would love to see and I have always wanted to spend my vacation in Orlando
CO: Okay
CO: what do you do?
ME: I’m a marketing manager at ……it’s a subsidiary of another company
CO: oh okay
CO: how long have you been working there?
ME: a year and 4 months
CO: How much do you earn monthly
ME: 111,000 after deductions
CO: a hundred and eleven? As in one one one?
ME: yes 111,100 after tax (I wrote the gross amount in my ds 160 )
CO: okay
CO: you have been to the UK? (Flips through my old passport and looks through it well like he was looking for something)
ME: yes
CO: what did you go and do there?
ME: to visit my cousin and tourism purposes
CO: do you have relatives in the US?
ME: no
CO: Do you have any friends in the US?
ME: I have but I have lost touch
CO: types something on the screen
CO: are you married?
ME: no
CO: do you have children?
ME: no
CO: unfortunately you do not qualify at this time, I’m giving you a letter explaining and returning your passport.

Please what do you think went wrong? Is it becoz of my marital status, I admit I was quite nervous coz that was my first time of applying. I haven’t been to the UK in about 4 years, could that have been the reason for refusal or becoz I mentioned my salary after tax instead of the gross amount I wrote in my ds-160. How soon can I re apply, is 6 months too soon for a substantial change in circumstances? So many questions running through my mind and I cant seem to figure it out. I wasn’t even asked for single doc nor given the chance to show other ties. Pleaseee help! I don’t want to repeat same mistake. Thank y’all

Reasons for initial refusal:

1. A year and four months you have been on your job. That is too early to make a dash for a US visa. Not enough economic tie just yet.

2. No social or family ties in your home country to fall back on. Single applicant.

3. Your stated income during the interview, fell short of your indicated income on your DS-160. Lack of consistency in your data.

4. ''Do you have any friends in the US?'' Your reply was wrong. There is no need to indicate a friend you have lost touch with in the US. This gives the CO an element of doubt about your travel intentions as he / she already had reservations of you being a potential migrant from numbers 1 & 2 above ^^. I dont have anyone in the States is sufficient enough if you dont have any details about such persons.

In my oppinion, i will advise you to apply after a year.

A 99-year-old Iowa woman who dropped out of a high school more than 80 years ago despite needing only one credit to graduate has finally received her diploma.

Audrey Crabtree, of Cedar Falls, smiled Monday as she received an honorary diploma for her time at Waterloo East High School.

Crabtree, who began her education at a one-room school house in northeast Iowa, left high school in 1932 due to a swimming and diving accident that forced her to miss several school days. She also had to care for her sick grandmother.

She married two more times and outlived both husbands. Her family today includes five
grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Despite Crabtree's professional and family success, those around her had noted her dissatisfaction with not finishing school.

"She had voiced quite a while back the one regret she had in life was that she never had gotten her diploma," said Shelley Hoffman, Crabtree's granddaughter. Hoffman contacted Waterloo Community Schools and helped arrange the diploma ceremony.

Crabtree was given a copy of her last report card and memorabilia from her time at the high school, including a jacket and homecoming pins. She also received more than 100 handmade congratulatory cards from middle school students.

www.news.yahoo.com/99-old-iowa-woman-gets-high-school-diploma-162511730.html

SOTAJ: @tzetzefly, thanks so much for ur comment. It is well appreciated. As regards the circumstance for our visa refusal in 2011, the VO asked if my wife was pregnant (she was carrying my boy who is 2yrs plus now although not dt visible) and we said yes. And dt was all.

I think ur submission on our refusal yesterday is correct to a very large extent (especially the extremely cold weather in Dec). As I wrote earlier, I observed it was after we told her our intended travel date dt her disposition changed.

Now, do u suggest I pay for the visa fees again and schedule for another interview immediately (stating our intended date as April, Easter)? My reason for this is to give us ample time to be able to plan our itinery (ticket reservations and so on) on time. I am looking at killing 2 birds with a stone (ie) Do multi destination in April with few days stoppover in the Uk. And all this is better done well in advance to be able to get good bargains.

So, should I just go ahead and reschedule before the week runs out?

Justwise, ur input will be well appreciated as well.

Do not be in a rush to reschedule your interview date, you can do that by late December 2013 or early January and take your travel date to be the Easter season for 2014.

SOTAJ: Hello guys. I really commend the way peoples' issues are resolved on ds forum.
My family went for a US visa interview today and we were refused visas for no particular reason.
Below is how the interview went.

VO: Hello
Me: Good Morning
VO: Where are you going in the US?
Me: Delaware
VO: Who are u visiting and for what?
Me: My sister-in-law on vacation
Mywife: My sister
VO: Who is paying for the trip?
Me: Me and My wife
VO: Have u travelled out before?
Me: Yes. Been to the UK a couple of times
VO: Have you travelled as a family before?
Me: Yes. 3 of us were in the UK for Easter in 2012 except my daughter who was not born as at the time.
VO: Starts to check thru our passports(Myself and My wife both have 5 years valid UK visas while my son has 2 years valid visa)
VO: What do u do?
Me: I am a banker
Mywife: I am a banker as well
VO: what is ur family monthly income
Me: Told her
VO: Do u intend to seek medical attention in d US?
Me: No
VO: How long will u be staying in the US?
Me: 3 weeks
Me: I was thinking at this point we are as good as getting our visas.
VO: How old are ur kids?
Me: My son is 2 years plus and my daughter is 2 months.
VO: When do u intend to visit?
Me: December
VO: Pauses for a while and starts to type for some minutes. Then handed over our passports to us saying we did not qualify for non immigrant visas.

I was annoyed and confused even though mysel and my wife have been refused visas to the US in 2011 (the officer said we didn't have ties then) when there was no kid, I didn't expect to get the kind of decision the VO gave us today.

I am somehow confused now and don't know where I got it wrong.
Could it be because of my baby's age and the fact that we intend to travel in December? Cos I noticed it was after the VO asked about my Kids' ages and our intended travel date that she started to type on her system.

I am thinking of rescheduling for another interview before the week runs out and probably pick April 2014(Easter period) as our travel date.Maybe my daughter would be seen as old enough by that time.

Gurus in the house, please I need your sincere advices and suggestions so that we don't get the same result even when we reapply.

Cheers and keep the good work moving.

I wouldnt know the circumstance surrounding your refusal in 2011, but judging from your interview presently, you seriously dont have a need to worry.

The only issue that worked against you was the period (winter) you choose to vacate in Delaware and not your child's age. There are numerous other months outside winter you can pick.

Winter will be colder and drier than normal, although snowfall will be above normal in most of the region. The coldest periods will be in early and mid-December and in early to mid-February. The snowiest periods will be in early and mid-December, and in early and mid-February.

April and May will be drier and much warmer than normal. Summer will be hotter and rainier, with the hottest periods in early June, early to mid-July, and early to mid-August. September and October will also be warmer and drier than normal.

If your stated reason was to visit your sister-in-law alone without additional reason like vacation, your visa would have been certain (all other things being equal i.e. If your first refusal in 2011 was not problematic).

City of Delaware in December can be extremely cold during your travel dates as i mentioned above. Try again in Easter, a perfect period for visiting friends and relatives and state your intended stay in days and not weeks.

All the best......

[quote author=T-Wallpapers]Please can anyone help me with the requirements for a business visa. I'm going for a conference and wants to know if I must pay for the conference fee before going to the embassy. Thanks[/quote]1. Proof of a paid conference and IV from the organisers.

2. Reason for attending the conference

3. Bank Statement or pay slips from your employer

4. Answer all questions confidently and appear smart.

5. Your first 25secs with the CO will determine if your documents will be checked.