samnoah:
#Interviewtranscript

Fellas, and so I came, saw, and conquered!

My visa was approved at the Lagos Embassy yesterday afternoon.

Preamble:

I was at the embassy on the 1st of April for my interview. I was in the 6:30am slot. My School was supposed to resume on the 19th of August. For some reasons I had to go to the embassy early because (1.) I got two offers, one in Canada and the other in the US. The Canadian offer gave me till 30th of March to decide and I asked them to extend my decision period till 10th of April and they accepted. I did this to buy time because I had already started the US processing before I got their offer. So with that extension from Canada, I had to go to the embassy on time. As it were, I didn't want to lose in two places and was trusting God that no matter what happen, one will come through as per visa issue. But I was more afraid of the Canadian Visa issue than US for whatever reason sha...

And so my interview on the 1st of April at US Lagos Consulate went does:

VO (Male): Good morning
Me: Good morning with smiles
VO: Pass your passport
Me: Pass it
VO: Place your four left fingers on the scanner
Me: Do same
VO: Checking on the system and then asked, what are you going to do in US
Me: I'm going for my doctorate
VO: Oh, ok.
Me: Fix my eyes on him
VO: Oh, you are going to the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign?
Me: Yes
VO: Why a doctoral program at this time
Me: I recently completed a Master's degree in Information Science and my interest has been in the intersection between people and technologies. I am interested in how people use technology and the best way technology can be created to benefit a given group of people. Hence I am focusing on community informatics at my PhD level with specific interest in multilingual devices for indigenous language speakers in Nigeria.
VO: Nodding, I see
VO: Are you working with a specific professor in the school?
Me: Yes, told him the name of my advisor and her specialization
VO: How did you get to chose this School?
Me: I used google to streamline my choice based on my interest at the PhD level and I saw a couple of schools which UIUC was part
VO: When do you intend to travel
Me: August 10 ( I already wrote this while filling the DS 160)
VO: Who is sponsoring your trip
Me: My uncle will be sponsoring me although I have an assistantship from the School covering tuition with monthly stipend
VO: You are travelling August 4?
Me: No I said August 10
VO: Then he typed for long and then began to count his fingers. I'm sure he was trying to consider the 120 days rule. He counted his fingers like twice (you know 120days is four months and so he was counting from April to August I guess). Then he left his counter and beckoned to a colleague and that one took a look at the application on the system and they discussed for like a minute. Then he told me: "you know what, I am approving your visa, but I can't issue it now. There is a 120days rule for f-1 visa."
Then he offered me a while paper and wrote on it that I should come back 12pm any Monday or Wednesday on or after 22 of April(this will be exactly 120days to my resumption)
VO: Do you have any questions for me
Me: Ok, I will like to know if the interview will be all over again and will I be interviewing with you or any other person
VO: Not really, you may just be asked a few questions. Just come with all your documents.
Then he asked me to return the white paper and he wrote on it that f-1 visa can't be issued until 120days to resumption, return on 22nd April and signed.
Me: Collected my passport and left feeling cool anyway

Note: No document was asked except my passport, I-20 and sevis receipt

Fastforward:

22nd April
VO: Good afternoon
Me: Good afternoon
VO: Pass your passport
Me: Passed it
VO: Oh, you were here earlier this month
Me: Yes, April 1st
VO: With smile, you came earlier than the issuing period for your type of Visa. Today is about the right time. You are going for your PhD right?
Me: Yes
VO: Removed my I-20 and passed it to me. Make sure you always keep that in your hand luggage when travelling. Picks a white paper with location to pick my passport and circled it. Pick your passport here on Monday. Have a great day
Me: Thank you

NB: I know the 120days rule, but I have to take that chance because of my situation and thank God it didn't work against me. Plenty of prayers went with it though!

