ObaOfEsan:


Mpower. Some Nigerian banks gives study loans too.

I have checked Mpower, my school is not on the list.

Gabriel1010:
I have been an anonymous reader right here on nairaland since 2020. It would be a big crime if i got my visa approved and didn’t post it here because I virtually learnt everything I need to know right here.

First attempt
VISA APPROVED: Abuja 9:15, 17th December 2021.

Course of study: MSC industrial technology ,California state university fresno.
School cost: 28k
Graduate assistantship: Nil
VO: bald white guy


I was asked only 4 questions (suprised because i got like 20 questions on my transcript)
Me: Good morning
VO: nothing
Me: Good morning
Vo: pass me your I20 and passport ( I was like damn, how will one who refused to reply me approve this visa God)
VO: Why are you going to USA

Me: I’m going for my graduate studies in industrial technology at csu fresno

VO: Where do you work

Me: jubaili agrotec, they sell and produce quality agricultural products such as pesticides herbicides ( I just said and the rest because everything i have prepared for disappeared at that moment)

VO: Who is going to be paying your deficits?
Me: my dad, he is a saturation technician with chevron nigeria limited

VO: chevron Nigeria limited?

Me: Yes( I was expecting him to ask for proof of funds, but he refused and i learnt here that you don’t force documents on them)

VO: have you been outside the country recently ( can’t remember the exact words)
Me : NO

VO: you’d picking up your passport in three days time.
Me: Happy holidays and you look Good
He finally smiled at me after declining our culture of Good morning.



I congratulate myself and everyone who got their visas approved today and to those that got denied, i hope you are not giving up because thats not even an option…YOU GOT THIS.

Pray and cry out to your lord God because thats the only way , and try as much as possible to dress well( i mean what you are comfortable with and can afford) appearance will make you sell anything to them. I tried and got myself the most expensive shirt i could get since that’s what they will be seeing.

Trust me you can’t be as shy as i am, i dont look straight into people’s eyes when talking…I’d rather be looking away to avoid eye contact, Dressing well gave me the confidence i needed to reply the vo even though my voice was a bit shaky.
Thank y’all for taking your time to read this ❤️Love And light �

See Grace oo! It's not about talking much. but is about the Grace of God.

Congratulations to you

Good morning,

Please @texrem @Fairheart @Sharwama @Dreambound @Brown2Green @Predstan @Naira0 @NigPatriot @Twoods @Zeelady @Nobody @Etherealbeing @Johnolukolade @Walspring

Please I sent you all a PM

I'm dire need of your critic on my transcript. I sound like a manuscript. Ejo, Biko... Na God I use take beg una. Please help me by responding.

God bless you for all you do in this platform. It certainly won't go unnoticed

Chynwem:
I have checked Mpower, my school is not on the list.

Omoh. That's where I trust sha. Started an application with them which I got a go ahead from them. Well, I think there are alternatives.

Hello guys, please can anyone help me confirm if DHL office at Muri Okunola opens on Saturday for passport pickup

ObaOfEsan:
Any one having his or her interview in Abuja on Wednesday 22 December ?

Me, please can we link up?

kelechi1771:
Me, please can we link up?

Sure bro

Can someone still get an interview appointment for F-1 Visa? Spring semester

kelechi1771:
Me, please can we link up?

When did you get the appointment?

Anyone that want to pay for school Application fee can contact me.
Note: Only school application fee. Thanks

Chynwem:
I have checked Mpower, my school is not on the list.

Check prodigy finance, your school may be there.

DanImam:
Can someone still get an interview appointment for F-1 Visa? Spring semester

Lots of people’s emergency appointment requests have been pending for weeks now. But you can give it a shot

Who knows? You might be favoured

Good afternoon.
Please how much is sevis fee?

Please, a friend is trying to register for visa appointment. When he filled out his information as new user. It’s giving him error.

Anyone experiencing this?

$350.

Nanthediverse:
Good afternoon.
Please how much is sevis fee?

