₦airaland Forum

Hello my people...wetin dey happen?...I do hope a lot of people are coming in for the fall semester!!!

Isobutylene: I was scheduled for the 8a.m interview on Sunday (yesterday) and got to the embassy around 7:05am cos it was a 15 minutes walking distance from my crib, behold I was the first to get there. Security check started at 7:30am before I entered the waiting room. After finger prints were taken I was asked to wait till I'll be called upon for the interview. I began muttering "Thou O Lord shall arise and have mercy upon me for the time to favor me, Yeah the set time has come". After like 10 minutes, I was the first to be called for the interview on counter No. 2.

V.O: Good Morning
Me: Good Morning
V.O: why are you going to the US?
Me: For my PhD Studies
V.O: where?
Me: Told him
V.O: wow!...that's my state
Me: Really?
V.O: Yeah, it's a very good school, you'll enjoy the soccer...blah blah blah
V.O: So, who's gonna pay for your studies?
Me: I'm on a full scholarship
V.O: Really?
Me: Yeah,(so I gave him my offer letter from the department)...he read it
V.O: You mean the university gave you this? (Guess he was surprised at the enormousness of the assistantship)
Me: Yeah
V.O: Can I have your college transcripts?
Me: Sure, here they are....first gave him my BSc transcript, then he later asked for my MS transcript
(He was typing something which I cared less about)
V.O: Are you gonna enroll for any language program
Me: Nope, English is the official language in my country Nigeria and I have passed the English language requirement
V.O: Okay
V.O: Have you ever travelled to Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen etc (He asked because I'm presently in a Gulf country)
Me: Nah, Nah, Nah
V.O: Okay, this is your first time of going to the US?
Me: Yeah
V.O: Okay, I will approve your visa and it will be ready in 3 days, go to the back over there and pay for the delivery at the FedEx stand. The cost is an equivalent of 2,700 Naira.
Me: 3 days?
V.O: Yeah, 3 days
Me: Thank you
I was just singing in my heart as I left the Embassy with joy in my soul because now I know that DREAMS COME TRUE!!!

Congrats bro...welcome on board!

How everybody dey do?....it's been a while here (no call me runaway guy ooo)...I was chilling with a lot of stress

ebdib: As u can see...this thread is in 3 parts. Start by reading the previous parts.

If that's too much, just go to the us embassy and demand a visa.

Or u can swim from takwa bay to hudson.
Whichever is convenient.

If you cannot give a reasonable and peaceful answer and if you must insult, then don't bother answering the question....if you can assist the person do so in the most matured way....don't use reading the thread from "part one" as a reason to insult anybody...so people are oblivious of the fact that there is even a part one...the "bolded" was really uncalled for.

Hmmmm...Visa Threaddddd!...How's everybody doing?...Hibernating again...wish all the visa applicants best of luck with your applications...Peace House!

webstradamus: Please tell them! The category of people sponsored in[b] IT[/b] are highly competent and/or experienced programmers/developers/analysts with great potential ... now you don't get that overnight, do you?



It appears the Republicans are not totally against immigration after-all. They just want [b]highly skilled migrants (for obvious economic benefits) which is why they are strongly in favor of the new I2 act ...

[/b]

It's not about being an IT personnel at all, the good news is that America is bringing back all their jobs from overseas companies such as china back home, for instance General Motors makers of Cadillac and other fancy cars are bringing their full plant back to America, oil companies and other manufacturing industries are also doing same ( I think this is one of the reasons for wanting to pass the STEM bill) so the economy is going to see a major boom in a few. In fact We have a career fair at my school on March 1st this year, and more engineering companies than before are coming to recruit for full time, part time or internship positions, Either the STEM bill makes it or not, the truth is that the economy here is shaping up really good now and they'll definitely sponsor more H1B visas that before if the bill doesn't make it (of course I pray that it does make it...who no want green card?) *now don't start jumping up on your seat or dancing oooo...wait until it happens...na news wey I get from my school career dept be this ooo*

jaypee207: What's ur school walex? I'm interested.

