Visa Application Tips Every Nigerian Should Know

Ensure Your Documents are Well Organized

Make sure documents are properly arranged and in order, both the
original documents and the photocopies. This is so it can be easier for
you to retrieve relevant documents on request during submission, which
can help to greatly reduce your anxiety during the process and improve
your composure.

Try to Apply Early

Much like ensuring your documents are well organized, applying early
helps eliminate the anxiety and stress that comes with late
applications. During your visa application process, an important thing
you will be assessed on, especially during the interview, is your level
of composure, and eliminating minor things that can interfere with or
compromise your ability to remain calm and composed should be top of
mind. It is thus best to put in your visa application early, so no
matter how long the visa processing takes or the delays that come up,
there will be no need for you to panic or be agitated.

Visa Agents Cannot Guarantee You a Visa

You would think that most people would know this by now but many of us
still fall prey to scammers that erroneously make us believe that they
can guarantee us a visa provided we do this and that, or pay so and so
amount. Basically, for a successful visa application, you need to be
able to show proof of your genuine intent and your financial capacity to
sustain yourself for the duration. There is no agent that can do this
for you or guarantee you this regardless of how much you pay them, the
best they can do is help fill the necessary forms properly and see that
you have all the documentation required. At the end of the day, the
consul will typically decide on your application based on your documents
and your responses to the interview (where it is required, like in the
US).

Try To Show Proof of Strong Socio-Economic Ties

Try to prove that you have strong socio-economic reasons like a good
job, investments, sufficient funds etc., to return to your home country
at the end of the specified period for the visa. In fact, being able to
prove this is so important that according to the US Embassy, the 214(b)
of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states that “Every
alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the
satisfaction of the officer, at the time of the application for a visa .
. . that he is entitled to nonimmigrant status . . .” So visa officers
really only just want to make sure that after your trip is over, you
will return back to your country, and the best way you can do that is to
prove that you have strong socio-economic ties in your home country
that can encourage you to return. Some evidence of strong socio-economic
ties that are considered are business ownership, employment, social and
family relationships etc.

Avoid Mistakes in Your Visa Application

Avoid slangs, big grammar or ambiguous phrases that can lead to
avoidable mistakes on your visa application. During the application and
even during the interview (where it applies), you should try to keep
your responses ‘short, simple and straight to the point’. It is much
easier to avoid mistakes this way. Also, during interviews (in cases it
applies), be sure that your answers are in line with what is written on
the forms submitted.