Go to page 623 and 624, read through, you should find solution there.

slimmy2005:
Please, a friend is trying to register for visa appointment. When he filled out his information as new user. It’s giving him error.

Anyone experiencing this?

Please if you are going to ndsu please dm me... lets link up. Thanks

slimmy2005:
Please, a friend is trying to register for visa appointment. When he filled out his information as new user. It’s giving him error.

Anyone experiencing this?

I had the same experience, I called the customer care, a guy picked up, requested for my passport details and about 3 questions to confirm the password details. He then created the account for me and sent the login details to my mail

MelaninGemstone:
Guys, my emergency appointment was denied today. But on my CGI dashboard, when I click on emergency request, I’m still presented with this page below.

Does it mean l can apply again ?

If I resubmit the form, hope it won’t cost me any problems? Will my request be reviewed again ?

Yes you can reapply as long as that page shows up.

Benji03:
Hello,

I've booked appointment for the Lagos embassy for a while now and no update from them, almost like Lagos has not been interviewing since I've only been seeing Abuja on the tread,

Any advice for me?

n
Contact them from the usdocs website. I applied for surge on the 3rd of Dec,when I noticed there wasn't any response after 6days I had to call them and after the call I got a mail from them scheduling me for interview on the 15th Dec.

Hello everyone, please I want to know if I can get my COVID-19 test done at the airport and will I be able to get it that same day there

[quote author=lawrence7 post=108513174][/quote]Please I sent you a PM

stone2x:
Hello,

COA - $34,000
Funding - No funding

I was denied on 13th December at Abuja Embassy, see below transcript, interviewed at Windows 8 by a young white man.

VO: Good morning and pass you documents
ME: Good morning, passed it
VO: Where are you going?
ME: I am going for masters degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rowan University, thou my I-20 reads Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
VO: That is fine.
VO: Have you travelled out before
ME: Yes, I have travelled to UAE for Microsoft training.
VO: How did you find out the school.
ME: I did extensive search on Google.
VO: Where do you work?
ME: I work as System Administrator in xyz company.
VO: who is your sponsor?
ME: my brother.
VO: what does he do?
ME: He works as a civil.engineer and has his own company in South Africa with about 40 staff.
VO: He types and then handed over the blue paper.

Please see my transcript and help correct me on things I did wrongly.
Besides, the school resumes Jan 13, is it possible to reapply and still get a date for visa interview.

"He works as a civil.engineer and has his own company in South Africa with about 40 staff."This may be why you were denied. Your broda can not be working as a civil engineer and also have a company. If you had said my brother owns a civil engineering firm in south Africa. They build and maintain high rise structures in major south african cities like jburg and .......

ethicalUser:
n
Contact them from the usdocs website. I applied for surge on the 3rd of Dec,when I noticed there wasn't any response after 6days I had to call them and after the call I got a mail from them scheduling me for interview on the 15th Dec.

Please can you drop the contact you called pls

First Attempt: (expedited appointment) Tuesday, Aug 31, 2021
Lagos Consulate
Status: Approved, later...denied (Program start date was Aug 30, 2021 had extension till Sept 6. Went with the letter but didn't present it because it was not asked for)

Around 10am, I met with the VO, a very black lady in her 50s (VO Valerie).



VO: Good morning

She collected i20 and passport, started typing, looking carefully.


Said to us please wait while she typed on.

Finally
VO: tell me why you are going to study this course and why this University. And she gave us a full attention

Me:
I spoke about how I have good background in Deaf Education field, my first degree in special education (hearing impairment focus), my masters degree in Deaf Education. I have taken leadership position in Nigerian Deaf community which I have used all to contribute towards Development of Deaf Education. I mentioned that I am Education Officer under ministry of education. (At this point I realized I have blown myself enough and needed to proceed to the relationship with the current which I intended to do, I wondered if she wouldn't have started wondering if I understood her question) so I continued
I want to study this course because I want to acquire adequate knowledge, experience and build up my skill in research, advocacy and innovation as a tool for contributing to the development of Deaf Education in Nigeria.

