desoul:

haba madam nef, not just nigeria immigrations..over stay is a serious offence in any country.

Even when the pikin is born to Nigerian parents and its their fault that booklets are not available? They will still chew you like gizzard

MiddyO:


Pls can anyone verify this inforinformation? On my son's American passport he was stamped in for 1 months stay in Nigeria. Now there are no passport booklets available at the passport offices. I hope this won't pose a problem when we are travelling?

My son's passport was stamped in for 6 months at MMIA when i brought him in. We travelled to the UK in Aug,2016 when he was 18 months without any Nigerian passport and we didnt have any issues as regards his overstaying! Maybe we were just lucky.

oppaxy:


Wow... our Desoul is back.

i have been around just that, the fight in the last pages too much, nah him i say make petch for one side dey look..before person break my head.

customised87:


My son's passport was stamped in for 6 months at MMIA when i brought him in. We travelled to the UK in Aug,2016 when he was 18 months without any Nigerian passport and we didnt have any issues as regards his overstaying! Maybe we were just lucky.

it was an oversight by the immigration officer,if not, hmmmmmm.

Eilenora:
Hello guys. So av bn reading d last few pages about how change of intent is no longer recognised. How did this come about cos i used it back in 2014 when i went to have my baby. I had secured a visa for business purposes at the time. Has anyone had any experiences that made evryone com 2 ds conclussion. Have a visa now for vacation purposes but how practical is it 4 one to go 1st for vacation then travel again for birth purposes. 2 trips in 1 year.. wth flight ticket costs, dollar rate..

Well, thats why its good to always tell the truth when applying.

So I made some notes before i travelled, more of tips. I hope the new mama's find them useful.

1. Delete all implicating emails/bbm/whatsaapp chats/texts from your phone before boarding cos of POE, including contacts saved with Nairaland (NL)
2.Fly before 36 weeks (i.e. 35 weeks + 1 day = 36 weeks). Pls note i went with Emirates.
3. Get Fit to fly from Doctor signed 2 days to trip and also signed copy of the medif form downloaded from Emirates website. Make 4 copies and keep the original signed forms. Always present the duplicate
4. Weigh your luggage before you leave the house.
5. For return journey, carry your change of clothes and basic needs in your hand luggage because of the layover in Dubai. You wont have access to your luggage until you get to Lagos.
6. For hospital bag, just take yours and baby's change of clothes to return home, charger, earpiece and few toiletries, every other thing will be given to you in the hospital.
7. Take a mid-size box to the hosp to be able to pack all the gifts and takeaways you will get in the hosp.
8. For food stuffs, pack each item in a ziploc bag and clearly mark them.
9. Freeze your palmoil, locust beans and pap and put them in a cooler bag before putting it in your check-in luggage.
10. Some basic things you can buy from Nigeria that will save you cost - blueseal vaseline, cottonwool, methylated spirit etc. these things are less than $1 here and not entirely different from what you will buy for $5 or more in the US.
11. Limited purchase of newborn and 0-3 mths clothes, more of 3- 6mths, 6-9mths and so on.
12. Ask for coupons when you buy stuffs in store or even online. Look out for sales/deals.
13. If you want to bring diapers/wipes from the US, take along a thick ghana must go bag (biggest size) to carry them. the bag has no weight and can carry more unlike a box.
14. Have all documents in your carry-on bag for POE.
15. When going out within the US, always have 1 or 2 bottles of water in your bag, cheaper than buying for about a $1 wen u go out. A pack of 24 bottle is $2.5.
16. Discharge the uber driver when you go out and google stores that are all in the same vicinity/shopping mall to save transportation cost.
17. Do not throw away the receipts of goods purchased until you are safely in Nigeria. You cant say, you may need to return some items in the US or luggage may get missing in transit.
18. Take pics of your luggage before you check them in, you cant say when it may be needed.
19. Once baby arrives, start documentation process immediately. Correctly fill the forms in the hosp and make inquiries on timelines. Let them also know you are traveling soon.
20. Also make efforts to pay your bills within the week you put to bed so that all documentations can be concluded before you leave the US.
21. In the event that you are sent to secondary inspection, please get a book to read to wait out the time and do not panic. Dont be seen pressing your phone, keep your phone out of sight if possible and remain calm.

I hope this is helpful.

desoul:

it was an oversight by the immigration officer,if not, hmmmmmm.

