ogagaejay:


Yes, they do, but very few airlines allow you to book without paying. and this would be my advise to those who would be buying later on .if the airline allow you to book and pay later on arrival, Please don't use a master card, pay cash.

All right! Thanks.

ogagaejay:
Guys etihad is not what it may seem. I just bought a ticket for 574USD and I was happy thinking I have purchased a cheap ticket. On receiving the ticket I realized I have been charged 237naira to a USD which I had assumed won't be up to 200 per USD. I used a master card though. Union Bank Mastercard so I cant really tell who is charging me this high whether union bank or etihad airline . I am not sure union bank charge up to 200naira per USD.

Would they accept cash? If yes, then paying them cash would be a better option, cos dollar is about 220 in d black market

nevilbot:


Public insurance companies myt sign u up and den invite u over again after u clock 30 to increase ur monthly fee to 130€. That was wat dey did to me though myn was months after and not weeks.

If ur school allows it, go to the public insurance company, ask for a rejection letter from them on the grounds of age making them understand u can't afford the high fee u will b paying monthly after u clock 30, take the letter to ur school and get d go ahead to go private. Then u can sign up for the one I posted.

Thank you very much sir!

nevilbot:



2)the second issue i will like to address is the issue of student health insurance specifically for any student that will be above 30 years on ur arrival in germany (even if u are one seconds above 30 years on ur arrival, u fall into this category). It is a known fact that students over 30 yrs cant take the public health insurance any longer so the option left is the private for which we all run to mawista bcus it has one of the cheapest premium monthly. if you are the type of student that rarely goes to a hospital and u do not av medical issues that warrants u to see doctors frequently, yes mawista is good for u. just pay ur premiums and enjoy ur life. but if you are the type that av reasons to visit hospitals frequently, or u will need a surgery or u want to feel safe about ursef, plz and plz, do not (and i repeat) do not use mawista. my reason being that mawista will never pay 100% of ur hospital bills wen it really matters. they might pay for the small small hospital checkups but wen it comes to real bills like surgery and long term hospitalization, they will pay some % based on ur contract yle u bear the rest. i know students presently who are in debts running into 3000euros cus mawista did not pay their total fees wen they had real medical issues.

the best health insurance company to sign up with if u are above 30 is the one that came out of an agreement btw the deutsche studentenwerk (German national student union) and hanse merkur. it is meant purely for international students above 30 yrs. just sign up for their optimum tariff plan wia u pay a monthly premium of 78 euros and u are 100% covered should you need any form of hospitalization or treatment. this is the link to their page. https://portal.versicherungsdienste.de/dsw-studenten-kv/index.en.html they even pay your burial/repatriation of remains cost should u die in germany up to 10,000 euros (this will not be anyone's portion though). information they say is power, plz assist ursef and do not fall into unnecessary debt yle u are still thinking on how to manage block act. mawista is a not the best public health insurance u can get as a student

any other question, i will be pleased to ansa. thanks and God bless our hustles

Danke der Boss! Pls I am curious about something, what would you advise someone who will turn 30 few weeks after entering Germany?

@ Nevilbot, great post! To all d guys that hav their visa approval recently; Pompido,twinkle etc Big Congratulations.

Oye50:
N223.9 to 1 EURO

Okk! Thanks

Pls who has used StanbicIBTC recently? Could u tell us how much u were charged per euro? We may hav to review this our ranking of Fidelity as d cheapest.

Oye50:

A friend got debited by Fidelity today. Why are they doing this to you. I guess you didn't present that document indicating the amount to be paid. God will see you through bro

Pls could you confirm from him how much he was charged per euro. Thanks.

Oye50:
With great joy I share my testimony to my online family here. I am been called upon now to come get my visa. I wish I had the right words to express how happy I am. I want to thank everyone here particularly Eke40seven, I swear u are a real gift to us here. I appreciate all the efforts you have made on this thread and I pray that yours will come soonest and God will take all obstacles away. I thank my friend XpensiveT and every other great contributions here on this thread. It's such a great feeling to feel that my 3 years effort has just paid off. Seriously it wasn't easy all along but I'm grateful to God

Congratulations sir! I hope am d first to congratulate you. Lols

kciano:


I once posted here earlier that I used Sterling bank and it worked for me...it took just a day for them to debit me and 2 days to get notification from Deutsche bank.. their charges are very low...the exchange rate was 219.89naira for 1 euro as at 4th august...if u r in lagos then it's ur lucky month...just navigate ur way to IYANI ISOLO BUS STOP AND ASKED FOR THE STERLING BANK BRANCH THERE. ..
Danke

What about the other bank charges e.g telex, VAT etc? How much were u charged?

kuthvic:
After 10 weeks I just got an email that visa is approved that I should come with 3 months travel insurance.

