EC in Nigeria

[Naija Guy]

Hello Forum,

I'm new to this forum. I've recently got HSMP approval and about to apply for EC in Nigeria. Is there anyone here that has got EC from Nigeria and what documents did you submitted with your application?

[skilachi]

The post is mainly for nigerians here....but seems like there is none in this forum.

Any Nigerian that has recently or under the old rule applied for EC in Lagos, please reply.

Many thanks.

[Papafaith]

What would you like to know?

[Naija Guy]

Hi,

Just recently got HSMP approval and currently a student on my Masters programme on a student visa, so need to go back to lagos and apply for EC. Wanted to know wot documents to take along with my application form and also do i need anythin stating i'm currently a student at the moment becos i've just been back into the country for about 3weeks from Lagos.

Will i be called for interview and how long does it take to get EC?

Many thanks

[Papafaith]

(1) Did you apply as an incountry applicant? If so you can go fo FLR here in the UK. If you applied as an out country before coming as a student, then you need to go to Lagos.
(2) Take all the docs you submitted for your HSMP
(3) Do you have any families, if you do, apply for every one but make it clear you will be returning alone to seek employment first.
(4) You will be called for an interview, but you will have to book an appointment first of all.

[Naija Guy]

Well my legal rep applied in-country on my behalf while i was in lagos to get my student visa. student visa started on feb 1 2007 and HSMP was approved feb 8. 2007

[tundefaboye]

Good to read about Naija guys are over here, well am a newbie. I am at the point of submitting my docs for HSMP Application.

The documents i have to Prove my earnings are:

12 months payslips
12 bank statements
Letter from my employer confirming my salary and monthly details,
Letter from my company Tax Consultant telling the home office about me, and why the delay in obtaining etax card.

The reason being that I stopped working for some months and resumed last Feb 2006.

My new company just registered for the e-tax and wont get the card till year 2008.

I want to know if the docs mentioned above will be enough for my proof of earnings.

Anybody from nigeria can pls help and other suggestions from members are welcome.

PLS TREAT AS URGENT.

Rgds.

Tunde

[Papafaith]

Tunde, It will, giving that they accept the letter from your coys' Tax consultant

[Papafaith]

Naijaguy, am till confused your case, where you living in the UK when you applied or you contacted your agent while you were in 9ja and sent all your docs to him to apply as your rep?

[Naija Guy]

HI,

Been here for 7/8years on student and was working under working hols visa until it expired in oct 2006 so had to leave the country so as not to over stay and my previous employer were not willin to get a work permit for me so i applied for HSMP under the old rule and it was refused at the same time my workin hols visa expired so had my legal rep appeal the decision while i was back in lagos to get my student visa for my Masters to come back to UK and fight my appeal and luckily the new rule came out while still in lagos and since i was eligible under the new rule, advised my legal rep to lodge a new application under the new rule in jan 2007.

Got my student visa from feb 2007 and came back to UK on feb 2, while still waiting for the result of the new application and last week got the approval letter from HO. So now I have to go back to lagos and get my EC to come back under the HSMP programme and start lookin for work and maybe continue my Masters

[Jayceesh]

Tunde,

As you noted, the documents you are putting forward are to prove earnings and I think its okay as long as the net pay in each of the 12 months payslips are paid directly to that particaular bank account. You will however have to claim exceptional circumstances under this category.

Do not forget the other documents required though

1) Your degree certificate

2) You need to get a letter from your university to prove medium of communication. I know this sounds crazy considering the we were colonized by the British, but for HSMP requirement, you must get this letter.

3) If claiming for age, you will need birth certificate or notarised copy of passport identity page (birth certificate preferred)

All the best

[Jayceesh]

Naija Guy,

Its pretty hard to give a straight answer to your own case but it will be best if you can ask for a copy of your HSMP application from your legal rep to see if he actually applied for you as an in-country applicant.

However, one major thing to note here is that if your visa expired in October 2006, and you got the new student visa in February 2007, then you had no valid visa in January 2007 to apply as an in-country applicant so I see no reason why your legal rep should apply as an in-country for you. So this need to be clear to the forum members so that we can help.

However, following from your first post which only asked for necessary documents to use in getting your EC, all the documents you used in order to prove your financial circumstances and accommodation in the UK should be enough. I recently got a dependant visa for my wife and those are the documents I attached.

[Naija Guy]

Hi Jayceesh,

Dont think applyin in or out country matters. Most important thing is to get the approval letter, which i have now. Were u called for an interview when u first went for EC or ur wife?.

Thing is Uni has started the week with lectures and i wanna get this done ASAP and get it out of the way, so plannin of goin to lagos in like 2wks to get my EC cos might not be able to go in summer cos of my exams and i've got other committements during that period when the 6months u are suppose to apply for EC completes.

How long did it take from when u submitted ur application till it u were granted EC? Emailed the VFS and was told btw 12-15 working days, so that means like 3weeks.

Was urs under the old or new rule?

Thanks

[tundefaboye]

Thanks Guys, i really appreciate your replies. I will get all other docs together including the Certificate, Letter to prove our medium of communication and Notarised copy of my passport data page along with my D/L.

I will keep you guys informed all along the processes.