Oh...maybe. Cos he just checked the blue passport, asked me for his Nig passport and i told him its not here, so he checked the visa and saw that its still valid till March,2017 and told us we are good to go.

nefertitiram:


Even when the pikin is born to Nigerian parents and its their fault that booklets are not available? They will still chew you like gizzard

wulahi, its not immigration fault that booklet is not available, nef, you may not understand, abeg in other news,any airline doing promo?

Posh404:
Glory to God!!!! My cute son arrived today at eastside medical center Atlanta .....

congratulations.

My dear, true talk. This deleting of stuff from phones is a life-saver. I always do it. Sometimes, I even carry a new blank phone. Because you can never tell if there is an implicating stuff in there. It might even be an innocent conversation that will be misinterpreted. It has saved me before.
It is only in the UK that I don't bother doing such. US officials are gangsta.

debby516:
So i made some notes before i travel, more of tips sha. I hope the new mama find them useful.

1. Delete all implicating emails/bbm/whatsaapp chats/texts from your phone before boarding cos of POE, including contacts saved with Nairaland (NL)
2.Fly before 36 weeks (i.e. 35 weeks + 1 day = 36 weeks). Pls note i went with Emirates.
3. Get Fit to fly from Doctor signed 2 days to trip and also signed copy of the medif form downloaded from Emirates website. Make 4 copies and keep the original signed forms. Always present the duplicate
4. Weigh your luggage before you leave the house.
5. For return journey, carry your change of clothes and basic needs in your hand luggage because of the layover in Dubai. You wont have access to your luggage until you get to Lagos.
6. For hospital bag, just take yours and baby's change of clothes to return home, charger, earpiece and few toiletries, every other thing will be given to you in the hospital.
7. Take a mid-size box to the hosp to be able to pack all the gifts and takeaways you will get in the hosp.
8. For food stuffs, pack each item in a ziploc bag and clearly mark them.
9. Freeze your palmoil, locust beans and pap and put them in a cooler bag before putting it in your check-in luggage.
10. Some basic things you can buy from Nigeria that will save you cost - blueseal vaseline, cottonwool, methylated spirit etc. these things are less than $1 here and not entirely different from what you will buy for $5 or more in the US.
11. Limited purchase of newborn and 0-3 mths clothes, more of 3- 6mths, 6-9mths and so on.
12. Ask for coupons when you buy stuffs in store or even online. Look out for sales/deals.
13. If you want to bring diapers/wipes from the US, take along a thick ghana must go bag (biggest size) to carry them. the bag has no weight and can carry more unlike a box.
14. Have all documents in your carry-on bag for POE.
15. When going out within the US, always have 1 or 2 bottles of water in your bag, cheaper than buying for about a $1 wen u go out. A pack of 24 bottle is $2.5.
16. Discharge the uber driver when you go out and google stores that are all in the same vicinity/shopping mall to save transportation cost.
17. Do not throw away the receipts of goods purchased until you are safely in Nigeria. You cant say, you may need to return some items in the US or luggage may get missing in transit.
18. Take pics of your luggage before you check them in, you cant say when it may be needed.
19. Once baby arrives, start documentation process immediately. Correctly fill the forms in the hosp and make inquiries on timelines. Let them also know you are traveling soon.
20. Also make efforts to pay your bills within the week you put to bed so that all documentations can be concluded before you leave the US.
21. In the event that you are sent to secondary inspection, please get a book to read to wait out the time and do not panic. Dont be seen pressing your phone, keep your phone out of sight if possible and remain calm.

I hope this is helpful.

debby516:
So i made some notes before i travel, more of tips sha. I hope the new mama find them useful.

