Visa House Travels

VISAS
Australia New Zealand Canada United States United Arab Emirates - Dubai Austria Belgium Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom
Australia New Zealand Canada United States United Arab Emirates - Dubai Austria Belgium Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom

Work Visa

Work Visa

WORK VISA gives one the ability to take up a job in a country other than the one in which one is a citizen. There are different types of work visas. One kind might require the holder to have a local employer in a foreign country as a sponsor and to return home if he/she loses the job. Another visa may be more general and may allow the holder to work at any job for a certain period of time. Work visas are generally temporary, though most may be renewed.

Other ways you can secure a ”Work Visa”  is to apply either as:

– Job Seeker

– Freelance Worker


WORK VISA CATEGORIES

There are three sub-groups within work visa categories namely:

1. Persons with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. Applicants in this category must have extensive documentation showing sustained national or international acclaim and recognition in their fields of expertise. Such applicants do not have to have specific job offers, so long as they are entering the X country to continue work in the fields in which they have extraordinary ability. Such applicants can file their own work visa applications.

2. Outstanding Professors and Researchers with at least three years’ experience in teaching or research, who are recognized internationally. Applicants in this category must be coming to the X country to pursue tenure, tenure track teaching, or a comparable research position at a university or other institution of higher education. The prospective employer must provide a job offer and file an application for the applicant. 

3. Multinational Managers or Executiveswho have been employed for at least one of the three preceding years by the overseas affiliate, parent, subsidiary, or branch of the X country employer. The applicant’s employment outside of the X country must have been in a managerial or executive capacity, and the applicant must be coming to work in a managerial or executive capacity. The prospective employer must provide a job offer and file an application on behalf of the applicant.

4. Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees and Persons of Exceptional Ability. Applicants in this category must generally have a labor certification approved by the Department of Labor in the X country. A job offer is required and the X country employer must file an Immigrant petition or work visa application on behalf of the applicant. Applicants may apply for an exemption from the job offer and labor certification if the exemption would be in the national interest. In this case, the applicant may self-petition by filing a work visa application along with evidence of the national interest.

There are two subgroups within this category:

 

  • Professionals holding an advanced degree(beyond a baccalaureate degree), or a baccalaureate degree and at least five years of progressive experience in the profession.
  • Persons with exceptional abilityin the sciences, arts, or business. Exceptional ability means having a degree of expertise significantly above that ordinarily encountered in the sciences, arts, or business.
 

5. Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Unskilled Workers (Other Workers)

Applicants in this category generally, require labor certification approved by the Department of Labor in the X country. 

  • Skilled workers are persons whose jobs require a minimum of 2 years of training or work experience that are not temporary or seasonal.
  • Professionalsare members of the professions whose jobs require at least a baccalaureate degree from a university or college or its foreign equivalent degree.
  • Unskilled workers (Other workers)are persons capable of filling positions that require less than two years of training or experience that are not temporary or seasonal. There are no requirements for this or special documentation than having experience and ability to perform the job.
 

Documents Required For All Categories Above

  • Proof of your Identity – A copy of your International passport
  • Original official bank statements, transaction records from banks, fixed / time/term deposits certificates for the last six months 
  • Certified proof of property ownership and its valuation, purchase or sale agreements, mortgage loan agreement, etc. 
  • Certified transactions of stocks and securities accounts including the history of transactions and dates of opening the accounts (optional, not compulsory and don’t worry if you don’t have stocks and securities account) 
  • Certified copies of your post-secondary education documents: vocational or technical certificates or diplomas. 
  • Certified copies of your college or university documents: the graduation degree, diploma, or certificate issued by the college or university. 
  • Certified copies of your trade/apprenticeship documents: certificate and evidence of apprenticeship. 
  • Original transcripts of your post-secondary courses taken. 
  • Certified copies of your professional qualifications certificates: any proof of further training or certification relative to your current occupation/profession must be written on company letterhead, signed by the responsible officer/supervisor
 

Additional conditions allowing you to apply for work visa:

  1. You must be employed or be in employment prior to filing for your application 
  2. You must show your company’s full address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and website addresses, 
  3. letters from your company must be stamped with the company’s official seal (if applicable) Letters must include all of the following information:

– the specific period of your employment with the company 

– the positions you have held during the period of employment and the time spent in each position 

– your main responsibilities and duties in each position 

– your total annual salary plus benefits

– the number of hours worked per week

  1. Certified copies of work contracts 
  2. Certified copies of pay stubs 
  3. Certified copies of T4s Self-employed individuals must provide documentation from 3rd party individual(s) indicating the service provided along with payment details. NOTE: Self-declared main duties or affidavits are not acceptable evidence of work experience.
 

Jobseeker Visa (Work Visa)

Nigerians can apply to a lot of countries as job seekers. There are countries that are seeking highly qualified employees to work in well-paid positions and encourage all young and skilled people to come to visit and look for places to work. So, if you have decided that you would like to work there, the first thing you need to do is get the X country job seeker visa.

What is a job seeker visa?

The job seeker visa is a Long-Term Residency Permit, which allows you to stay in the country for six months and look for a job. NOTE: Job seeker visa is issued under work visa.  If at the end of the six months you have found a place of employment, you will be given the X country work visa or a work permit and you will be allowed to work and live there. Please note that having a job seeker visa does not allow you to start working immediately in the country. It only means that you can visit the country and look for a job during your stay.