I chose Gallaudet University because it is the only University all over the world promoting bilingual and bicultural education, known for its excellence in teaching pedagogy, where Deaf students from all over the world find a sense of belonging , the needed learning resources, supportive faculty, student and staff. It will help me to achieve my aim (I stopped there, I momentarily lost what to continue with but immediately realized it was worth ending there)

Then she *signed* thank you while I blushed. She typed briefly.

VO: You said you work under ministry, tell me what exactly you do there.
Me: I have been an education officer under ministry of education since (my thought was to continue explaining the duties I carry out at different stations I've worked)

VO: cuts, Ok, since 2014?
Me: responded positive (she typed)

VO: I can see that you have school scholarship that covers $26k+, tell me how you will pay the deficit of $23k+.

Me: I will be co-sponsored by my sister and my friend. My sister is Mrs xyz, she works as accountant under KPMG, abroad , she also has landed and rented properties back here in Nigeria. My friend is Mr abc, he works as , Tennessee.

VO: Have you traveled out of Nigeria before?
Me: No, because I've not had a reason to.

VO: Where do you say your sister works?
Me: she works as accountant in audit region at KPMG,

VO: Typed... Do you have any document to prove that your sister works at KPMG?

Me: Yes. (Reached for my file and brought out document her employment letter, Bank statement and Sponsorship affidavit filled because I stapled the three together)

VO: Looked thoroughly and calmly . Typed, then put up her hand to get a white paper, took my I-20 and placed it where I should pick it and said Be careful about covid-19...


Three days after I got called to send an update i20 because I attended the interview postdated. I sent documents required within the hour... And later rejected.

In my Ds160, I noticed minor error and corrected the error.
Also when I was explaining under yes to previously denied, I added that I have convincing and compelling socioeconomic ties. I stated that I have a permanent and pensionable appointment as... And also I talked about my achievements in community service in Nigeria etc then ended that I am a credible Student . ( I practicalized FAIRHEART theory, lol, because I went back to read this Nairaland page from page 1, lol).

I got date through surge appointment after so much stress trying to get date.
I did more prep and talked to some mock VOs (Carter, Francess and Jake who i met on GraithF1 visa whatsapp group ) who expressed concern about a friend as sponsor and was advised to find a way around it.
Note, sister was my major sponsor covering 85% of the deficit and it's her detail I input into Ds 160.


Second attempt
Wed 24th, November, 2021 (surge appointment, 7am)
Lagos Consulate
Status: Approved
Vo was a black lady, probably in her 30s, at extreme window.



Interview proper around 8.35am , can't say..by 8.55am, I was out!

Vo: Good morning
Me: good morning

Vo: where are you going to?
Me: I am going to Gallaudet University, Washington, DC to pursue a doctorate degree in CSEDL which is under SEVIS category of Education/ Teaching

Vo: What do you do?
Me: I work as Education officer under ministry of and my current post is at Federal Education... -----state where I ensure quality service delivery at schools through monitoring,and inspection of school, curriculum and pedagogy. Also I provide recommendations and reports for the Education of children with disabilities, also I supervise the library service of the department (*she fixed her eyes to the computer reading my job section to ensure it is a match)

Vo: You have scholarship of $26000+ and your sister is sponsoring you. What does your sister do?
Me: she works as accountant at KPMG , and she also has rented and land properties in Nigeria. She has been supporting me in my undergraduate when I was best faculty student.

Vo: how much does she earn?
Me: about $45000 annually

Vo: do you have any document to show me regarding your sister's job?

Me: nodded, searched and gave her recent appointment letter dated Nov 23rd, together with her recent bonus letter.

Vo: went through it.

Vo: there is Mr abc here who is covering the deficit, who is he to you?
Me: He is someone that has known me before I became Deaf and after I became Deaf and who knows about my academic and community achievements despite been Deaf and he is willing to support me.

Vo: How long have you known him?
Me: I have known him since , before I became deaf and after I became Deaf and he knows about my academic achievement and community contributions.