1. Delete all implicating emails/bbm/whatsaapp chats/texts from your phone before boarding cos of POE, including contacts saved with Nairaland (NL)
2.Fly before 36 weeks (i.e. 35 weeks + 1 day = 36 weeks). Pls note i went with Emirates.
3. Get Fit to fly from Doctor signed 2 days to trip and also signed copy of the medif form downloaded from Emirates website. Make 4 copies and keep the original signed forms. Always present the duplicate
4. Weigh your luggage before you leave the house.
5. For return journey, carry your change of clothes and basic needs in your hand luggage because of the layover in Dubai. You wont have access to your luggage until you get to Lagos.
6. For hospital bag, just take yours and baby's change of clothes to return home, charger, earpiece and few toiletries, every other thing will be given to you in the hospital.
7. Take a mid-size box to the hosp to be able to pack all the gifts and takeaways you will get in the hosp.
8. For food stuffs, pack each item in a ziploc bag and clearly mark them.
9. Freeze your palmoil, locust beans and pap and put them in a cooler bag before putting it in your check-in luggage.
10. Some basic things you can buy from Nigeria that will save you cost - blueseal vaseline, cottonwool, methylated spirit etc. these things are less than $1 here and not entirely different from what you will buy for $5 or more in the US.
11. Limited purchase of newborn and 0-3 mths clothes, more of 3- 6mths, 6-9mths and so on.
12. Ask for coupons when you buy stuffs in store or even online. Look out for sales/deals.
13. If you want to bring diapers/wipes from the US, take along a thick ghana must go bag (biggest size) to carry them. the bag has no weight and can carry more unlike a box.
14. Have all documents in your carry-on bag for POE.
15. When going out within the US, always have 1 or 2 bottles of water in your bag, cheaper than buying for about a $1 wen u go out. A pack of 24 bottle is $2.5.
16. Discharge the uber driver when you go out and google stores that are all in the same vicinity/shopping mall to save transportation cost.
17. Do not throw away the receipts of goods purchased until you are safely in Nigeria. You cant say, you may need to return some items in the US or luggage may get missing in transit.
18. Take pics of your luggage before you check them in, you cant say when it may be needed.
19. Once baby arrives, start documentation process immediately. Correctly fill the forms in the hosp and make inquiries on timelines. Let them also know you are traveling soon.
20. Also make efforts to pay your bills within the week you put to bed so that all documentations can be concluded before you leave the US.
21. In the event that you are sent to secondary inspection, please get a book to read to wait out the time and do not panic. Dont be seen pressing your phone, keep your phone out of sight if possible and remain calm.

I hope this is helpful.

Very useful.....

Might I add a few more from my own experience!

Take stuff like padlocks, needle and thread, detergent,if possible an extra Ghana must go(if you don't use it it can be folded away easily).

Your old* car seat

Those cheap travel cots/baskets or baby beds (the type you place on the bed) sold in the market certainly cheaper and just as useful as the ones sold in the US....

Subscribe to as many baby products sites as you can asides the spam mails some send you free samples of diapers, wipes and even formula!

Cheers everyone

mimimum:
My dear, true talk. This deleting of stuff from phones is a life-saver. I always do it. Sometimes, I even carry a new blank phone. Because you can never tell if there is an implicating stuff in there. It might even be an innocent conversation that will be misinterpreted. It has saved me before.
It is only in the UK that I don't bother doing such. US officials are gangsta.

@Debby516: Thanks, very very helpful.

My dear, not only Phones. My purse, handbag and even up to prescribed drugs have been searched and questioned. Once, the airline was called to send down my luggage for further search.

Its best to leave out anything that might be easily misunderstood.

She MAY not have lied when applying. She may have genuinely had travel plans before something came up. I mean, don't we sometimes make concrete plans to do stuff and then something else happens? I don't think it's fair to just assume that EVERYONE lied when applying for a visa. Eg. A person plans to travel then gets news of the death of someone or something that totally ruins the travel plans and probably has serious cost implications ( we do know that travelling these days ain't cheap anymore). Then say after like 4 months the person gets a positive pregnancy test and toys with the idea of having the baby abroad. 4 months plus say 6 months gives some time to save up for the birth trip...
That's just a possible scenario. Doesn't mean the person lied when applying. Or is the person supposed to forsee a pregnancy 6 months ahead, apply for B2 when there's no pregnancy, have correspondence with doctors and hospitals with an empty belly?
In all, there are different circumstances in life. Let's not be so quick to call a person a liar.
My humble thoughts.

customised87:
[/b]

Well, thats why its good to always tell the truth when applying.

Yes o. If you are staying with a host, it doesn't hurt to inform your host of your travel plans. Last time at Atlanta POE, they called my husband's uncle to confirm if I was really staying with him, how long I was staying and who I was coming with (thank God he had all the info). They searched my bags and son's bag and phones like kilode only because I didn't take a direct flight from Nigeria to Oklahoma or at least book a domestic flight from Washington airport to Oklahoma before coming. Them no understand say man pikin dey take advantage of promo ticket wey cheap on Delta like anything (I got an amazingly cheap ticket on Delta from Lagos to Washington, from there I took another flight to Oklahoma). They even asked me to take off my thick jacket, cos they wanted to be sure I wasn't preggy. They searched every paper they found in my bag and wallet. I just dey look them, dey laff for my mind. Anyway, after much interrogation and convincing, I showed him a screen shot I did on a mail to DH of the ticket prices I got from Wakanow site for Delta airline for the same travel period and when the man saw the difference between that and hw much our ticket was, he said "wow, ok". And, they let me go. They were courteous and polite through it all though.