Documents to submit:

  1. Bachelor/Master Degree from the X country university or an equivalent foreign degree
  2. Proof of minimum of 5 years of experience in your related field of study
  3. Proof that you have sufficient funds to cover your stay during the time you are in the X country
  4. Travel or medical insurance for your entire stay in X country or until you get your Work Permit
 

If you checked all of the criteria, then you’re one step closer to getting your visa.

  1. A cover letter where you explain the objective of your visit, how you plan to find employment, and your alternative career plans if you cannot find a job
  2. Diploma of your degree (or any other proof of academic qualification from the X country or university) as well as any certificates of previous work experience
  3. Your detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  4. Proof of accommodation in X country (where you will be staying during your visit)
  5. Proof of financial means to cover the costs for the time of your stay in the X country by showing one of the following documents:
    • A letter from the sponsor living in X country
    • The bank account statement, or
    • Blocked bank account
  6. Proof of personal status in your home country, such as birth certificate, marriage certificate, and others
  7. Proof of your health insurance

The X country embassy/consulate reserves the right to ask for additional documents. This applies –among others- for certain professions (e.g. Nurses, Medical Doctors, Pharmacists, Teachers).

Freelance  (Work Visa)

Freelance has become an ever-growing self-employment type, as it gives greater independence and less bureaucracy compared to the conventional type.

Working as a freelancer, you are your own boss. There is great flexibility as of the days and hours of working. Moreover, you’re free to choose the clients and projects you want to work for. You have almost none working protocols to follow. You may not need an office to make your work happen.

Potentials needed to freelance:

  1. High sense of technical individuality.
  2. Innovative thinking.
  3. Particular education.
  4. Personal qualities.
  5. Sense of self-motivation.
  6. Sense of self-responsibility
 

As a freelancer, you will be excused from the business registration procedure and from getting the trade permit.

Instead of the trade office, your freelance activity must be registered with the tax office. The tax office will be the authority to issue the tax number and to collect taxes from you, based on your freelance activity.

For some liberal professions, you must get membership into the respective chambers and for some others the recognition of the foreign qualification beforehand launching your freelance activity.

Can I work as a freelancer if I am a Nigerian already in X country?

If you are already residing in X country, you are entitled to freelance with exceptions.

Your situation must be any of the following for working as a freelancer while already in X country:

  • You’re a graduate foreigner from a recognized education institution in X country. This includes state, state-recognized, or equally recognized training institution in X country. Your profession must directly match the qualification you have received there.
  • You’re a foreigner working as a researcher or scientist in X country. You must expect freelancing as a researcher or scientist.
  • You’re a foreigner having entered with an X country artist visa. You must expect freelancing as an artist.
  • You are a foreigner having entered with an X country temporary visa for other purposes. You must meet the criteria to freelance as a foreigner.

 

A freelance visa is typically granted for three months. It can be converted into a residence permit while your visa is valid. The address where you apply for a residence permit is the Local Foreigner’s Authority 

  • The residence permit for freelancing can be extended for up to three complete years. To receive such an extension, you must have previously succeeded in your freelance business. This means that you should have evidence of generating sufficient profits to cover living costs for yourself and each of your dependent family members.
  • After 3 years spent with a residence permit for freelancing, you may get a settlement permit. This can happen only if you decide setting-up a retail or manual trade business, since then.
  • The residence permit for freelancing can be also converted into a residence permit for self-employment (Residence Act, Section 21/6). This may happen only if you can get the permit to pursue the intended self-employment activity.

 

Requirements to Apply for a Freelance Visa?

You must typically submit the application for a freelance visa at the Embassy or Consulate in the country where you currently live. The procedure is the same as applying for any X country visa. You are advised to complete the application 3 months in advance of your planned travel date. Send the application documents as originals with a photocopy of each

  • Completed national visa application form.
  • Valid national passport.
  • Two recently made biometric photographs. 
  • Payment of the visa application fee.
  • Travel Insurance
  • Recommendation letters from previous employers.
  • Curriculum vitae.
  • Cover letter.
  • Portfolio of your previous work. Several printed samples of the previous freelance work, or regular work in the same profession.
  • Professional authorization. You need to show a license or other authorization to show evidence of your expertise and relevance to pursue the intended profession. This is needed if you’re planning to exercise a profession that requires prior expertise in the field, i.e. Medicine, law, and similar.
  • Certificates of earlier education.
  • Means of subsistence. Evidence showing you have enough money to cover your living and freelancing costs. This can be one of the following:
  • Latest bank statements. From a home-country bank, showing enough available funds.
  • Profit/loss statement. It has to show your forecasts about monthly profits and losses from the intended freelance activity.
  • Proof of adequate pension plan. Only if you are older than 45.
  • Evidence of a freelance Plan.
  • Letters of commitments from future customers/employers. Send at least two of them. These letters must clearly show their intent to employ you when you come here.

 

After arriving in X country, you must legalize yourself as a freelancer.

Follow these key steps before freelancing as a foreigner in X country:

      • Register your living address. You must register in X country, as soon as you find your permanent accommodation. Once this process is completed, you will be receiving the confirmation on the living address registration 
      • Open a bank account in a bank in X country.
      • Register with the Tax Registration Office This is done by submitting the completed Tax Number Registration Form. Once this process is finished, you will be receiving the Tax ID. This unique number will be used by you to charge your clients and by the tax, office to collect taxes from your freelance operations.
      • Get yourself covered by a proper health insurance
      • Apply for a Residence permit for freelancing. In the three first months of your arrival, you must make a valid application for a residence permit. The application is done at the Foreigner’s Registration Office 
      • To apply, you need to provide a completed Application Form for a Residence Permit and required evidence supporting such application. Amongst supporting documents, you need to provide the letter of residence confirmation issued by the landlord of the place you’re living here. This needs to be supplemented by the rental contract.
      • Start implementing your freelance plan. You may want to start by contacting the awaiting clients, to inform them about your availability to work.
 

