₦airaland Forum

@ Deltawife lucky you! You practically breezed in. I just couldn't go through the 20 hrs kind of flight. I'm in Houston, but I'm trying to sort out a more permanent accommodation and means of transport before my 1st appointment with Dr La.

@CallMeFavoured God will perfect your baby's healing in Jesus name.
@firsttymum it was like the lady was just in a very bad mood that morning. God pass all of them.

At the baggage Inspection area I saw 2 other Nigerians being questioned separately, I waited for my turn. I thought it was going to be just inspecting the food items I declared and counting of cash. The officer that called me was a lady. Transcript below, can't remember all but it went like this
Me: Morning
Officer: Morning, your passports and tickets
I handed them over plus my mum's own
Officer: what's the purpose of your visit to the US?
Me: Vacation and childbirth
Officer: Did you declare your intention during your application or I'm going to see something different when I check your record?
Me: I declared my intention
Officer: why do you want to have your baby here afterall you had 3 in your Country?
Me: I gave her the age reason again
She took my mum's passport with her Esta slip and ticket and handed it over to her and told her she was free to go, Her luggage wasn't checked or anything. She wasn't done with me yet, remember I had been stamped in with my kids for 6 months but it didn't move her at all. She continued
Officer: Any idea how much the birth is going to cost you?
Me: a little over 7k dollars
Officer: Any correspondence with the Hospital you are using?
Me: yes *handed over all the email, deposit slips etc*

She took her sweet time reading and going through all the documents
Officer: Who is Sheila?
Me: the lady that works in Dr La's office that I've been corresponding with.
Started going through our tickets
Officer: Why did you tell the embassy that your kids are going to be here for a month and their ticket is showing 2 months?
Me: I stated in my Visa application that I will be travelling with them and my mum by first week of July and they will be back in Nigeria by first week of September, their dad is coming over in August and going back by that September date as well.
Officer: Why isn't your husband with you now?
Me: his leave isn't due till August
Officer: where does he work?
Me: In a bank
Officer: what's the name of the bank?
Me: *** bank
Officer: what does he do there?
Me: *told her what he does*
Officer: do you know anyone in Houston?
Me: No
Officer: where will you be staying?
Me: I made reservation in *** for the duration of our stay.

This Officer wasn't done with me yet o! Like say she dey look for scapegoat.
Officer: How much do you have on you?
Me: told her the amount
She told me to move to the end of her counter, gave me a currency declaration form to fill. I started filling it. In between she was asking other questions like where my visa was issued, what I do for a living, the places we will be visiting with my kids during their stay ( I did my homework wella! I had googled places to visit in Houston before I left lagos so I mentioned a few places I remembered), how I will be moving around with them (Taxi na! Duh!), If my funds run out or isn't enough (husband is coming now with more funds), Like how much will he be coming with etc. I was expecting her to tell me to open my mouth to count my teeth if it's complete because at that time I was just tired of her unending questions.
I finished filling the form and she finally said "that's the exit" rudely. Money o she didn't even sight not to talk of counting, my luggage sef she didn't check. I asked for the rest of the passports I handed over, she just pointed backwards and said " I left them over there, go pick them". I went back to pick them up, thanked her and she actually said "you're welcome" and I waddled out of there as fast as my tummy would allow me before another officer starts questioning me again.
Mum to be passing through Houston "Be very prepared". I pray you all find favour at your different POES and safe delivery. I left the other two Nigerians there o! One was pregnant and the other was a man, up to the man's net sponge it was scattered all over their counter there. So my own drilling sef no reach their own level.

Hello fellow NLers. I'm an August mum and I've finally ported to Houston. I'm a bit jetlagged and stressed out now, I will be sharing my POE experience, my Airline was United Airline from Lagos straight to Houston, it was about 12hrs plus. Houston POE is not for the faint hearted, make sure your bullet proof vest is made of re-enforced steel . I don't know where they got their Border Officers from and I'm just glad I got through. I travelled with my mum and 3 pikins. The interview went thus:
Me : good morning
Officer : *silence*
My mum : good morning
Officer: Silence
Officer: what are you here for?
Me: Vacation and to have my baby
Officer: your baby? Did you state it in your visa application?
Me: yes
Officer: why do you want to have your baby here? You had your first, second and third in your country *pointing to their naija passports*
Me: my age is a major factor here, I'm over forty and the pregnancy risks are higher, I'm not ready to take any chances with this pregnancy.
Officer: how long will you be staying?
Me: 3 months
Officer: 3 months? Won't they be going back to School? *referring to my kids*
Me: they will be going back with their dad in Sept, he will be joining us in August
He collected our ticket print out for verification.

