meagainstdem:
By the way,following d costly mistake of submitting study visa to vsf last week, I dnt want to leave anytn to chance again when I go to d embassy in january. I have these questions: I have d application form for visa to temporarily sojourn in d republic tagged DHA-1738 consisting of 20 pages. Is this d study visa form and are all d 20 pages to be submitted? Item 6 of d form has maintenance /Deportation section. Under it are available funds and valid return or onward ticket no section. Please what do these mean? Finally, has anybody used ATM cards for school fees payment? Is it possible and realisable? Thanks as I get answers to these burning questions.

elume2020:
Just an update to the house on possibility of using your Nigeria master card for withdrawals.

I visited a SA standard bank ATM, aside the fixed charge of R50 per withdrawal which increased from R0-R25 and now R50, you cannot make any withdrawal from an ATM as at 28th Dec. 2015. With 41,000 naira in my Gtbank I tried R2000, R1800, and R1500, all returned transaction not permitted. If i had used a higher withdrawal limit and transaction can go through it will rather return insufficient balance rather than transaction not permitted. Checking my Gtbank notification it stated I can withdraw upto 1000 USD. I used my Gtbank card to pay for groceries in the USA without hassle, used it about two weeks ago to pay about 40 pounds over the Internet and it went through though was charged some crazy amount.

The option of converting your naira to dollars, and thereafter to Rands might cause you loss of about 20% or more of the naira value. One way to those that will be paying fees come January in South African Institutions is to make sure you can do Internet transfer on your Nigerian bank account. Stock up as much as you can in it. From my enquiry on possible exchange rates, whoever will give you rands will most likely sell 1 Rand for 16.5 to 17 naira as at 24th December when I last asked around. I don't do any transaction even if I can, I am not interested. But a very serious warning be careful who you transaction business with. Also as a matter of fact the current University payment structure don't accept cash anymore, my knowledge of the University of Johannesburg.

Payment for medical aid for those applying for visa is another issue. So I forsee a situation of someone in SA making the rands payment and you recipient doing the naira payment. On this medical aid issue too, I suggest you contact them directly and DIY all necessary registration and your SA friend just make the payment. Once payment is confirmed the medical will send you your medical certificate themselves via email. A friend was once duped, which I had intervene by paying for him and filled the form but requested that they send the certificate to him directly and cc me. This is through Compcare.

On a final note on issues of finance. It's well known that Postgraduate students canaletto funding for their studies, I am a beneficiary, but many attimes, it takes some months to get stabilised and eventual get either a bursary or scholarship. However, due to the recent #feesmustfall, University is not increasing school fees and will be cutting down on some budget (e.g. entertainment budget, merit bursary, supervisor link bursary etc). In some University, tutorship which can fetch you from R2000 to R7000 per month for senior tutor are now solely for citizens. My reason for stating this to make you do a proper check and balance of your finance.

I am not a pro on visa issues, hence, I cannot comment on application processes, but all visas I have been issued it's a DIY. More updates for departing your base and integrating to the society. Also some few tip for those who will be doing masters by research.

Season's greetings.

elume2020:
Just an update to the house on possibility of using your Nigeria master card for withdrawals.

I visited a SA standard bank ATM, aside the fixed charge of R50 per withdrawal which increased from R0-R25 and now R50, you cannot make any withdrawal from an ATM as at 28th Dec. 2015. With 41,000 naira in my Gtbank I tried R2000, R1800, and R1500, all returned transaction not permitted. If i had used a higher withdrawal limit and transaction can go through it will rather return insufficient balance rather than transaction not permitted. Checking my Gtbank notification it stated I can withdraw upto 1000 USD. I used my Gtbank card to pay for groceries in the USA without hassle, used it about two weeks ago to pay about 40 pounds over the Internet and it went through though was charged some crazy amount.

The option of converting your naira to dollars, and thereafter to Rands might cause you loss of about 20% or more of the naira value. One way to those that will be paying fees come January in South African Institutions is to make sure you can do Internet transfer on your Nigerian bank account. Stock up as much as you can in it. From my enquiry on possible exchange rates, whoever will give you rands will most likely sell 1 Rand for 16.5 to 17 naira as at 24th December when I last asked around. I don't do any transaction even if I can, I am not interested. But a very serious warning be careful who you transaction business with. Also as a matter of fact the current University payment structure don't accept cash anymore, my knowledge of the University of Johannesburg.

Payment for medical aid for those applying for visa is another issue. So I forsee a situation of someone in SA making the rands payment and you recipient doing the naira payment. On this medical aid issue too, I suggest you contact them directly and DIY all necessary registration and your SA friend just make the payment. Once payment is confirmed the medical will send you your medical certificate themselves via email. A friend was once duped, which I had intervene by paying for him and filled the form but requested that they send the certificate to him directly and cc me. This is through Compcare.