EUROPEAN WORK VISA/EMPLOYMENT VISA

The term ”Work Visa” is regarded as the Employment Visa under the European Schemes

 

European Employment Visa  is an opportunity for qualified foreigners to settle in and work in their field. It gives its holder the chance to enter and work in an X country for up to two years, with the possibility of extending the visa, and later applying for an EU Blue Card or Residence Permit Card, or other types of residence permits. 

 

Long-Stay Visa Types for Working in an X country

You may apply for an X country Long-Stay Visa under the purpose of working in the following categories:

Employment – if you already have a job offer in an X country, you can apply for Employment Visa 

Self-Employment – if you wish to establish a business in an X country or to work as a freelancer. 
– Working as a Freelancer
– Jobseeker – if you wish to look for a job while in X country
– Working as an AU Pair (Daycare nanny is called AU Pair in some countries)

All foreign nationals including Nigerians can apply for Employment Visa if they fulfill the conditions to work in some European countries. According to the “Act on the Residence” that regulates the residence issue for foreigners, the categories eligible to apply for an employment Visa are as follows:


A. Highly qualified foreigners, in particular:


– Researchers with special technical knowledge


– Teaching personnel in prominent positions or scientific personnel in prominent positions


B. Intra-corporate transferees, in particular:


– Managers


– Specialists


C. Nationals with a university degree or a non-academic vocational qualification that fulfill the conditions listed below: 


– You have a concrete job offer.


– Your education must be recognized as equivalent to a country degree or to that desired country degree.


How to Apply for an European Emploment Visa?

  1. Get a job offer in an X country.
  2. Check if you need a visa to the country for long-stays.
  3. Find out where you need to submit your visa application.
  4. Collect all of the required documents to be mentioned below according to instructions.
  5. Make an appointment for a visa interview.
  6. Pay the Employment Work visa fee.
  7. Attend the interview.
  8. Wait for a response on your visa application.
 

Required Documents for European Employment Visa

  1. Two fully completed application forms. Printed and signed at the end.
  2. Two passport photographs
  3. Valid national passport
  4. Proof of residence. Your driver’s license and/or utility bill in your name as proof of residence in the territory of the consulate where you plan to apply.
  5. Health insurance. Compulsory certificate from X country employer, valid from date of employment. If not already included in the compulsory health insurance separate travel insurance has to be presented for the time frame from arrival in an X country until the beginning of employment.
  6. An employment contract / binding job offer with details of gross annual salary and a detailed description of the employment in an X country
  7. Approval by the Federal Employment Agency (If applicable).
  8. Curriculum Vitae. Your updated CV, which indicates your academic qualifications and your job experience.
  9. Proof of Qualification. Diplomas, Certificates, Mark-sheets, etc., or anything similar that proves your qualifications.
  10. Personal covering letter explaining the exact purpose and duration of stay.
  11. Proof of a clean criminal record.
  12. Proof of paid visa fee.
  13. Declaration of Accuracy of Information.
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Refusals and Appeals

Sometimes even if the visa application and all documents are correct, the visa is not granted. One of the privileges is the possibility to appeal the case. At Visa House Travels we have partnered with lawyers at HAVILAH LAW FIRM to be able to assess your case and, give you the most effective legal advice. If you believe that your visa application was refused unlawfully our legal team will assess your case and, present you with most suitable solutions and explanations. If appealing your case will be our recommendation, our legal team will represent you in court. To assess your case please contact us on legal@visahousetravels.com and:
  • attach refusal note and state refused application number
  • explain in the e-mail body why in your opinion your visa was refused and why do you want to appeal
  • in the e-mail subject write: appeal and your name

How To Start

Welcome to Visa House Travels!

We are here to help you achieve your goal of getting your dream visa in an easy to follow process!

1.     The most important step is to determine what type of visa do you need. Please take your time to read VISA TYPE AND DOCUMENTS section on our website.
It will help you to understand visa differences or double check your visa choice.

2.     Contact us on contact@visahousetravels.com to request most up to date application form. Don’t forget to mention the type of application you need as well as reason for your travel and destination.

3.     Read all the tips on how to fill the form. FILLING THE APPLICATION FORM

4.     Fill the forms, gather needed documents and upload it using UPLOAD THE APPLICATION section

5.     We will give you our feedback on what to change or add.

6.     When you adjust the documents in line with our suggestions re-upload your application as every application has 2 revision rounds. For travel booking tips go through TRAVEL BOOKING SECTION

7.     We will give you feedback or green light. Please make sure you apply our feedback before submitting your documents to the embassy.

8.      You are ready to get your visa, submit the all documents to the embassy (use our CHECKLIST to make sure you have everything)

9.     Prepare for interview using our VISA INTERVIEW tips

We are here for you, if you have additional questions check our FAQ or contact us on:

Email: contact@visahousetravels.com

Facebook: @visahousetravels.ltd

Instagram: @visa_house_travels

WhatsApp: +234 802 447 1435

Checklist

Alternatively, Please Download our Checklist to ensure you have everything you need.