Please does anyone have idea of one which the embassy prefers ?

Big Thanks 2 everyone in this forum .May God bless everyone here and may we all smile @ the end. I LOVE U ALL /////////////////////////////////////////////

Dear Sir,
In the a.m. matter you are kindly requested to come to the visa section of the Consulate General during
business hours:
Mondays-Fridays from 8.00 h till 9.00 h.
Please bring your passport and travel health insurance valid for 3 months starting from the date of
travel (plus one photo copy).
In order to ensure admission you are requested to present this letter at the gate.
Kindly note that the date for the commencement of your journey should not be scheduled before
10.09.2015.

Congratulations sir

isidollarboy:
check out this I got from a friend. .

https://drive.google.com/folder/d/0Bz7Xm1dw9s5VUDlUTlFpOFk4RTQ/edit

Thank you..this is quite helpful, i have sent d link to the friend that needs it. @ Obiwann, I checked, I didnt see it o.

Hello house! please does anyone have IELTS CD/DVD? kindly help me out.
@ Obiwann, stop that, we have given u a wife already.

yusufftaiwo:
Hallo
Finally picked up my Visa today after so much pressure from my NL family... I say make I go pick it up b4 dem change their mind .I used IGI insurance and It's just #14,500,probably the cheapest out there...It was nice meeting our very own NzeBiddle who also came to pick up his Visa... Thanks to everyone who contributed to this success... eke40seven, obiwann and others... See ya in deutschland... To all those still waiting, may dat miracle come soon...Will always be here to help out in any way I can...
Danke schon

Congratulations

Williamso:

"Form A" is a form used by banks to enable costumers transfer money abroad for educational purposes. Using this form, a bank can buy forex on the customers behalf at the interbank market - which is a lot cheaper than the black market.


No. People on this thread have also been successful with GTB and Access. I'm yet to perform the transaction but my branch manager (Sterling) says it's doable (Will likely end up using Fidelity as that is my active account).


Did you actually buy the Euro from GTB? Or someone told you he/she did? Or you simply believe you can? Please get to your bank on Monday and confirm the veracity of your claim.


Because it's cheaper (see no. 3 above).


Calculate the naira equivalent of €8040 using the black market rate and the interbank rate. The difference is about 200k. So except you have any other means of getting Euros to fund your dorm account other than the black market (by all means share), or the 200k wouldn't mean much to you, form A should be your ultimate choice.


Bitte schön

Great response! @ Nathan I hope u are cleared now?

Wow! I just got a news that CBN has directed all banks to stop receiving foreign currency deposits into domiciliary accounts. Its a temporary directive though. Implication; we are all confined to using Form A to fund blocked accounts, even if u can afford buying euro at black market.
Hmmm! This country, new day new policy! I pray they don't wake up and make any funny policy about d Form A too.

Hahahahaha! I feel so elated being the architect of this about to happen conjugal relationship. That's interesting. See life o....they came looking for information, only to find Liebe. Let me start cleaning my suit, cos na me go feature as the groom's bestman. Lolz!

Just to share my experience,perhaps it may help someone; I needed to pay for my accommodation, so I initiated d transfer @ Access bank using Form A, after a week (including two days holiday), they couldn't effect d transfer, dat they lacked funds. I decided to initiate another one @ Fidelity bnk H/Q and terminated d process at Access. The third day d transfer was made @ 224.277. Thanks @ Obiwann for encouraging and proffering suggestions all d way.
Before I dropped my pen, I will want to commend d members of dis forum. It is indeed an e-family. I see a lot of people with genuine interest in helping others. This consciousness came to me yesterday after my interaction with Pompido. I never knew him frm Adam, but after our discussion(through email) yesterday I felt I hav known him for ages,cos I see genuineness in him. A real desire to help others. And I know this is true about so many other guys and ladies here.
Perhaps d much desired change we seek in Nigeria will start from a place like this. Where everybody is his brother's keeper; with such mentally, u can't do anything dat will hurt a fellow citizen. I see great men and women rising from this cradle(thread) to become stars in their various callings and professions. Let's keep the flag flying. And please we want to hear ur testimonies of graduation, marriage of two members of this thread (e.g Obiwann weds Switxt ), house warming, naming ceremony etc...pls invite us, am sure many people here will be delighted to attend.
Caveat emptor: pls anyone with negative or sinister motive for reading this thread or joining this thread should just park well, cos they will not prosper with their evil intentions.

