My Interview Experience At The US Embassy In Lagos, Nigeria

[shilahjosh 5]

MY VISA JOURNEY

I want to use this opportunity to appreciate every VJmember and also the initiators of this website.....i found this tool extremely useful and every single detail i got here worked for me....Would also like to appreciate those who dropped messages, started trends and persons who are still in the process. Thank you All.

I would say its been a journey through the heavens and i have learnt a lot about (My Spouse, Myself, documentation & our individual perspective towards life generally) in recent time. I want to encourage couples who are in this, stay strong together and please find reasons to look at the positive side of things even when nothing seem to be working. its not an easy journey, but it could be easier for you if both person's go through the process with high level understanding of the fact that the challenge is not there to make couples fight or disagree, its simply a time for you both to be a team, combine efforts together to face the pending distance that's ready to tire you both apart inspite of your marriage vows.

I had to wait for over 18 months to reunite with my wife and its given me a lot of training on how to be patient, study trends using the statistical data gathered here, read a single article over and over again, picture the mindset of the consular and why people often gets turned down during interview especially in a country where thousands of person's are fraudulent.....This is for those who's relationship are really genuine and are truly in Love with their spouses not those in search for a greener pasture or a Green Card.

The interview at the embassy wasn't that stressful, just the usual security checks from the main gate to the waiting room, am going to skip all that basically because i don't think there is a reason to discuss it here. if you have been to a bank before especially since the terrorist attacks in the North-East of Nigeria, then the routine wouldn't be alien to you. just the regular security search before you get to the main office.

STEPS AND PROCEDURES.

1. You will have to submit a few of your documents at the consular's office before your interview. please go with the ORIGINAL and 2 photocopies of the following documents

a. Data page of your International Passport

b. Birth Certificate

c. Spouse's International Passport data page (Photocopy)

d. Spouse's birth certificate

e. Passport Photo (4 copies) please ensure its a recent photo not more than 6 months

f. Marriage Certificate

g. Police Certificate

h. Medical Report (you don't need to make copies of this because its sealed and shouldn't be open till you are told to do so)

I was asked if there are other documents i will like to submit to the consular to push my case, that was when i submitted (C & D). i also had with me the following even though they didn't request for them, i wasn't ready to tell stories. of course you wouldn't know where the question will come from

I. NYSC discharge Cert.

II. 1st & 2nd Degree Certs.

III. WAEC result Cert.

IV. Employment Letter

Note: Please find out the details of the required documents for kids if you are going for the interview with your child(ren), i didn't attend my interview with one, am just writing from my own experience.

2. I went back to my seat and waited for my number to be called. (this number was assigned to me while entering into the main consular's section where my document was received by a Nigerian working at the embassy and interview conducted by the US consular).

3. My number was called, I stepped forward with my big bag loaded with documents in various envelops (both originals & photocopies), i had my wedding & regular pictures with my spouse (over 200 copies), emails, PayPal transaction report, whatsApp chat with my spouse (i had 1682 pages...lolz)....people laughed at me cos i had a lot of documents (over 2600 pages of documents), it was as though i was handing over the affairs of Lagos State to the consular.....lolz

My slogan:

"It's better those documents ain't required for the interview than telling stories that touches the heart when a consular request to see a document"

QUESTIONS ASKED (the questions asked were not in this order, i just wrote down the questions i was asked)

1. Who is (wifes fullnames)?

2. How long have you known her?

3. Where and how did you meet

4. When exactly did you start talking to her?what month & year?

5. When did she first come to Nigeria and how many days did she stay?

6. Do you remember the date she arrived?

7. When did she leave the first time?

8. Give me the exact date

9. What about the second time she came?

10. What date did she arrive? (41). how many days did she stay on her second visit?

11. Does she have siblings?

12. How many are they?

13. Does her mother know that she's married?

14. Have you met her mom?

15 has she met your mom?