On a final note on issues of finance. It's well known that Postgraduate students canaletto funding for their studies, I am a beneficiary, but many attimes, it takes some months to get stabilised and eventual get either a bursary or scholarship. However, due to the recent #feesmustfall, University is not increasing school fees and will be cutting down on some budget (e.g. entertainment budget, merit bursary, supervisor link bursary etc). In some University, tutorship which can fetch you from R2000 to R7000 per month for senior tutor are now solely for citizens. My reason for stating this to make you do a proper check and balance of your finance.

I am not a pro on visa issues, hence, I cannot comment on application processes, but all visas I have been issued it's a DIY. More updates for departing your base and integrating to the society. Also some few tip for those who will be doing masters by research.

Season's greetings.

naruto02:
Hello please also want to pay for enrollment deposit which part of it is for medical insurance which is part of the visa requirements. They've sent the account details but I want to know if I can make the payments online via credit/debit cards, PayPal or any other online way. They haven't replied I think maybe because of the break. Secondly if I get there do I need to open a bank account there or I should stick to the GTBANK Naira master card I have. Lastly what what kind of documents is required when they say proof of residence.

Keneking:


What medical insurance is this? Name? I am sure you can pay with your debit card using token as gateway.

Keneking:


Thank you for the analysis. Some quick questions please:

- what do you mean by internet payment?
- how does one stock up Rands?
- what is the limit on cash at entry point at JHB?
- Rands is about N25/R1 in approved BDC. How can someone get cheaper in Lagos.
- what is your perspective allowing your bank remit tuition?

elume2020:

By Internet banking I mean online transfer using your Nigerian bank account with a token or dongle to make online Nara to Nara transfer between Nigerian banks.
I was making reference to stocking up Nara in your Nigerian bank account so when the opportunity comes where someone is willing to give you rands and want Nara you can proceed with the transaction.
Nobody ask you what cash you have on you. But international border entry regulation stipulate you declare a particular amount of money I think anything above 10,000 USD. Please double check on that figure and try to travel light on cash. If you have excess cash on you, you are a prey to the Nigerian Immigration officer.
I am not in Lagos, I don't advice changing Nara to rands yet. Keep your Nara in your account maybe just have about R5000 on you while on arrival to get going.
If your bank can do international transfer on your behalf then I think that will be much safer but ensure you have all necessary code from the institution to effect such transfer. Also of importance is your reference number to which the payment can be tracked by the institution. At time the payment might have been made but due to not including your reference number or details as specified in the invoice it might take some extra process to track such transaction.

elume2020:
Just an update to the house on possibility of using your Nigeria master card for withdrawals.

I visited a SA standard bank ATM, aside the fixed charge of R50 per withdrawal which increased from R0-R25 and now R50, you cannot make any withdrawal from an ATM as at 28th Dec. 2015. With 41,000 naira in my Gtbank I tried R2000, R1800, and R1500, all returned transaction not permitted. If i had used a higher withdrawal limit and transaction can go through it will rather return insufficient balance rather than transaction not permitted. Checking my Gtbank notification it stated I can withdraw upto 1000 USD. I used my Gtbank card to pay for groceries in the USA without hassle, used it about two weeks ago to pay about 40 pounds over the Internet and it went through though was charged some crazy amount.

The option of converting your naira to dollars, and thereafter to Rands might cause you loss of about 20% or more of the naira value. One way to those that will be paying fees come January in South African Institutions is to make sure you can do Internet transfer on your Nigerian bank account. Stock up as much as you can in it. From my enquiry on possible exchange rates, whoever will give you rands will most likely sell 1 Rand for 16.5 to 17 naira as at 24th December when I last asked around. I don't do any transaction even if I can, I am not interested. But a very serious warning be careful who you transaction business with. Also as a matter of fact the current University payment structure don't accept cash anymore, my knowledge of the University of Johannesburg.

Payment for medical aid for those applying for visa is another issue. So I forsee a situation of someone in SA making the rands payment and you recipient doing the naira payment. On this medical aid issue too, I suggest you contact them directly and DIY all necessary registration and your SA friend just make the payment. Once payment is confirmed the medical will send you your medical certificate themselves via email. A friend was once duped, which I had intervene by paying for him and filled the form but requested that they send the certificate to him directly and cc me. This is through Compcare.

On a final note on issues of finance. It's well known that Postgraduate students canaletto funding for their studies, I am a beneficiary, but many attimes, it takes some months to get stabilised and eventual get either a bursary or scholarship. However, due to the recent #feesmustfall, University is not increasing school fees and will be cutting down on some budget (e.g. entertainment budget, merit bursary, supervisor link bursary etc). In some University, tutorship which can fetch you from R2000 to R7000 per month for senior tutor are now solely for citizens. My reason for stating this to make you do a proper check and balance of your finance.