I go to California State University Sacramento, www.csus.edu

idoo4love: okay..Bsc or MSc ?

MSc...abeg please come to my school ooo...e be like say na so so Texas everybody dey go...make you come California jare, I need padis for here too nah..

almajiri101: hello house , please I need information on how to register for GRE in Nigeria.Theres no online registation from nigeria from the ets website.pls anyone that has succeded in registering for those exams in nigeria should elucidiate more on how I can go about it.I need to register for the exam by next week.Secondly can i get to write the exams by april in that time frame? Thanks

Bro, I will advise you go to either FNG centre at 40 Oduduwa way, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos or Firstlogic at Oba Akran Way also in Ikeja Lagos to register and write your GRE, TOEFL and co...I registered with FNG but wrote my exam at Firstlogic...all the best

Demaejy: Kudos to you all guys, Mamacita,Imperxx,Yvete,Kpolli,Walex and others. Inspite of school and working task,you still have time to be answering and helping your fellow compatriots. God bless you! Please what do you think of this school "University of Northern Virginia" hope it's a good school? I think they are operating in some countries too. Thanks

Just as Eduson rightly said...The school is not accredited and according to wikipedia it only has "bogus" claims that are not true, so my bro...run away from that school as fast and far as you can...there are a lot of better schools here...just relax, take your time and fish them out...all the best in your search....e be like say we go put that state "Virginia" for our black book ooo...first it was VIU now it's UNV...hmmm..Virginia, Virginia...

imperiouxx: I understand it's fear of unknown. I told you, she is going for a student visa, all she should be concern about is the academic aspect and tie to Nigeria. She won't be asked about kid stuff, she won't be asked about her previous denial story unless she did something noted or chance directed the VO to test her sincerity. And if she is asked.... She should do justice to the question.

Married..... Yes (they won't even ask for marriage cert.)
Any kid...... NO

Shikena!

you and this your shikena!...omo yoruba ibile!

imperiouxx: Abeg answer the guy.

Lol... ...how far...when you go come CA nah?

idoo4love: hello bro.. Are u a dv lottery winner

Nope..I'm an F-1 student.

biofem2000: Happy new year Nairalanders!!,!,!,!,!,!,!
I got lost a couple of weeks ago... Well I was missing on the conversations and every time I try to post it seems there's something else everyone's talking about. Oh we'll.... And I've been lazy too.
So, my sister inlaw got her visa this morning. I passed on the nairaland bug to her like I did for my sister and brother and.... Voila.... It worked.
She was asked a few questions. When did your brother( DH) get to the US? What does he do ( DH is the sponsor)? Why did you chose accounting? What did you do after your NYSC?
She said it was less than two minutes.
The general advise I gave her was to not talk like a desperado, don't give the impression that you must get to the US tonight, be confident, appeal to the officers emotions when you get the opportunity, relax, smile, it is easier than having to answer to God, do not lie however, do not sell yourself short. Spice up your experience, talk like a professional, don't talk like you just rolled out of bed, talk like you know what you are doing/ saying. Don't say I finished from Unijos, or UI...it is University of Jos,MAALU ( oops!!!!!!!), University of Ibadan, the Polytechnic Ibadan ( not Ibadan poly or Mapol.

Have a great freezing day! .....well... It's way below freezing on the east coast. Brutally cold!

Congrats to her...na you be our mama for here nah, so anybody you recommend must get the Visa

imperiouxx: Please, is there holiday tomorrow? I don't want to go to class but to watch Nigeria match the exact time of my first class. About cold, soon you go escape that place.

Yeah there is holiday tomorrow...

imperiouxx: Trust me I do wella but got stuck in their kinda research here."ise l'ogun ise = work is the best treatment to lack" Let me come up with a publication at my level, get scientific recognition, start making this https://serve.mysmiley.net/sign/sign0116.gif then you'll see my ringtone changed to "I feel like am flying over the anything!"