16. Show me a picture of her and your mom.

17. Why didn't your mom attend your court wedding?

18. Do you have any other picture of your wife & mom?

19. Did you have a traditional wedding ceremony

20. Show me pictures and tell me who are the persons there.

21. Who made your wedding cake?

22. What does you wife do?

23. Where does she work?

24. Is she a medical staff or just works at the hospital

25. Did you have a church wedding ceremony?

26. How many family member was there?

27. Show me pictures of your wife with your family

28. How many women did you meet online

Ans : about 3, 4 ladies and we were friends

29. How many of them did you date from the dating site?

Ans: I have friends I talk to online but I dated only my wife

30. What about here in Nigeria?how many girls did you date?

Ans: I was in a relationship for 3yrs, we broke up a year and some months before I met my wife

31. What's the ladies name?

Ans: C*********

32. When did you break up?

Ans: About a year and some months before I met my wife

33. Any other lady apart from the one you declared?

Ans: None

34. How old is she (Wife) ............of course am older...lolz

35. Has she been married before?

Ans: No

36. Does she have any sibling?

Ans: Yes

37. Does she have any child?

Ans: No

38. Does she live in a house or an apartment

39. Do you have kids?

Ans: No

40. Have you been married before?

Ans: No

Interview lasted for about 12 mins and 41 questions were asked in quick succession for about 6 mins without a break. the remaining 4-6 mins was spent on looking through the pictures and documents before the consular.

(Note that this questions are not arranged according to how they were asked)

4. I was approved and given a white paper to pick up my passport in a DHL location on the island.

5. I picked up my visa on the 9th of July, 2015 and travelled on the 15th of July, 2015.

IMPORTANT DETAILS

1. Please Note that you wouldn't have a lot of time (usually split seconds) to think while you are been interviewed so i suggest that you practise with your spouse and ensure you have facts and figures in your brain where you don't have to think deep before you speak.

2. I found 100 questions on VJ which i used to practise with my real life situation......i did a lot of practise with my wife via skype & personal practise of those questions even while at work. There were times i kept talking to myself and my colleagues wondered what was happening to me. some even offered me some counselling sections just to know what was wrong and all i was passing through....little did they know i was practising my interview questions and since i didn't want anyone in my business...i didn't talk about what was going on.

3. Tell nothing but the truth.

Edited July 22, 2015 by shilahjosh

[arken 4,197]

Wow, that's such a useful information. thanks for sharing.

[shilahjosh 5]

Wow, that's such a useful information. thanks for sharing.

You are most welcome my friend......I just want to give back my very best to support my fellow visajourney faithful....I hope it will be of great benefit to someone on this long queue...receive more grace.

[shilahjosh 5]

One thing is also very important, start searching for jobs online in your desired location, make it a habit to send at least 1 application a day. I did the same while waiting to be interviewed at the US Embassy and am beginning to see some results. getting a job could be challenging, I suggest you start early. Edit your resume to carry your potential address and your spouses US phone number.

I had a phone interview just 3 days after i relocated to the States and some prospective job openning too.......of course i may have to wait to get my green card and other documents like the Social Security Number, but hey.....I can show any potential employer my visa just to reassure them that am a legal immigrant and that my documents will come within a given period. They can also confirm with the Homeland Security if need be.

Edited July 22, 2015 by shilahjosh

[dwheels76 5,459]

One thing is also very important, start searching for jobs online in your desired location, make it a habit to send at least 1 application a day. I did the same while waiting to be interviewed at the US Embassy and am beginning to see some results. getting a job could be challenging, I suggest you start early. Edit your resume to carry your potential address and your spouses US phone number.

I had a phone interview just 3 days after i relocated to the States and some prospective job openning too.......of course i may have to wait to get my green card and other documents like the Social Security Number, but hey.....I can show any potential employer my visa just to reassure them that am a legal immigrant and that my documents will come within a given period. They can also confirm with the Homeland Security if need be.

Congratulations. You were really grilled but glad you came out on top.

All you need is your SS#. I hope you already went to the SS office and applied. You have a Temp Green Card stamp in your passport. That will suffice. A SS# is all you need to start work in US.

[dwheels76 5,459]

Also please make sure you put up an embassy review. They are so important. For current and future filers.