I am not a pro on visa issues, hence, I cannot comment on application processes, but all visas I have been issued it's a DIY. More updates for departing your base and integrating to the society. Also some few tip for those who will be doing masters by research.

Season's greetings.

Jazzlite:
am sure you have not been following this thread.... cos some of your statements dragged it back by a number of pages....always take time to read b4 making an input.

femiaction:
[/quote][quote author=meagainstdem post=41502687]I have d application form for visa to temporarily sojourn in d republic tagged DHA-1738 consisting of 20 pages. Is this d study visa form and are all d 20 pages to be submitted? Item 6 of d form has maintenance /Deportation section. Under it are available funds and valid return or onward ticket no section. Do i really need to fill this section? I visited my Bank yesterday (GTB) and I was told to go make whatever payment with my ATM card. How real is this? Compliment of the season brother, that section 6 I just wrote 800k naira equivalent to rand. Payment for what? You don't need to go any bank.just write amount that available in rands equivalent.

meagainstdem:
I have d application form for visa to temporarily sojourn in d republic tagged DHA-1738 consisting of 20 pages. Is this d study visa form and are all d 20 pages to be submitted? Item 6 of d form has maintenance /Deportation section. Under it are available funds and valid return or onward ticket no section. Do i really need to fill this section? I visited my Bank yesterday (GTB) and I was told to go make whatever payment with my ATM card. How real is this?

meagainstdem:
Compliment of the season brother, that section 6 I just wrote 800k naira equivalent to rand. Payment for what? You don't need to go any bank.just write amount that available in rands equivalent.
@Femiaction, Compliments of the season to you too bro. How is the family? Thanks for that,that is clear now.i av 2 payments to make:momentum health plan and school fees.both av option of online card payment. Also, what about d valid return or onward ticket number section?what am I going to fill there bcs I learnt flight itinerary should be booked a day b4 submission of d visa form.Finally, I'm I submitting d relevant pages of d form alone(pages 1-7) or d entire 20 pages? Sorry for the questions,i learnt those people at d embassy are crazy indeed!

meagainstdem:
Compliment of the season brother, that section 6 I just wrote 800k naira equivalent to rand. Payment for what? You don't need to go any bank.just write amount that available in rands equivalent.
@Femiaction, Compliments of the season to you too bro. How is the family? Thanks for that,that is clear now.i av 2 payments to make:momentum health plan and school fees.both av option of online card payment. Also, what about d valid return or onward ticket number section?what am I going to fill there bcs I learnt flight itinerary should be booked a day b4 submission of d visa form.Finally, I'm I submitting d relevant pages of d form alone(pages 1-7) or d entire 20 pages? Sorry for the questions,i learnt those people at d embassy are crazy indeed!

meagainstdem:
Compliment of the season brother, that section 6 I just wrote 800k naira equivalent to rand. Payment for what? You don't need to go any bank.just write amount that available in rands equivalent.
@Femiaction, Compliments of the season to you too bro. How is the family? Thanks for that,that is clear now.i av 2 payments to make:momentum health plan and school fees.both av option of online card payment. Also, what about d valid return or onward ticket number section?what am I going to fill there bcs I learnt flight itinerary should be booked a day b4 submission of d visa form.Finally, I'm I submitting d relevant pages of d form alone(pages 1-7) or d entire 20 pages? Sorry for the questions,i learnt those people at d embassy are crazy indeed!

lawyer2011:

I am going to UCT in Feb. The online payment option is useless with the new restrictions by CBN except u have a dollar denominated debit card linked to a well funded dorm account. I guess we just have to hope that the form A option works.

meagainstdem:
@Femiactio, thanks.Taken.
@Keneking,i'v done my own momentum since august.this one is for dependants(my wife and kids)who are due to join me soon. The online payment I was talking about is that there is a website under the payment options of UCT for online payment.when I followed up d site,it took me to d point of entering the amount and card details.My thought is dat if one supplies this details,d amount would be deducted and d payment subsequently made. For the momentum,i will attempt d card payment when I come back from d Embassy in january. The school fees.....that is my headache now. I will make enquiries about d form A and any other option in Lagos banks next week.Infact, initially I thought Stanbic bank is a subsidiary of Standard bank in SA and so they will have a free flow transaction without hassles. I was wrong! I opened domiciliary account with them in 2013 in order to pay the application fee. To my surprise, I had to pay a charge of 17K just for R600. Infact, I'm tired jare!!!

Keneking:


I have the same challenge. I might go with cash and pay through cash office.

lawyer2011:

If you decide to follow that route, you will find the below link helpful
http://www.southafrica.info/travel/advice/redtape.htm#.VoZVbfkrLIU

femiaction:
Happy new year brother. My wife is doing her PhD on scholarship so she didn't pay any tuition fee.

Keneking:


Thanks for sharing this link. I won't be declaring as cash is less than R25K. An interesting link indeed.