@Obiwann still on top of d matter o...fidelity never still see €369 buy o....its amazing. I have mailed d man in charge wit d photocopy of d Form A attached. I told him I sent d teller ahead while we await my bank to successfully complete d transfer process. This morning he mailed me back saying "thank, best regards". Lolz.
Deadline was yesterday. Nothing was said about forfeiture of d accommodation.

@Pompido when did u initiate d process? As in how many days did it take altogether.

@Obiwann, I initiated d process on Thursday,but nothing till now. I hav been expecting debit alert to no avail. I called d lady in charge dis evening, she didn't pick her calls. Thank God d person I contacted in charge of d accommodation said I hav till 27th to pay. I would hav been in crisis by now.
How about urs? Have they completed ur transfer?
@ switxt, I sent u a msg on whatsapp, read through it may be helpful

De29ja:
New Audio Uploaded. Please Re-Visit the Link

Thank you sire...I will check it up later.

@ De29ja; thank you very much. But d audio in Eke40seven material didn't play.

1freshdude:


Hello brother, congratulations, I just got admitted to FAU too.
There is a little mix up with my visa interview appointment though. I got two mails within a day interval for two appointment with different dates 11th and 21st of August. I am in a bit of dilemma on which of the dates to honor, but am considering settling for the 21st of August.

Hey! Glad to hear that. However, u don't have d discretion to chose which date to be interviewed. D latest date is d more likely authentic date. To be sure mail d embassy tomoro and inform of d situation, they will confirm which one u sud come. Best wishes.

takeastep:
Hello top guys,

I arrived Hamburg, Germany on wednesday morning for a 3-month research visit as a prelude to a possible Phd programme at the University of Hamburg. Got a young guy who picked me at the airport to my apartment (my host sent him). My host already sorted out accommodation for me at http://www.johann-carl-mueller-stiftung.de/studierende/2_studentenzimmer.html. i think its about 270 euro (who cares? he's paid everything).

The room is good with constant internet facility (LAN) and everything you need as a student.

My earliest impression:

My host and his group members have been very friendly and accommodating. Just treating me like a kind of ambassador. Few speaks good English, many only German. All members of my working group do speak English. Not fluently but at a comfortable level. They even requested i teach them more English; me sef asked them to begin teach me German sharply lol.

I took some foodstuff from Nigeria, so i might not be able to talk much on the cost of food for now. But i went out with my host on wednesday to have a nice sandwich, i think its about 5 euro and a bottle of apple drink 0.99 euro. But i heard its cheaper and more sustainable to cook at home.

I will have to wait till tues to start work fully in the lab, cos i still have to sort out my insurance thing. I was told its very important and compulsory i get an insurance before working. So my host already recommended Mawista ( 44,80 € per month ). I will be doing that on monday and then the real work will start. Though got my office arranged already with my computer installed. Did a tour of the institute; the environment, equipment and facilities.

Surprisingly, a Nigerian is my next door neighbour - from Cross River. An Egyptian also lives here - very friendly. And i heard there are many foreigners here. Hope to meet them as time goes on.

A great place, Germany. the environment is good, clean, serene and lovely. I saw some beautiful babes too. Would be nice to move closer to them, especially as this weather no dey smile.

I hope to keep in touch with you guys.

One love.

Big congrats to you bros...and thanks for updating us. Please kindly respond to Obiwann's questions it will do a lot of us a great deal of good. Thanks

Happy birthday@ Nellyb24

topbound2013:
@Oligee,
How did u get your accommodation at FAU, can you connect me or direct me. My admission letter says I have to search for accommodation by myself.
I send you a PM pls respond so we can talk.

Bros, I have responded to ur pm. FAU didn't give me accommodation, they only referred me to studentenwerk, and I applied to studentenwerk. Go through d email notification of ur admission again, u will find the link to studentenwerk.

XpensiveT:


Boss...am thinking of using Access bank too to pay my block account money. How much was d exchange rate used today Sir?

I didn't ask o...I just had faith that it gonna be at d best price. because even most of those bank staff don't know how much d rate is.

Obiwannn:
oh...GADDAMIT IT....