Officer: so how will you cope with them before your husband joins you?
Me: that's why my mum is with me, she will be assisting me.

The Officer stamped my mum in o cos she had her British kpali and told her she was free to go and wait for us near the baggage claim area. He circled on my landing card where I declared the funds I carried( over 10k) and food too and called another officer to take me and my pikins to Secondary Inspection area. He didn't stamp us in o, he just scanned my fingerprint and swiped our passports.
When we got there, there was a crowd of over 40 people we met there. It was a looong wait of over an hour before it was my turn. The officer here was quite nice. He asked if I had made any payment to my doctor and I said yes and stated the amount ( a bit over 2k dollars) and he advised me not to use their medicare whatever and to collect all receipts after payment which I need to re-apply for Visa or to enter US again. Told him no problem and he stamped us in for 6 months. The 1st officer we encountered saw my mum's return ticket for October 3 and still stamped her in till Oct 1. Nasty guy.She was still within the 90 days maximum stay without visa with her return ticket but he had to prove point na! I though it was all over when we finally picked our luggage and we were about to exit before another officer pointed us towards the Baggage Inspection area. I was interviewed all over again!!! Even with my stamped passport o! Will continue soon....

Hello fellow NLers. I'm an August mum and I've finally ported to Houston. I'm a bit jetlagged and stressed out now, I will be sharing my POE experience, my Airline was United Airline from Lagos straight to Houston, it was about 12hrs plus. Houston POE is not for the faint hearted, make sure your bullet proof vest is made of re-enforced steel . I don't know where they got their Border Officers from and I'm just glad I got through. I travelled with my mum and 3 pikins. The interview went thus:
Me : good morning
Officer : *silence*
My mum : good morning
Officer: Silence
Officer: what are you here for?
Me: Vacation and to have my baby
Officer: your baby? Did you state it in your visa application?
Me: yes
Officer: why do you want to have your baby here? You had your first, second and third in your country *pointing to their naija passports*
Me: my age is a major factor here, I'm over forty and the pregnancy risks are higher, I'm not ready to take any chances with this pregnancy.
Officer: how long will you be staying?
Me: 3 months
Officer: 3 months? Won't they be going back to School? *referring to my kids*
Me: they will be going back with their dad in Sept, he will be joining us in August
Officer: so how will you cope with them before he joins you?
Me: that's why my mum is with me, she will be assisting me.
The Officer stamped my mum in o cos she had her British kpali and told her she was free to go and wait for us near the baggage claim area. He circled on my landing card where I declared the funds I carried and food too and called another officer to take me and my pikins to Secondary Inspection area. He didn't stamp us in o, he just scanned my fingerprint and swiped our passports. When we got there, there was a crowd of over 40 people we met there. It was a looong wait of over an hour before it was my turn. The officer here was quite nice. He asked if I had made any payment to my doctor and I said yes and stated the amount ( a bit over 2k dollars) and he advised me not to used their medicare whatever and to collect all receipts after payment which I need to re-apply for Visa or to enter US again. Told him no problem and he stamped us in for 6 months. The 1st officer we encountered saw my mum's return ticket for October 3 and still stamped her in till Oct 1. Nasty guy.She was still within the 90 days maximum stay without visa with her return ticket

Phema:
Congrats to you and your family!
Nope. You don't need to notify the embassy since you already stated you will be going for childbirth.

. Thanks Phema. It was your budget sheet and "burden of proof" list that I followed diligently. Lol! My husband was even fed up at a point, he had to ask me if we were going for exams. I just ignored him and continued gathering the documents you stated on your list.

Good morning NLERS. A big thank you to all the people that contributed a lot of useful information on this thread. I learnt a lot and I was able to prepare better (special thank you to Phema!) My family applied for US visa together and we were all granted ( we have travel history to the UK for the past 10 yrs). In my application I stated that I was going for vacation and childbirth and also when I was interviewed (was obviously pregnant), but I saw I was given a B1/B2 visa like the rest of my family. Is that going to be a problem for me at the POE? Do I need to send an email notifying the embassy before I leave Nigeria for the US? I would really appreciate your help. Thank you