Download Now

Building Travel History

Travel history is a track record of a traveler/visitor past visits to outside of their home country. Whenever someone visits a foreign country than he/she got an immigration stamp or a visa stamp on their passport, these records of stamps on the passport is called travel history. Travel history tells about all the recent visits of passport holder such as where and when they travel.

If you have recently been refused a visa because of a lack of travel experience or history, then understanding

TRAVEL HISTORY might be of help to you. The concept of having a travel history differs from embassy to embassy.

  1. U.S. EMBASSY
Visa Officers in the U.S. Embassy, would like to know if you have any travel experience. Mostly they do want to see in your passport that you have traveled previously to Europe or other developed Western and North American countries such as any of the Schengen countries, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Japan or South Korea; because these countries have similar economies and living conditions as the US. Also, more importantly, they have similar immigration standards.
TIP: If you are refused a US visa and you suspect (or guessed) travel history was the main problem, do not waste your resources traveling to UAE, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, or China only to gain travel experience. You need to have some travel to Europe and other developed western countries to justify your travel history.

2. CANADA HIGH COMMISSION

Canada’s immigration has one of the trickier definitions of travel history. To them, travel history falls into 2 main categories

– those with no travel history based on the US embassy’s definition of travel history

– those with travel history but applying for a visa to travel for the wrong purpose.

In other words, if you are refused a visa by the Canadian High Commission because of a lack of travel history, it might be because you have none. But if you have travel history to US, UK, Germany, etc. and was still refused, the reason might be because even though you are traveling for say a conference, business or tour, their checks might have revealed that you have not in the past traveled for a conference, business or tour.

TIP: Always be accurate with your travel purpose because a negative background check might affect you visa approval.

3. UK HIGH COMMISSION

Travel history according to UK immigration is the easiest among the embassies. Their criteria for showing travel history is that you can show ”a pattern of traveling outside of your country of residence”. TIP: If you are refused a UK visa because of travel history (very rare), try traveling. Anywhere will do.

4. SCHENGEN CONSULATES

Since all Schengen embassies use similar immigration standards to issue visas, we will talk about them as one collective group. Their travel history definition can be what the US, Canadian or British embassies require, but most frequent travels outside your country of residence will be enough. So, when a Schengen embassy notices you have visas to Dubai, South Africa, UK, another Schengen country, US, Canada, etc, they are less inclined to refuse your application because they are not certain of your intention to leave the Schengen territory after your intended visit.
TIP: If your travel history does not include a western country, you should have undertaken some of those trips often.
You will notice from reading all, that satisfying travel history requirements by the Canadian High Commission are the hardest, followed by the US consulate, the Schengen embassies, and lastly the UK High Commission. So, you really do not need to worry about travel history when applying for a UK visa unless the entry clearance officer refuses your application for visa citing this as one of the reasons.

HOW TO BUILD TRAVEL HISTORY?

You build your travel history by traveling. And a systematic plan of travels over a period of time will increase your chances of getting any visa you apply for. You can start first withVISA-FREE COUNTRIES, and proceed to VISA ON ARRIVAL COUNTRIES and then NONE WESTERN COUNTRIES before venturing/applying for either US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Schengen Countries visas.
VISA-FREE TRAVEL is the ability to visit a country without having to complete lengthy visa procedures. Nationals of a country can travel visa-free to another country if the governments of the two countries signed an agreement to that effect, or if the receiving country unilaterally opened its borders.
LIST OF VISA-FREE COUNTRIES FOR NIGERIA’S PASSPORT HOLDERS

Barbados

Benin

Burkina Faso

Cameroon

Cape Verde

Chad

Cote d’Ivoire

Dominica

Fiji

Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Haiti

Liberia

Mali

Mauritius

Micronesia

Niger Republic

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Togo

Vanuatu

VISA ON ARRIVAL (VoA) is also a visa, this is a visa stamp that is usually affixed into your passport upon your arrival in some specific countries at the point of entry. In most cases, you would get the visa at the arrival airport rather than from the consulate in your home country. Visa on Arrival is also sometimes referred to as Visa upon Arrival or Landing Visa. Since Visa on Arrival is also a visa, you would need to have all the required documents as a regular visa. A Visa on Arrival can also be denied just like a regular visa, so you must have a backup plan in such a case.

LIST OF VISAS ON ARRIVAL COUNTRIES FOR NIGERIA’S PASSPORT HOLDERS

 

Bangladesh

Burundi

Cambodia

Comoros Island

Djibouti

Georgia

Iran

Kenya

Laos

Madagascar

Maldives

 Mauritania

Mozambique

Nauru

Palau

Samoa

Seychelles

Somalia

Sri Lanka

Tanzania

Timor-Leste

Tuvalu

Uganda

It is obvious that some visas are more accessible than the other but with careful planning and organization, your travel history will make you one step closer to achieve your goal.

Tips for Travel Booking

We know that booking a hotel and a flight not knowing if the visa will be granted can be confusing. That is why we want to provide you the reasons behind this requirement as well as give you the tips to book your flight and accommodation without stress of losing your money if visa is not granted.

Let’s start with frequently asked questions when it comes to travel bookings for visa application.


Do I need to purchase a flight ticket before applying for a visa? Will I lose a lot of money if I book a flight and hotel and my visa application is rejected or denied?