So point is, stay woke. They ain't smiling

Maymum:


@Debby516: Thanks, very very helpful.

My dear, not only Phones. My purse, handbag and even up to prescribed drugs have been searched and questioned. Once, the airline was called to send down my luggage for further search.

Its best to leave out anything that might be easily misunderstood.

desoul:

wulahi, its not immigration fault that booklet is not available, nef, you may not understand, abeg in other news,any airline doing promo?

.

Yea Kenya

debby516:
So I made some notes before i travelled, more of tips. I hope the new mama's find them useful.

1. Delete all implicating emails/bbm/whatsaapp chats/texts from your phone before boarding cos of POE, including contacts saved with Nairaland (NL)
2.Fly before 36 weeks (i.e. 35 weeks + 1 day = 36 weeks). Pls note i went with Emirates.
3. Get Fit to fly from Doctor signed 2 days to trip and also signed copy of the medif form downloaded from Emirates website. Make 4 copies and keep the original signed forms. Always present the duplicate
4. Weigh your luggage before you leave the house.
5. For return journey, carry your change of clothes and basic needs in your hand luggage because of the layover in Dubai. You wont have access to your luggage until you get to Lagos.
6. For hospital bag, just take yours and baby's change of clothes to return home, charger, earpiece and few toiletries, every other thing will be given to you in the hospital.
7. Take a mid-size box to the hosp to be able to pack all the gifts and takeaways you will get in the hosp.
8. For food stuffs, pack each item in a ziploc bag and clearly mark them.
9. Freeze your palmoil, locust beans and pap and put them in a cooler bag before putting it in your check-in luggage.
10. Some basic things you can buy from Nigeria that will save you cost - blueseal vaseline, cottonwool, methylated spirit etc. these things are less than $1 here and not entirely different from what you will buy for $5 or more in the US.
11. Limited purchase of newborn and 0-3 mths clothes, more of 3- 6mths, 6-9mths and so on.
12. Ask for coupons when you buy stuffs in store or even online. Look out for sales/deals.
13. If you want to bring diapers/wipes from the US, take along a thick ghana must go bag (biggest size) to carry them. the bag has no weight and can carry more unlike a box.
14. Have all documents in your carry-on bag for POE.
15. When going out within the US, always have 1 or 2 bottles of water in your bag, cheaper than buying for about a $1 wen u go out. A pack of 24 bottle is $2.5.
16. Discharge the uber driver when you go out and google stores that are all in the same vicinity/shopping mall to save transportation cost.
17. Do not throw away the receipts of goods purchased until you are safely in Nigeria. You cant say, you may need to return some items in the US or luggage may get missing in transit.
18. Take pics of your luggage before you check them in, you cant say when it may be needed.
19. Once baby arrives, start documentation process immediately. Correctly fill the forms in the hosp and make inquiries on timelines. Let them also know you are traveling soon.
20. Also make efforts to pay your bills within the week you put to bed so that all documentations can be concluded before you leave the US.
21. In the event that you are sent to secondary inspection, please get a book to read to wait out the time and do not panic. Dont be seen pressing your phone, keep your phone out of sight if possible and remain calm.

I hope this is helpful.

@17 you can also get your tax back on purchases from some stores with your receipts and they'll make a copy if you still need the receipt

nefertitiram:
.

Yea Kenya

ok...but na this waka go kaduna i still dey think...as pa say abuja don close for now

Mrsbaby:
Pls has anyone given birth in a birthing centre in this forum? Does it have disadvantages and would it affect my visa renewal? Hospitals in MD are so freaking expensive. Biko help a siater in dire need of response.

Hi Dear, i had my baby in Maryland too and i can attest its way pricey...if you are in Baltimore, try Mercy Medical Center. My total Initial Bill was over $10k but we got discout from the doctors bill and it came down to $8700. Please bear in mind that i stayed in the hospital for 24hrs and i had a Vaginal Birth...I pray your childbirth will be easy as mine. Labor took about 3hrs from when i got to hospital to when i gave birth...all the best.