Tunde

[tlee]

Hi Naija Guy,

As regards the EC, I will prefer you prepare for like three and half weeks the most. I recently got my EC from Lagos. I submitted my application form on 19/1/07, EC granted on 9/2/07 and was called by the visa processing centre in the afternoon of 12/2/07 that my passport is ready for collection.

As for the documentation, what you need are documents to support your claim that you, your relative or your friend can adequately accommodate and support you during the period of job search.

And if you dont have anybody in the UK, that you have enough money to bring along with you for your living expenses for at least 6 months.

All you need to prove here is that at any point in time there will be no recourse to public funds.

[Naija Guy]

Hi Tlee,

thanks for ur post. looks like it took 15 working days as specified by VFS. So i'm guessin u didnt go for interview then? Was ur under the old or new rule approval?

Well I've got peeps here in the UK and got a family house in which i've been payin council tax for the past 5yrs, so guess that shud be enough that i've got some accommodation. My bank statement shud be sufficient but will still get one from my folks and a sponsorship letter cos those embassy peeps might wanna act funny.

Well as long as its straight forward, dont mind goin back and spendin 3/4wks only that i'll miss abit on my uni work but shud be able to cope wen i get back.

[Papafaith]

Naijaguy, i saw your post saying incountry or outcountry does not matter, well if you say so. I must let you know that if it is incountry and you go to Lagos, they will not attend to you, if it is out of country and you apply here you will not be attended to. So you need the original of your HSMP approval letter (in which ever case), you need to know from your letter whether its incountry or out of country and apply for FLR or EC as appropriate.
I wish you best of luck.

[Naija Guy]

Hi papafaith,

thanks for ur reply. why i said it doesnt matter is this...there is a list of visa category (e.g work permit, working holiday, student, if only u have completed ur degree under that student visa) that can switch in-country.

For example, someone that was here on working holiday or student visa (undergraduate) and applied in-country and got the approval letter and his current stay now ends and he/she goes back home to collect another student visa or normal visiting visa, the fact that the person applied in-country in the 1st instance doesnt mean he/she can switch in-country again even if the person is back in the country on another visa becos the current visa he has is not on the list of those that can switch in-country (Read FLR guidance, it is stated there).

Thats why most people prefer to apply out-country and get EC from their country b4 comin to the UK.

Reason why i cant switch in-country is simply becos i've got a 2nd student and becos i havent finished my Masters on this present visa and the I got my HSMP on my 1st student visa...I've confirmed with HO (FLR team to be precise) cos i called them up and they told me i have to go get EC from my home country despite the fact that my application was made in-country while i was outside the UK and also confirmed with a solicitor and he too confirmed it.

I've got all the original docs i used for HSMP including the approval letter, just wanted to know if one will be called for interview and the process.

many thanks.

[tlee]

Hi Naija Guy,

You guessed right, I did not go for interview. I believe why this is so is bcos I still had a valid visiting visa and I had visited the UK about six times b4 now.

I believe if they are satisfied about your accommodation and sustainance in the Uk b4 you get a job then you may not be called in for an interview. What they want to know is, 'will you be able to accommodate and sustain urself for the period before getting a job without recourse to public fund?' If the answer is yes based on your supporting documentation, then you are through. Like you said just leave about 3wks for the whole show.

I was approved under the old scheme, precisely in the November 2006.

[Naija Guy]

tlee,

Thanks, well if thats the case i guess its sorted out then. I'll update u when apply and the outcome. Hope i wont get stuck in lagos with this uncle sege and atiku issue

I guess by now, u shud have started working by now.

[kinjiru]

Hi Tlee,

What documents did you submit for your EC application?

For example, apart from documents showing sufficient funds and available accomodation, did you submit documents for your original HSMP application?

Thanks

[skilachi]

Kinjiru,

You have to submit all ur original docs u submitted for your initial HSMP including the original approval letter.

[midexus]

Hello guys,


What did you show for tax clearance considering the fact that lagos state uses electronic certificate

Thank you.

[mayana]

My wife was on a working holiday visa which expired in Nov 2006, I applied for HSMP and got approved in January 2007, She came home in Nov 2006 to visit for holiday in Nigeria we applied for a visitor's visa for our son in Dec 2006 and was issued. as the time my wife was preparing to go back i recieved HSMP decision, so we decided to apply for EC, my wife and son are dependent. My wife has an accomodation with valid tenancy agreement for 6 month, we decided to keep this accomodation since we intend to stay there after EC stamping,
We have been paying the rent ever since my wife came back in Nov 2006 so we decided to include the utility bills,bank statement as a proof that the accomodation is my wife's and a cover letter was included by my wife confirming the proof and the contact address/ telephone of the landlord in U.K, HSMP approval letter, My bank statement, pay slips, marriage certificate, son's birth certificate and my cover letter.
I previously have a visitor visa which expired in june 2006 and was renewed in july 2006 to last till july 2007, my wife studied in 2004 U.K and has an expired WHM and 2 years visitor's visa which is still running, My son (1yr & 7 month has an expired U.K visitor visa and another one which is still running.

Please what is our chance, application has not been returned since 2nd feb 2007, will this various records affect us.

Mayana

[mayana]

Got my Entry Clearance on 15-03-2007