Lol...you've really got everything planned out bro...no worry very soon you will be counting American cheddars in six digits...lol

hariyoh: . Walax some of them have forgotten about this tread. Hope everything is fine at CA. You don't always reply your yahoo messenger each time I buzz you. Do have a great time bro

I'm so sorry bro, my Yahoo messenger is always on and most times i'm not there to reply, abeg no vex, what's your ID?

imperiouxx: I mean it. You need to know you've succeeded counting He-goat as man, just because of the long beard.

Ok...he's no longer on the list...

Yvete: Dang! This is the Imperiouxx I know. I didn't see the name of the imprecious

LOL!...i never knew imperiouxx disliked this guy this much....

imperiouxx: You packed goat with humans......Smh in pity https://serve.mysmiley.net/sign/sign0186.gif

Lollll ...Goat?..Men Imperiouxx, you are harsh!...

hariyoh: . I can't stop laughing in chinese. Great job you are doing oga imperiouxx,Justwise, Yvete, Kpolli, Square65, Walex, bigfrancis21. Pls were are these guys like Djunits, momoh, Ojab etc. I tender my apology for been away on this tread, it is due to unavoidable circumstances. Henceforth, I promise to view/comment daily. Just putting finishing touches ahead of fall. Imperioux, I will send an email when everything is intact. Thumbs up to everybody in da house.

Welcome back ooo...how i wish femilangy, God pickin, Djunit, Ojap, Phuck_NL (although i don't wanna see his comments, else this place go bomb ) were here...them don graduate leave us...lol

kpolli: So ur adapting well, good to know... Now it's ur turn to laugh... Never experienced this kinda cold weather b4 and here has lil/no public transport so I have to walk to class n all... Plus its like a village so not many buildings to shield us from the wind....

Sorry ehn it is well...for about three days now the weather here in Sacramento, CA has be -3 degrees, infact heater no dey do anything...but no worry by the time you buy your Infinity 2015 model...you go forget all these times...

No one in the house is going for visa interview?...abi the whole spring interviews don finish?...maybe na fall 2014 interviwees remain...shows progress, we are moving forward

Yvete: Folks need to be careful with information here. Grad students have access to a bunch of freebies that undergrads don't. Financial aid for International undergrads is almost non-existent. Get your mind off it.

There are competitive international scholarships and most of them require acceptance to a 4-yr College before its awarded. Most schools expect you to be a student for at least one year to qualify for academic scholarships. If you live and work in the State of Texas for 12 months, you may qualify for in-state tuition (a large chunk of your tuition reduced).

Sports is a big deal. If you can play soccer, practice and try-out with the team to get noticed. My brothers started playing basketball in the US and it favored them with scholarship offers. [s]This may not work for those of us that are above 23.[/s] I had to say 'us' so I don't come under attack again.

Its better to start off at a CC with an excellent GPA for 2 years, then apply for scholarships that covers the tuition for the remaining two years of your degree. These 2 year Colleges, not tech schools are there for you to save money so take advantage of it, but DON'T GO TO THE EMBASSY WITH THEIR I-20. If you cannot afford to fund a 4 yrs bachelors degree, why don't you stay back over there and apply for a Masters in the future. They get all the freebies; GA, RA... all that good stuff.

Just right...I concur

zerocool: The bolded might have changed his mind to approve your visa. Thing is, when they start typing, they are typing the reason why you can't be issued already, even before they officially verbally tell you that you have been denied. He just used that question to buttress his point on their database for the reason he denied you, and having no travel experience was part of it, so the next VO to interview you, will know what and what to look out for and ask. The assistant consular general of the US embassy in Nigeria, said the same thing in a media chat late last year that most Nigerians are denied solely based on the fact that they don't have any travel experience. Wait a while before re-applying ..possibly a year or two.. make your circumstances change, try to travel to a country during that period, SA, UAE or UK.. blah blah..and re-apply, you will definitely be issued, except you bleep it up yourself again.