[shilahjosh 5]

Congratulations. You were really grilled but glad you came out on top.

All you need is your SS#. I hope you already went to the SS office and applied. You have a Temp Green Card stamp in your passport. That will suffice. A SS# is all you need to start work in US.

Thank you soo much Dwheels, I requested for a SSN while filling the DS260 form online and also read on the website below that i wouldn't have to apply again since i ready indicated that i want a SSN.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnvisa/Handout_11_1.html

[olamidetokunbo 5]

CongratulationS Shilahjosh.

Tough interview to me but thank God you conquered.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Have a nice stay with you wife.

[dwheels76 5,459]

Thank you soo much Dwheels, I requested for a SSN while filling the DS260 form online and also read on the website below that i wouldn't have to apply again since i ready indicated that i want a SSN.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnvisa/Handout_11_1.html

Everyone did dear. That's why I have just told you to go to the Social Security office. That check box as many have realized really doesn't do anything. You should be going to the SS office today. But that's if you want your card within the next 2 weeks.

Just trying to save you some time waiting.

[kareelina 42]

MY VISA JOURNEY

I want to use this opportunity to appreciate every VJmember and also the initiators of this website.....i found this tool extremely useful and every single detail i got here worked for me....Would also like to appreciate those who dropped messages, started trends and persons who are still in the process. Thank you All.

I would say its been a journey through the heavens and i have learnt a lot about (My Spouse, Myself, documentation & our individual perspective towards life generally) in recent time. I want to encourage couples who are in this, stay strong together and please find reasons to look at the positive side of things even when nothing seem to be working. its not an easy journey, but it could be easier for you if both person's go through the process with high level understanding of the fact that the challenge is not there to make couples fight or disagree, its simply a time for you both to be a team, combine efforts together to face the pending distance that's ready to tire you both apart inspite of your marriage vows.

I had to wait for over 18 months to reunite with my wife and its given me a lot of training on how to be patient, study trends using the statistical data gathered here, read a single article over and over again, picture the mindset of the consular and why people often gets turned down during interview especially in a country where thousands of person's are fraudulent.....This is for those who's relationship are really genuine and are truly in Love with their spouses not those in search for a greener pasture or a Green Card.

The interview at the embassy wasn't that stressful, just the usual security checks from the main gate to the waiting room, am going to skip all that basically because i don't think there is a reason to discuss it here. if you have been to a bank before especially since the terrorist attacks in the North-East of Nigeria, then the routine wouldn't be alien to you. just the regular security search before you get to the main office.

STEPS AND PROCEDURES.

1. You will have to submit a few of your documents at the consular's office before your interview. please go with the ORIGINAL and 2 photocopies of the following documents

a. Data page of your International Passport

b. Birth Certificate

c. Spouse's International Passport data page (Photocopy)

d. Spouse's birth certificate

e. Passport Photo (4 copies) please ensure its a recent photo not more than 6 months

f. Marriage Certificate

g. Police Certificate

h. Medical Report (you don't need to make copies of this because its sealed and shouldn't be open till you are told to do so)

I was asked if there are other documents i will like to submit to the consular to push my case, that was when i submitted (C & D). i also had with me the following even though they didn't request for them, i wasn't ready to tell stories. of course you wouldn't know where the question will come from

I. NYSC discharge Cert.

II. 1st & 2nd Degree Certs.

III. WAEC result Cert.

IV. Employment Letter

Note: Please find out the details of the required documents for kids if you are going for the interview with your child(ren), i didn't attend my interview with one, am just writing from my own experience.

2. I went back to my seat and waited for my number to be called. (this number was assigned to me while entering into the main consular's section where my document was received by a Nigerian working at the embassy and interview conducted by the US consular).