No. you DO NOT need to buy a full flight ticket or pay hotel reservations before applying for your visa.

Embassies and Consulate officials do not recommend that you make any full payments or payments at all before your visa is issued or granted.

Instead, officials will want a reservation/itinerary with dates and flights number specifying entry date and exit date from the country you plan to visit or the host country. Some embassies will accept flight itinerary when applying for a visa but may request the original air ticket when the visa is collected.


Why embassy or consulate ask for these documents while applying for visa?

These documents serve as proof that you will not be overstaying – why?  The main reason why the embassy or the consulate of your travel destination country asks you for proof of a round-trip flight reservation is that they want to make sure you will not overstay your visa and will get back to your home country before it expires.

Since a round-trip reservation shows the departure and arrival to your home country, this is a convincing document that you will return.

This means you have to book a round trip flight reservation because otherwise, your reservation would be meaningless.

 

Another reason embassy asks for this is to decide the length of your visa. The officials at the embassy or consulate where you are applying at will decide on the length of your visa based on the Itinerary Flight so that you can get granted with a visa that allows you to stay at your destination country for as long as you need to, and not for a shorter period.


1. WHAT IS A FLIGHT RESERVATION?

A flight reservation is a document of a detailed plan of your flight or travel journey to a specific country.

In fact, it is only a flight/travel timetable on the chosen flight airline, comprised of a flight name, traveler’s name, a valid flight reservation booking number, arrival, and departure date, and airport IATA codes.


2. WHAT IS A FLIGHT ITINERARY FOR VISA?

A flight itinerary for a visa is a detailed route of your flight. It includes information such as flight name, your full names,  departure/arrival timings along with dates, flight code, departure/arrival airport IATA

 

TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE FLIGHTS & HOTEL RESERVATIONS FOR VISA APPLICATION PURPOSE

 

FLIGHTS BOOKINGS

There are ways to make flight bookings for visa applications without payment and, no embassy expects you to purchase a flight or hotel bookings payment before you can apply for a visa. So, how can you make flight bookings without payment? We are going to explain the careful steps in the following below. 

 

NOTE: Should case, you follow the careful steps first on your own but still cannot book your flight bookings and hotel bookings then, don’t hesitate to send us an email or be in touch to our customer’s care department for further help or guides on how to complete the process.

 

INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDES FOR FLIGHTS BOOKINGS

1. Go to any of these airline websites KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates, or Turkish Airlines just to mention a few or any other airline that operates on your destination. Note: However, please remember that low-cost airlines usually don’t have the option of ticket reservation.

 

2. After landing on the airline’s website of your choice, choose a destination ( suitable for your case, let’s say your plan is to travel to London, then you choose London UK and key in your travel dates)

 

3. Choose a suitable ticket taking into account the price, departure time – This must align with your travel plan dates-  the number of stops, travel duration, etc.

 

4. Fill out the information about the passenger: your Information Very Important

Choose flight insurance if necessary (optional) but NOTE: We do not recommend this because it might attract a token fee but you have the choice to make on your own.

 

5. On the booking payment section, choose the option reserve now and pay later OR the option pays through the bank.

NOTE: No Embassy expects you to actually make any flight payment or buy a flight ticket before your visa is Issued and, that is why we are recommending that you should choose the option reserve now and pay later or pay through the bank. Consular only want to see your flight booking details such as your full names, date of birth, flight number, booking confirmation number, airline name, departure date, and return date

 

6. Click “Book a flight” and a confirmation email will be sent to you with the details.

 

7. Now you need to print the ticket and take it with you to the embassy to apply for a visa. Keep in mind that you need to cut out the part where it says “The order must be paid before — (Your local time). WHY? Because it is not needed for your visa application.

 

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO BOOK A HOTEL WITHOUT PAYING

  1. Go to Booking.com choose the city (in our case, let’s say London), pick the dates (approximately 2-3 weeks from the time of your arrival):
  1. Choose a filter “Free cancellation” on the left

 

Reminder: Free cancellation usually has an end date which is stated on the website. If you forget to cancel your booking till that time you will have to cover the cost of the booking.

 

  1. The choice is of the hotels is overwhelming to help you narrow your choices look at the following aspects:
  • Price – you can select a price range which is affordable for you and also you can filter the price from lowest to highest. However you need to be aware of promoted facilities, they will appear on the top of every search even if they are not the cheapest. It doesn’t mean that the promoted facilities are not worth looking into, on the contrary, it is just important to be aware of the promotion mechanism. Websites are transparent on the promotions so if you are not sure just look at the info.

  • Ratings and recommendations – ratings are guests opinions, you can learn from them if descriptions and pictures you find on the website corresponds with reality. Read this section carefully as it will give you many valuable information. TIP: if you like picture of the hotel very much but the ratings are very low – trust the ratings and look for another hotel.

  • On the tab on the left you can choose the aspects of the hotel that is important for you and narrow your choice even more. Breakfast included? Pets allowed? Kids friendly? Fitness center in the building? The choice is yours.
  1. Proceed to fill out the traveler’s personal details and book. You will receive an email confirmation with your booking, print it out, and take with you to the embassy.
  2. Booking.com is the most popular however don’t hesitate to check offers on Agoda.com or other services.
  3. Unfortunately some embassies do not accept bookings from booking website who is an intermediary they want to see the booking coming directly from the hotel. In that case you might use one of the big hotel chains.