Which kin advise be this my brother, He wasn't denied based on travel experience just as adolite and imperiouxx has said, I also was issued my visa the first time i ever applied at one attempt and i had no travel experience prior to that, Is a Visa not just an entry document to allow an individual gain entrance upon travel to a country?....infact the moment you arrive the USA, your Visa is the least important of your documents,...Visa issuance is based on genuity and for some others luck!

imperiouxx: So those with VIU admission paid that sum too? Na wa o, VIU sef dey try sha, na dem dey collect the money for SAT/TOEFL. What a good market strategy.

VIU! VIU!! VIU!!!, yes ooo, my country people, another chance to better your life don come oooo....and this time the game show is VIUUUUUUU...uhmmmm...with just $150 pere, your life fit turn around forever ooo, I-20s dey brekete, na just one time application, one time payment of $150 and your admission is sure....abeg my young enthusiastic, talented and motivated Nigerian graduates....offer go close soon ooo...rush and get your VIU I-20 NOWWWWWWWWW!

shoggie: Glory be to God in the highest place. I was denied an F1 Visa today.
I was happy atleast that I fought a good fight of faith up till now after four sucessive rescheduling of my
Visa interview since the first time I booked my interview in November.

My second appreciation goes to everyone on this blog who has been contributing immensely for intended aspirants.
My special unmitigated enthusiasm goes to imperiouxx, nairaspace, walex, Yvete, mammacita etc for their PAINSTAKING effort on everybody from my day one on this blog.
I am dauntless & not in anyway pessimistic.
But to aspirants & the gurus, it is another time to learn from each other.
Here goes my Interview at 10:45, Abuja:
VO : Good morning ( he denied every living person I witnessed except one husband & wife that came for renewal)
Me : Good morning Sir ( I grinned as usualto cool tempo)
VO : Pass me your documents
VO : Sorry, please give some minutes I will be back in a moment.
Me : Calm, waited for like two minutes not even thinking about anything.
Vo : hello, how did you learn about the school?
Me : I dowloaded the best 200 universities based on US News report on university ranking & I used internet to search for those that suite my profile.
VO : Nodded
VO : So you are going for Masters in Bleep course.
Me : Yes
VO : So you what will Bleep course do for you.
Me : I love lecturing, I worked hard to graduate as the best students from my department because I wil like to work as a lecurer in any of our best universities & will also like to work as a research consultant to some of our research institutes since most of them are affiliated to our National universities.
VO : Nodded
VO : Pass me your statement of Accounts
Me : Passed
VO : He glanced through each page & Keep murmuriing sth about $77,000 on my I-20 which was the money I submitted to my school before my I-20 was issued.(possibly he mistaken it for $36, 400 for tution fee on my I-20 as well)
Me : I stayed calm, confidence & a bit indifference since I have 18million plus on the statement of account
VO : Is it only the family type who is sponsoring your study. He asked sth on this twice
Me : Yes, My brother. He failed to ask about what he does. I was waiting for him to ask me about what he does but he failed to do so.
VO : Have you travelled outside Nigeria before
Me : No
VO : Continuing typing & suddenly said your Visa is denied because your family type shows insufficient fund & that I may reapply at any time.
Me : Thank you Sir.
Am happy for one singular reason, I did not lose courage & not too bothered about whether he was going to approve or deny.
Observation : The other lady in window 6 issued almost everybody (9:1 if not 100%), even those going to community colleges, infact, she approved two guys who have graduated since 2006, No SAT or TOEFL but one kind diploma certificates.She was just too happy that we all of us knew that whosoever fortunate to meet her has already got his/her Visa approved.
I had so much time to count the number of applicants'passport on his desk who he has granted Visa,around ten but less than 15 since morning oh!Throughout my time there, he did not issued anybody visa except the couple who came for renewal.
Those going to Abuja, pray against window 7 guy, he is a saddist, too reluctant to issued Visa as if we were goig to US to steal his hard earning dollars.