Thanks guys...

sabiguy:
GRE:
Q-159
V-152
AWA-5.5

Just want to take a quick timeout to shoutout to this thread and good peeps like sirRiddy and others!
Will keep following y'all till I'm ripe for application. Now lemme go back to finish up with my NYSC

Thank you all!

innovativeame:

Tanx Zee! I have contacted sevis, they have updated it. The sevis fee has been transfered to the new one. The question however, is, what about the annotation on the visa, doesn't it count? The answer to this question will totally allay my fears. Thanks once again.

technolee:
A quick one my man. How were you able to notify/contact sevis about the change in sevis code? Am in the same shoes as yours.

warriboy21:
Just got accepted to Valparaiso uni.. Still awaiting troy.. N Harvard
Dose still wanting to apply for this fall should try Valparaiso.. Very easy admission process.. A reputable university . De accept unofficial transcript n no gre For some programs though . but d fees high sha
Same goes with troy but lower fees.
Den Harvard..... Hmmmmmmmmm

In d email sent de sed d admission packet will be ready in 3weeks..dunno what that means

innovativeame:

Tanx Zee! I have contacted sevis, they have updated it. The sevis fee has been transfered to the new one. The question however, is, what about the annotation on the visa, doesn't it count? The answer to this question will totally allay my fears. Thanks once again.

sirRiddy:
Low key!
Na NYSC things now. I wan go serve my country.
When you dey come do your own na?

zeezahbee:
Mthe people that did nysc, have they gotten job?

zeezahbee:
Mthe people that did nysc, have they gotten job?

sabiguy:
GRE:
Q-159
V-152
AWA-5.5

Just want to take a quick timeout to shoutout to this thread and good peeps like sirRiddy and others!
Will keep following y'all till I'm ripe for application. Now lemme go back to finish up with my NYSC

Thank you all!

AWA 5.5..!!
Congrats..I envy your score

innovativeame:

To transfer your sevis fee payment, email SEVP at: sevp@ice.dhs.gov. E-mail subject: Fee Transfer. Supply your name, date of birth, initial sevis fee and new sevis fee, and a current address. a brief explanation of why you're transferring the sevis fee. Attach a copy of your receipt number (from the initial sevis fee payment) and enter your contact details if they need to contact you back. They will answer within 24hrs. Fear not, you will be fine. I'm fine here

zeezahbee:
It wont affect, once u have Email sevis and the new one gets updated. You are fine

technolee:
Thank you very much bro. But wait! Initial and new sevis fee or number you mean? Because I don't have any $200 to pay again.

zeezahbee:
Mthe people that did nysc, have they gotten job?

profojah:

AWA 5.5..!!
Congrats..I envy your score

aadeyi:
m

Zeezahbee kilode na, u wan finish the guy ambition ni..... No mind her. NYSC is good jare, atleast you get to serve your fatherland

kennyrony:

Tor, help me ask SirRiddy oooo

codedove:

My reasons are for schooling bro.
Are you in OKCity or you are also heading there?

sirRiddy:
And she never even do am sef. Thanks jare bro mi for the ginger. *in profojah's voice' you head is valid.

zeezahbee:
I wasnt discouraging anyone. That statement was in a sarcastic tone.

glitter24:
@ house please i printed my sevi receipt Confirmation Yesterday but i cant find my MOB number on it and its expiry date.. But its the in home page before you click on "print Confirmation page" is this actually a problem... My brothers and sisters please help me. I have just shared were the MOB number is and it expiry date, fox view the image below and please help me

zeezahbee:
For those that have used the Nigeria post office at the airport, is it at the local or international ? And do they work on Saturdays ?
Pls someone should answer ASAP @slimmy05 @aadeyi @bbdd @walspring

sirRiddy:
How far, Baba APC?

profojah:

SirRiddy.....Oga mi, mo kon gentle ni jare..I go dey update you as things dey go..Hope they grant me my requested 1month leave at office...
Guess you'd be in lagos nextweek?..Come, make I give you skuchies that will invigorate you during your TOEFL exam..

onuawuchi:
Is it OK if I went to the embassy with a pdf printed version of my sponsor's account statement?