Vo: When did your sister started working at
Me: 2019

Vo: when did she arrived
Me: 2018

Vo: when did Mr abc leave for the US?
Me: was saying 2016/17 (not sure, though my disposition indicated I wasn't sure I was unruffled. It was as if I was answering to a normal conversation)

VO: When last did you see him?
Me: since..., ha I can't remember, since... (my mien was truly like trying to recollect something while having an informal conversation)
Vo then helped me add that ok since a long time.

Me: yes a long time.

Vo: has he ever come to Nigeria since he left?
Me: Noooo, but his wife and children have visited when they came for burial of his in-law.
Vo: asked about his job
Me: said it


vo: when did you start working under ministry of ?
Me: 20**, I was first posted to Federal bla bla bla (one of the federal unity colleges), where I taught chemistry to students.. and ... and ....

Vo: ok

Vo: where is Mr abc in the US?
Me: Tennessee


Vo: Do you have any family or friends in the US?
Me: Family? Family? (I wanna be sure what interpreter signed, because the 'friend' looked dicey to me) Nooooooo


Vo: Where will you be staying in the US
Me: On campus. The school encourages her international student to reside on campus so as to learn culture (deaf culture)...

Vo: brought white paper.. I will be approving your visa.

Me: thank you ma. God bless you ma.

Exit

(Visa issued next business day)



PS: At both my first and second interview, I was very confident and even more relaxed or settled at the second..hmmm. I said more than I wrote to the first question in my first interview because I recall I hinted about my proposed thesis interest too.

Visa interview is exam, take it as one! Let your profile be rich. Bank on the areas where you are loaded, academic? Career experience/achievement? Community contribution/volunteer experience? Financial capacity? Travel experience etc. And wherever ur application gives you fear (weak), find your way around it.

Note that VOs are not doing giveaway with visa approvals and they are there doing their job while they also have their own constraints too. The onus lies on you to do your part and do it well. Seek help, study and practice. Before my first interview too, I had my transcript vetted by friends schooling abroad too and I started following Nairaland page two months prior the interview.

If anyone has a denial, especially after a meaningful interview, look inward to see what you can do better, study, seek help, take advices and do your best. Don't just get angry at the VO.

Ensure you have a copy of your DS 160 which you must review over and over as interview approaches and if you see anything to change, kindly retrieve and fill another one latest before 72hours to your interview (I made that mistake with my first interview)

The God factor still remain a sure factor, trust Him too and honour him.

I'm very grateful to everyone who has helped me on this journey, some of whom I have mentioned earlier. I wish everyone the very best.

I saw a good course that fits into my job description, course and disability but it's 23credit units (certificate) for 10K in a state University which is affordable to me and sponsor

Is it advisable to apply for such course putting into consideration the credit units (2yrs course I think), the cost and the certificate issued?

Advise, please

ayenika1:
I saw a good course that fits into my job description, course and disability but it's 23credit units (certificate) for 10K in a state University which is affordable to me and sponsor

Is it advisable to apply for such course putting into consideration the credit units (2yrs course I think), the cost and the certificate issued?

Advise, please

Try and avoid anything graduate certificate. It's hard enough to get a visa with an associate admission, talk more of graduate cert.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but the odds are not encouraging. Goodluck.

Themaths:

Try and avoid anything graduate certificate. It's hard enough to get a visa with an associate admission, talk more of graduate cert.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but the odds are not encouraging. Goodluck.

Thank you. Appreciate

Hello guys, please is it advisable for someone resuming fall 2022 to attend visa interview in February 2022?

nwaugo:



Check prodigy finance, your school may be there.

My school is not there too

No ma. It has to be within 120days to your resumption date.

Tamad101:
Hello guys, please is it advisable for someone resuming fall 2022 to attend visa interview in February 2022?

Hello,
Did you request for emergency appointment? If yes, since when?

Benji03:
Hello,

I've booked appointment for the Lagos embassy for a while now and no update from them, almost like Lagos has not been interviewing since I've only been seeing Abuja on the tread,

Any advice for me?