FORM A PEOPLE, DEM NO DE ACCEPT STATEMENT OF RESULT OH....
The Fidelity bank chic just called me talking long story. She asked for my Certificate that time but I lied say I no get Certificate when in truth na because the original dey Embassy and I wanted to be safe in case they would need original docs..

She come add say the only wey dem go use statement na if there is a proof that convocation has not been done in the school ((Find out more sha from the bank if u intend to use Statement). I gats return with d certificate (fotocopy) on Tuesday now
Anyway sha, this thing just dey pain me, cos the exchange rate been low die gaan and na weekends de usually get best exchange rates of that week... Plus the fact say na Thursday deadline I get...anyway God DEY.

Wow! Sorry about that. I also initiated my own process of payment today at Access bank. I didn't here anything from them afterwards. Was it studentenwerk accommodation u got?

osane09:
please wen did u receive ya admission letter from FAU... And how(is it via mail or email)

I got the admission since May through mail notification that directed me to the portal to download the admission letter, after a few weeks I got the physical admission through post. However, each department is peculiar, my department opened their own application in January and closed it April, and am sure by then several other departments just opened their own application.

Obiwannn:


bros, 159? u are lucky o...when boys de see 300EUR for HH

Yeah, u can use Form A.
ALL CREDITS GO TO OBS3RVER
Yes I used Form A, boss. You can use it to pay for almost anything, as long as you have your admission letter, and other supporting documents.

Documents you would need:
1) Admission letter
2) Letter sent to you by the bank containing account details
3) Any other letter (e.g accommodation offer letter) which must state that you were given accommodation in so so so place, and this usually comes included with account details. If it comes separately, attach it to the former.
4) Photocopy of your passport data page
5) NYSC discharge certificate
6) B.Sc. Certificate
7) Letter authorizing the bank to debit your account for the equivalent of the Euro you want to transfer.

Please note, all these should be copies.

The process:

The first step is to approach the bank you want to use (I'd advice you carry your documents with you). When you get there, you would tell them you want to transfer some money to a foreign country for school purposes. Show them your admission and the letter from the bank in Germany. Some of them would tell you that it cannot be done, but you should insist that it can, and ask them to inquire for you from someone else (they initially told me it could not be done in the first two banks[ Access and GT bank] I went to, when I insisted, the ladies in both places inquired from their superiors, and told me it's possible)

The second step is when you want to transfer. When you get there, they would give you a Form A to fill. You should fill this carefully and neatly please as it is going to CBN. That, along with other documents, is what they would use to bid for Euro for you.
Depending on the bank, they would also give you an international funds transfer form, where you would fill the account details, as there is nowhere on the Form A to fill this (at least there was nowhere to fill account details on mine, so I used the international funds transfer form).
I filled this Form A, the international funds transfer form, and submitted the above listed documents, and when they checked and saw everything was in order, they told me I could go, that it would be treated.

The next day (because I went there late, like around 1pm, so they could not bid for Euro for me at CBN again that day) I received debit alerts for the money, plus charges. I went to the bank the next day to collect the Telex copy confirming the transfer.

They would have sent this Telex copy eventually, but if you need it urgently and if you need to confirm payment, you should go and request for it. I went to request for mine, and the branch manager sent an email to the head office requesting for it. They sent it to my email under 1 hour.

Word of advice: if you can use the headquarters of the bank, it would make the process smoother (though this is not compulsory, you might as well collect the number and email address of the person that would attend to you, and follow up).

Banks you can use:
Access bank, GT bank, FIDELITY (I personally went to inquire about these two, and I am 100% sure it can be done in any of them). Others mentioned on nairaland are First bank and Union bank.

Bank I used:
I used access bank, because they convinced me they would take just two days to initiate and complete the transfer, this proved to be true. With regards to charges on the transfer, Access bank charged the following:

Offshore charges: NGN 2500
Swift charges: NGN 2500
Manual handling charges: 0.5% of principal sum
Vat: 0.5% of manual handling charges ( I think this should be 5% and not 0.5%, I can't recollect. It's not much at all, it was not up to 50 naira for the money I transferred)

Principal sum in this case = xYZ Euros

Please note, the charges may vary from bank to bank, please inquire about their charges before you proceed. Generally, charges that have 1%, and above, for manual handling charges, should be avoided.

NB: I would not advice you transfer any money for WG from Nigeria, get there before you pay!

Thank you very much Obiwann and double gwosa for OBS3RVER