Embassies that don’t accept booking intermediaries: 

Biggest and most popular hotel groups are:

  1. Booking with the hotel directly similarly to booking.com and agoda.com it is important to select reserve now pay later option, which allows free cancellation till certain date.

If you have any further questions, please send a mail narrating what the issue is, we will be glad to help!

Tips for the visa interview

The thought of being interviewed by a government official can be overwhelming, but
keep in mind that the interview’s purpose is simply to determine whether or not you meet visa requirements. You can set yourself up for success by carefully following our tips below:

  1. Schedule a convenient time for your visa interview appointment

Make sure that your schedule is clear for the appointment, but also take into consideration

your scheduled appointment time. Being late will increase your stress level and might affect your performance

 

  1. Gather the required documents

To ensure you have every document needed prepare it day before the interview. Use our Checklist to double check.


  1. Prepare for your interview with practice questions.

As you prepare for your visa interview, remember that there’s no reason to fret – all you have to do is answer the questions as truthfully as possible and provide documentation to support your responses. Preparing in advance is a great idea, as it can reveal whether there are additional documents, certificates, or records you would be wise to bring with you to your interview.


LIKELY COMMON VISA INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS


What is the purpose of your trip?

When you answer this question, it’s important to be honest, as the purpose of your trip determines the type of visa you need.  


How do you plan on financing your trip to the X country?

While there is no set amount of funds you are required to show, you want to prove that you can cover all costs associated with your trip. This may require you to estimate the cost of return travel tickets, lodging, boarding, domestic travel, and medical expenses.

To prove you have the financial resources to fund your trip, you may want to bring bank statements, credit cards, and/or payslips. A travel medical insurance policy could help demonstrate your ability to pay for medical expenses by showing that you have coverage for unexpected injury or illness.

Note that if you are unable to cover your entire trip cost yourself, you are allowed to provide evidence that another person will cover some or all of your costs. It is important you bring with you to the interview all the paper evidence in your sponsor’s names to demonstrate this claim or your sponsor’s documentation and thoroughly explained to the consular why your sponsor decides to finance your trip at this particular time as being indicated in your visa application.


Where are you going to stay during your trip?

As part of the visa application process, you should determine where you are going to stay while you are in the host country. The address should correspond to the one on your visa application. If you are going to be traveling around the country, then be prepared to provide a list of all the places you plan to visit as well as your planned accommodations.


Have you been to the X country before?

Answer this question with a simple yes or no. If yes, be ready to explain the purpose of any previous trips. You may also be asked where you went, what you did, and where you stayed.


Are you married? Is your spouse/partner traveling with you? Why/why not?

If you are married, mention the name and occupation of your spouse. If you are unmarried but have a partner, mention the name and occupation of your partner. If the spouse/partner is traveling with you, inform the interviewer of the same. If he/she isn’t, explain why that is so.


What guarantee is there that you will return home before your visa expires? 

This part is the most important factor in all visa applications. This is where most consulate officers will focus on whether you have ties to your home country that provide you an incentive to return. You can show this incentive by providing evidence of real estate that you own back home, family members you will want to return to (birth certificates and marriage certificates may apply here), or proof that a job is waiting for you upon your return to your home country.


  1. Do not get nervous, be confident

It is easy to get nervous as a lot depends on this one meeting but let your confidence shine through!

Maintain a confident posture, and look the interview officer straight in the eyes throughout the interview as well as when you are answering questions .

Greet the visa officer with a smile as soon as they enter the interview booth. Being polite always makes a big difference.


  1. Listen carefully and be confident in your answers

Take the time to think about your answer before you say it.

Make short, clear, and to -the -point replies in a loud and clear voice. 


  1. Do not tell them anything that is irrelevant

By mistake, you could give some unnecessary information that may lead to your rejection

Be polite, do not argue, and do not ask unnecessary or unrelated questions. 


  1. Do not unnecessary elaborate your responses

 This may not work in your favor it may make the things worse. Be specific and to the point.


  1. Demonstrate respect

Even if you do not feel this is being reciprocated


  1. Make sure you understand the questions

Often there may be times when you might not understand what the interviewing officer is saying because of his/her accent and/ or the microphone system.

If you do not understand one of their sentences do not feel afraid to say, ‘Beg your pardon: I did not understand you’ If he/she repeats the question, and you still do not understand, that is not a problem DO NOT PANIC. Calmly and confidently say ”sorry, sir/madam, I still did not understand you. Could you kindly repeat what you said?

 

  1. Show your willingness to return

Always demonstrate to the interviewing officer that you have the intentions to return back to your home country after the end of your visit or studies

 

  1. Be honest during the interview and whilst preparing the required documents

Always tell the truth and do not make stories up, even if they feel minor and irrelevant, as it’s sending a message that you can’t be trusted.

 

  1. Know details of your travel

 If you are a student, make sure you know what your admissions study program is all about and, why the education could be beneficiaries to your personal growth, the society and your contributions back to your home country. They may ask you questions about this.


  1. Dress formally

You should always dress formal for your scheduled appointment. However, your appearance should always convey who you claim of who you are in your visa application forms. If you claim to be student, dress like a student and if you claim to be an executive, behalf like one and dress like one.

If your purpose is for tourism, ensure you have a valid reason why you want to visit at this specific time, and ensure you convince the interviewing officer.

Tips for filling in the application form

Everyone knows basic rules of filling the application form:

–       Make sure all your data is up to date
–       Make sure you filled all the necessary parts and that by mistake you are not leaving the blanks
–       Double check everything

But the crucial question is what visa officer would be looking for in your application form and supporting documents?