Please how can i get tax back?

julzz:


@17 you can also get your tax back on purchases from some stores with your receipts and they'll make a copy if you still need the receipt

gurlnext2u:
Aww!!! Congratulations! God bless the little one.
.

congratulations!!! May God watch and protect him..

Please how can one get more dollars asides from this Bank PTA which is at a good exchange. rate.

desoul:

wulahi, its not immigration fault that booklet is not available, nef, you may not understand, abeg in other news,any airline doing promo?

Pls ma i want to understand I am also in this situation right now. Which agency is in charge of booklets? Or are they hoarding this thing?

M

I am Houston bound Mid April. Using HNWMC. Accommodation is at Sugar land

lomwe:
Houston bound April/May. Using Oakbend and Richmond accommodation. Lets pm

titileps:
I am Houston bound Mid April. Using HNWMC. Accommodation is at Sugar land

Hi Titileps,am considering HNWC. Pls kindly pm on details u have using the hospital and Dr Xydas esp.the paediatrican fee. Thanks.

anonymousmum:


...only in some specific hospitals...

Ohh well. . . . . . this is based on my experience.

Gwinnett Medical centre in 2015 and Eastside Medical Centre 2017

Out of curiosity, what proofs do you take along with you to claim BC"s at a Vital office?

Mrsc22:
Hello Mamas and Papas. So i hv my visa today. First timer:
Vo after greeting) where are you going to?
DH: houston
Vo: why?
DH: to have our baby
Vo: oh congrats. What do u do
DH: xxxx
Me: xxxx
Vo: have u traveled before
Us: yes. We name countries
Vo: (facing me) what did u do in d UK
Me: bla bla
Vo: how much do you have for this trip
DH: 10,000
Vo: thats a bit low. Health care can b expensive so please do proper research. You both have a great job so am sure u are coming back. Congrats (hands white paper).
No documents searched, to think i was scared b4 but i always armed myself with details from here sha so i was a bit confident. Help me thank God o. DH and i r entrepreneurs
So I will be travelling to Houston later this March.

Now to flight booking... please which airline is cool and POE?

Pls was your interview in Abuja or Lagos?

debby516:
On this birthing centers, some of us are still eagerly waiting for the stories/transcripts of those who had 1st hand experience, pls.

My sister used a Birthing Center in Dallas and she got her Visa renewed via Dropbox just Last month.

Hi dear,
My piece of advice is this: Write to the consular to inform them about your trip and it's purpose . Usually, they send you a reply wishing you well.

But make sure you travel with that correspondence in case they raise the issue at the point of entry, about you not informing them when you applied for your visa.

That way, I think you are safe, because it did happen to me and I have even renewed by visa there after too.
Thanks

customised87:
[/b]

Well, thats why its good to always tell the truth when applying.

I used Tanko and he delivered too.

debby516:
If I may add, i know Tanko and Ambassador Stella also does the visa thing. Maybe you can compare the cost. I used Eddy for passport and he delivered.

Bootyliciousjay:
She MAY not have lied when applying. She may have genuinely had travel plans before something came up. I mean, don't we sometimes make concrete plans to do stuff and then something else happens? I don't think it's fair to just assume that EVERYONE lied when applying for a visa. Eg. A person plans to travel then gets news of the death of someone or something that totally ruins the travel plans and probably has serious cost implications ( we do know that travelling these days ain't cheap anymore). Then say after like 4 months the person gets a positive pregnancy test and toys with the idea of having the baby abroad. 4 months plus say 6 months gives some time to save up for the birth trip...
That's just a possible scenario. Doesn't mean the person lied when applying. Or is the person supposed to forsee a pregnancy 6 months ahead, apply for B2 when there's no pregnancy, have correspondence with doctors and hospitals with an empty belly?
In all, there are different circumstances in life. Let's not be so quick to call a person a liar.
My humble thoughts.

You are so right. This was exactly my case, although I was pregnant when I applied and I applied here in Germany. When the VO asked if I would use medical service there, we both laughed cause it's obvious medical care here is free, why would I go pay so much in the USA. Afterwards, my dad got sick and my mum said she would postpone her trip to me. In January, my dad passed on and she will not be able to come till later in the year. So, we decided it's best I go to my sister in the US to help me till July when my mom will come. Anyway I got the change of intent letter whether it's effective or not.

Some one asked when you do crop box you have to apply for the same class of visa so my renewal was for a b2 just like the first time.
Pls does any one know of any airline thats reasonable at the moment tried emirates for me and lo its over a million, ba 2800$ help a sister