3. My number was called, I stepped forward with my big bag loaded with documents in various envelops (both originals & photocopies), i had my wedding & regular pictures with my spouse (over 200 copies), emails, PayPal transaction report, whatsApp chat with my spouse (i had 1682 pages...lolz)....people laughed at me cos i had a lot of documents (over 2600 pages of documents), it was as though i was handing over the affairs of Lagos State to the consular.....lolz

My slogan:

"It's better those documents ain't required for the interview than telling stories that touches the heart when a consular request to see a document"

QUESTIONS ASKED (the questions asked were not in this order, i just wrote down the questions i was asked)

1. Who is (wifes fullnames)?

2. How long have you known her?

3. Where and how did you meet

4. When exactly did you start talking to her?what month & year?

5. When did she first come to Nigeria and how many days did she stay?

6. Do you remember the date she arrived?

7. When did she leave the first time?

8. Give me the exact date

9. What about the second time she came?

10. What date did she arrive? (41). how many days did she stay on her second visit?

11. Does she have siblings?

12. How many are they?

13. Does her mother know that she's married?

14. Have you met her mom?

15 has she met your mom?

16. Show me a picture of her and your mom.

17. Why didn't your mom attend your court wedding?

18. Do you have any other picture of your wife & mom?

19. Did you have a traditional wedding ceremony

20. Show me pictures and tell me who are the persons there.

21. Who made your wedding cake?

22. What does you wife do?

23. Where does she work?

24. Is she a medical staff or just works at the hospital

25. Did you have a church wedding ceremony?

26. How many family member was there?

27. Show me pictures of your wife with your family

28. How many women did you meet online

Ans : about 3, 4 ladies and we were friends

29. How many of them did you date from the dating site?

Ans: I have friends I talk to online but I dated only my wife

30. What about here in Nigeria?how many girls did you date?

Ans: I was in a relationship for 3yrs, we broke up a year and some months before I met my wife

31. What's the ladies name?

Ans: C*********

32. When did you break up?

Ans: About a year and some months before I met my wife

33. Any other lady apart from the one you declared?

Ans: None

34. How old is she (Wife) ............of course am older...lolz

35. Has she been married before?

Ans: No

36. Does she have any sibling?

Ans: Yes

37. Does she have any child?

Ans: No

38. Does she live in a house or an apartment

39. Do you have kids?

Ans: No

40. Have you been married before?

Ans: No

Interview lasted for about 12 mins and 41 questions were asked in quick succession for about 6 mins without a break. the remaining 4-6 mins was spent on looking through the pictures and documents before the consular.

(Note that this questions are not arranged according to how they were asked)

4. I was approved and given a white paper to pick up my passport in a DHL location on the island.

5. I picked up my visa on the 9th of July, 2015 and travelled on the 15th of July, 2015.

IMPORTANT DETAILS

1. Please Note that you wouldn't have a lot of time (usually split seconds) to think while you are been interviewed so i suggest that you practise with your spouse and ensure you have facts and figures in your brain where you don't have to think deep before you speak.

2. I found 100 questions on VJ which i used to practise with my real life situation......i did a lot of practise with my wife via skype & personal practise of those questions even while at work. There were times i kept talking to myself and my colleagues wondered what was happening to me. some even offered me some counselling sections just to know what was wrong and all i was passing through....little did they know i was practising my interview questions and since i didn't want anyone in my business...i didn't talk about what was going on.

3. Tell nothing but the truth.

WOw too many question but useful thanks a lot for sharing them with us , we've just started the long wait

[jlc201 47]

Thanks for your review, which will surely be a big help to anyone going for an interview in Lagos. Now, time for you to benefit from DWheels' excellent advice. If you want permission to work soon, go to your local Social Security office and file your application for a SS card today. Everyone checks the box to have their SS card automatically issued, but it's a select few who actually get their card that way. If you go to the SS office and apply, the worst that can happen is that they tell you your application is already in process. More likely, they will tell you that they have no record of any application and you will be able to file the application on the spot. Good luck!

[Unshakable Faith 493]

Great information! My fiance and I practice interview questions together, it's fun to see how much he knows about me .

How in the world did you remember all those questions to transcribe for us?!

Thank you so much for all the information!

[sexyafrican36 42]

Congrats!!!! Thanks for the heads up!!!

[Team MicVic! 46]

Congrats!!

[Daveadams903 19]

Wow! Nigerian consulate aint no joke! Congrats on your approval!