Make sure you mention  points below as for Visa officers these points are most important:

1. That you intend to leave the host country after your visit
2. That you are genuinely seeking entry as a visitor, student visitor, or genuine traveler on whatever is your purpose of travel
3. That you are able to afford your trip and take care of yourself while there and that even if you have a sponsor, should the sponsor not take care of you, you are able to take care of yourself.
4. That you will not exhaust all your savings on the trip hence have no motivation to return back home or be tempted to seek work opportunities.

We can also benefit form mistakes done by other people, learn from them and don’t replicate it in our applications. Before you start filling in the forms learn the reasons why your visa application may be rejected. We can divide the reasons into 3 sections:  Hosts and sponsors, Purpose of the travel, Documents and finance:

Hosts and sponsors:

1.    Introducing too many relationships/people into your application. Some embassies conduct background checks on each person you include in your application and if even one of them has an issue your visa application will most likely be denied.

2.    Using distant relatives as a sponsor for your trip. Immediate family increases your  chances – mother, father, spouse, brother, sister, child

3.    If there is a significant age gap between you and your girlfriend/boyfriend in the host country, making your relationship appear more like a business relationship rather than personal.

4.    Not providing enough proof of your relationship with your foreign host. Take screenshots, print out, and attach the evidence from WhatsApp, Facebook convos, e-mails, photos, etc. as applicable to your situation.
5.    Your application does not demonstrate that your host in the visiting country has invited you to the country for the stated purpose. Let your host clearly spell out the reason why they are inviting you and hosting you in the country.

6.    Not declaring that you have a partner/spouse even though your child’s birth certificate details indicate a biological father/mother has been registered. Declare. If you two are no longer together, let the other parent write a letter of no objection that the child can travel and that you two are not together. If deceased, attach death certificate.

7.    Lack of sufficient documentation from your sponsor. Include as much as is reasonable.

è Letter from your sponsor indicating their relationship with you, why they want you to visit them in the host country, and also undertaking that they will take care of your accommodation, food, and other related expenses while you are in the country 

è Your sponsor’s bank statements for the last 6 months (must indicate salary deposits and have no large unexplained deposits)
è Your sponsor’s residence permit or their foreign passport’s biodata page
è Document evidence of your sponsor’s relationship to you

Purpose of the travel

1.   No change in circumstances since your previous visa refusal.
If your previous refusal notice outlined concerns and the documentation provided with your current application does little to address those concerns, it undermines your intentions in traveling to the country. Write a detailed cover letter explaining the previous refusal reasons, and how your circumstances have changed since then for each reason the visa officer gave for refusing your visa application.

2.   No genuine intentions to come back

3.   Not having sufficient ties in your home country
Below are some ideas for documentation you could use to prove strong ties to your home country to a consular officer.

è You have a career/ a job provide:
ü  Letter from your employer stating duties, salary, and tenure duration
ü  Pay Stubs
ü  Permission Letter for Taking Paid Time Off

è You are a student / College Enrollment provide:
ü  Student ID Card
ü  Educational Transcripts from your school, showing courses passed or to be taken in the forthcoming terms
ü  Letter from your school, stating from what date to what date you will be absent from school and when you are expected back in school

è You own your business provide:
ü  Bank Statements Showing Revenue
ü  Articles of Incorporation

è You can also provide:

ü  Family documents (spouse & kids) – It’s very important you provide your marriage certificate, your wedding pictures, and every other detail of your marriage if married. If you have kids, it’s a good thing also to present to the visa consular, full names of your kids, their birth certificates, and every one of their details that might help you to demonstrate your strong home ties to the visa officer – please, provide birth certificates of your kids, their photos and also demonstrate to the consular what your kids are currently doing e.g., if they are in school, provide details of their school’s registrations.

ü  Other Dependents documents – sick parents, or your immediate family members e.g. please provide IDs of your parents, your brothers, and of your sisters, who all depend on you for their sustenance. Please, demonstrate the assistance you render them from time to time – you could do this by providing paper evidence or receipts of the financial transactions you make to them or evidence of any assistance you give them from time to time

ü  Affidavits – attaching an affidavit that clearly states that you are obliged to return home is another good document you could provide to demonstrate your strong home ties.

ü  Volunteer Work & Organization Memberships – such as Red cross or vigilante association or landlord’s association you belong to and, documents demonstrating that you actually belong to those acclaimed associations showing your position in the associations, your roles in the associations, and how much the associations depend on you.

ü  Assets – deeds of land you own, title to vehicles you own,
bank accounts with significant balances, paper evidence of all the properties you own with your names fully stated on all of them

4.    You have not attached a letter from a university/company/board from the host country saying that you have to visit for the purpose of the trip. Attach the relevant letter

5.    You didn’t indicate in your application what you intend to do in the host or where you intend to stay in the host country. Attach a detailed itinerary with your cover letter indicating dates, cities, and the day-to-day activities you plan to engage in for every day you will be in the country.

6.     Lack of international travel history. You have never traveled outside of your country before, especially outside your continent Having travel history is crucial in your visa application. To learn how to build your travel history read the tips with the corresponding title in My Visa House section.

7.    You have indicated a super lengthy duration of stay in the host country compared to your intended purpose of visit. For example, 3 weeks stay to do a 1-day board exam. You need to be realistic or change the main purpose of your travel.