So sorry Bro but just as Imperiouxx and Yvete has advised, relax, Contact your school and work on the sponsor's statement of account...don't give up and don't worry there's a visa definitely waiting for you at the embassy.

bigfrancis21: Lol...Ω̴̩̩̩̥α the koko nau. HƠ̴̴̴̴͡w your studies ðε̲̣̣̣̥Ɣ go?

I dey ooo and studies is going on fine...

bigfrancis21: My brother I wanted to ignore this your post at first but however decided not to.
I thought someone had already replied you before with a website where you could check out several US schools and choose those that fit your aspirations? Know that not many people will be willing to spoon-feed you with information. Many people on this forum did their research themselves. Since you're going for undergraduate studies, you'll most likely write the SAT test. You can register for the exam in Lagos at various accredited centers/agents. Costs about N14600 or thereabout. The next exam date comes up in march, already late to register for that of this month. At UG level you'll also most likely write the TOEFL, in addition (costs between 35g - 40g). However, if its not part of your prospective school's requirement, forget it then. Good for you. Either way make sure you write at least one of both standardized tests for interview purposes even if both are not required by your school (which seems unlikely), unless you want to stand the chance of being denied your visa.
As for your last question, nobody will do it better than you, bro. You'll HAVE to do your research yourself and find low-cost schools that suit you, schools that may give you partial/full scholarship in the end and of course you know what that means to a self-sponsored international student running on low budget. Finally, avoid VIU and community colleges!!!!
My two cents.

Lol... ...thanks for the reply ...i was thinking about what I was going to say but you said it all...

Uzodynmah: It was at the Lagos Consulate, Interview was for 8:30. After all the checks, i was interviewed by the white guy with cold blue eyes in window 7. He was basically regretting most students (maybe he didn't think them genuine) and visit visa applicants too (most didn’t look genuine), but was giving old people who were equally going on visiting too.
Me: Good morning (with a grin)
VO: Hello good morning, could you please pass you documents?
i passed them
VO: so what are you going to the US for?
ME: I'm to study for a masters degree in Technology Management at UB.
Vo: So where's UB?
ME: Bridgeport CT.
VO: How many schools did you apply to?
Me: 3 schools (UM, UA and UB)
VO: why did you pick UB?
ME: I picked UB, majorly for two reasons. First because the core curriculum of this program is in line with my career and academic aspirations, I have interests in Information Systems engineering and how human and computer interaction can foster self learning. And secondly because I’m interested in the works of Professor Neal.............. He is an associate professor in this department and worked closely with Professor Sugata Mintra who pioneered and has been running the hole in the wall initiative in India for the last 13 years. Which is similar to what the organization I work with intends to carry out in Nigerian with funding from the DFID. So for me it would be a mind blowing experience tom study under him.
VO: So what will this degree do for you considering you don't have a science background and what will you do upon return?
ME: it will qualify be for a senior position upon my return, which is what a graduate degree from America can do. Plus studying under Prof Lewis, whose works are quite similar to what my organization intend to carry out in Nigeria in partnership with Murtala Mohammed Foundation and approved funding from DFID, will for me be one of the most impacting times of my career.
VO: Did you take any qualifying exams?
ME: Yes, hands him my GRE
VO: Was it a prerequisite for admission?
ME: NO
VO: Who will be sponsoring this trip?
ME: why Mom
VO: What does your mom do?
Me: She’s a principal Consultant at the federal ministry of ...................................
VO: do u have proof of financial support
ME: Yes pls, passes him my Mom’s acc balance.
After he scrutinizes it.
So (calls my Name) you have proven to be that you will study and return to Nigeria. You should pick up your visa in Lekki on Thursday. Your I20 and sevis will be returned to you at the visa pickup office. Have a great time studying and enjoy CT.
ME: Thank You Mister.
That's it people. Above all i prayed and fasted about it fervently. then i believed in faith according to Matt. 21:22. there's nothing impossible with God people.

Congrats bro...welcome on board!