8.    Failure to declare a previous visa refusal on your visa application form. It doesn’t matter which country denied you the visa. You must declare this in your application and give a reason why.

9.    Having too many intended purposes of travel – vacation, meeting friends, doing exams, work, all in one application doesn’t reflect well on your application. Choose one main purpose for your travel.

10. Missing police clearance certificate if it applies to you.


Documents and finance:

1.   Not submitting all supporting documents.

2.    Submitted bank statement shows a number of large deposits being deposited into your account. You must provide documented evidence to clearly demonstrate the origin of these funds and whether they are genuinely available for your exclusive use or spending. Make sure to have documented evidence for every deposit into your account. If you sold a house, attach a sale agreement. If it is rental income, attach rent lease. If it is a company bonus, attach the bonus letter from the employer. Etc

3.    Providing property documents with your application but these documents do not demonstrate that you generate an income from them. Attach rental income payment confirmations e.g. bank statement, rent lease agreements, etc.

4.    Stating that you have an online business but the documents you have provided do no demonstrate this business or that you receive and income from such a business. Register your online business, attach the registration certificate, and payment statements e.g. Flutterwave, M-PESA, PayPal, etc. You can also attach a screenshot of the business page e.g. if it is Etsy for instance, show sales, and payments page.

5.    The documents you have provided do not demonstrate how you support yourself in your home country and are not an accurate reflection of your financial circumstances back home. Attach employment letter, leave letter, payslips 6 months bank statements clearly indicating salary history, business registration certificate, etc.

6.    You mentioned in your application that you have X amount of money while the bank statement you submitted had X + Y amount. Be consistent and accurately fill in your application form.

7.    No official documents demonstrate how long you have been employed by the employer.  Attach an employment letter with details of how long you have been with the said employer.

8.    You fail to clearly demonstrate your income from your employment. Make sure to attach a bank statement with salary deposits every month into your account from the said employer.

9.    The salary is not consistent with your bank statement. Same as above.

10. Failure to demonstrate savings, properties, or income. Attach documented evidence of these and if there any sudden large deposits, give a documented explanation.

11. You provide only your savings account bank statement and not the one that you get your monthly salary on so the origins of the money and expenses, etc. are not demonstrated. Attach 6 months’ salary bank account statement.

12. Your application does not demonstrate that you receive a salary. See above.

13. Your application does not demonstrate that you have any income or funds available to you or how you will maintain yourself during your trip. See above.

14. Withdrawing all the money from your bank account. Try to live within your means to enable you to have some leftover savings in your account month on month. Clearing out your account is a bad sign.

15.  Amounts you intend to spend on your trip represent over half of your declared savings or several months over your monthly expenditure and you have not shown that you are able to spend such monies on holiday. We would propose the following cost estimation:
o   An average daily expense for your trip of about N60,000 per person per day

o   Total trip expenses not more than two times your monthly salary

o   Total trip expenses not more than half of the indicated savings

16.  No leave approval letter attached. Attach the letter or include in the employment letter that your employer has granted you leave of absence from work and that you will return to your current job after your trip. Leave approval can either be a separate document or leave details included in your employment letter

17.  Not providing evidence that the business you have indicated in the application is still operational. Attach recent tax return certificates, tax compliance certificates, current business accounts, sales transaction statements, etc.

18.  Providing too many bank statements from too many banks. Clearly indicate in the cover letter that you have included the said statements if you must include all many of them.

19.  You have provided a business bank statement (from your company) instead of a personal bank statement. Visa officer unable to conduct a meaningfull assessment of your financial circumstances based on a business account only. Provide both personal and business bank statements (if applicable).

Visa Types & Specific Documents

Travel or ‘’non-immigrant as being called in the US and Canada” visas allow the bearer to enter a foreign country for touristic and leisure purposes only and stay for a predetermined amount of time. These visas do not entitle the holder to work or engage in any business activities in the host country.
Learn more
Immigrant/permanent permit visas allow the bearer to reside permanently in the host country.
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This type of visa allows you to visit a foreign country for the period of time subject to having to have invitation letter and other documents from inviting host.
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Work visas are required for individuals who wish to take on employment or engage in business activities in the host country. There are several types of work visas that depend on the nature of the work and length of stay. For example, working holiday visas allow individuals to temporarily take on employment while traveling through the country.
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A business visa allows the bearer to enter the host country and engage in business activities without joining that country’s labor market. For example, an individual may require a business visa if they are traveling to a country to do business with another company or if they are attending a business conference. The visitor typically must show that they are not receiving income from the country.
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A student visa is a type of nonimmigrant visa that allows the bearer to enroll at a postsecondary educational institution in the host country. High school foreign exchange students must typically obtain a visa for temporary residence.
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Refugee visas and asylum visas can be granted to individuals fleeing persecution, war, natural disasters, and other situations in which their life is at risk.
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Working holiday visas allow the bearer to undertake temporary employment in a country through which they are traveling. Not every country offers a working holiday program.
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Spousal visas allow partners to visit each other when the couple does not hail from the same country.
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Travelers may sometimes require transit visas in order to pass through a country that is not their destination country. Transit visas are typically required if you have a layover in a country of more than a few hours.
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An eVisa, or electronic visa, is a digital visa that is stored in a database rather than stamped or glued into the bearer’s passport. The eVisa is linked to the individual’s passport number. Applications for eVisas are typically done over the Internet and the applicant will receive a paper document to present while traveling.
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