The Nigerian visa process is 2 stages: Internet and embassy. Step one requires an Internet application and payment. I have the best administrator, Lisa, who plowed through the Internet application for me and Mike. Completing the application is one thing, getting the confirmed reply is another. Mine was posted about 11:00 and within 20 minutes my email confirmation arrived... yeah. Mike's was posted about 12:05 and we waited and we waited... no reply. It'll come I kept telling myself.
Meanwhile a Nigerian friend Gloria, who graciously volunteered to travel with me to the NYC Embassy for visa application part 2, called and we tentatively planned our NYC trip for Monday at 7:00 am and would check in with each other Sunday afternoon.
All afternoon we waited for the email confirmation... nothing. Lisa even called the credit card company, yes two charges were made to the Google posting agency (no one wants credit card info going to Nigeria), but still not confirmation email. The credit card agent said posts can take up to 72 hours!
Texts throughout the weekend from Lisa let me know the confirmation still had not arrived. Sunday evening my friend Gloria and I decided to go Monday hoping the confirmation would come, plus we had a written confirmation from the credit card company saying the two posts had been placed.
Monday came, still no confirmation. Susan drove me to the rendezvous point and we waited, no Gloria. 20 minutes later she called I95 was a parking lot so we both returned home to try again the next day. In my email inbox when I got home was the confirmation, tomorrow would be a much better day.
Tuesday morning came and although traffic was bad it was better than Monday's. Gloria arrived a bit late but all in all we were heading down I95 the the Nigerian Consulate by 8:00 am. We arrived with little frustration at 9:30. Before walking to the Consulate we prayed and asked for God favor and blessing. The visa/passport office opens at 10, so they let us in the waiting room, we were #3. the room continued to fill up. By the time the Consulate worker arrived (3 minutes before 10) there were some 20 people in the waiting room.
After explaining that their passport machine was broken and passports had to be issued through the Washington Office until it was fixed, there was a audible grown in the office and a number of disgruntled Nigerians left. By 10:05 I was at her desk. she was incredibly gracious and kind. Everything looked in order, except I needed money orders for my final $40 payment (they don't take cash(?), which was not explained anywhere in the visa information process), plus if I preferred they would Express Mail my passports to me, otherwise I would have to return Thursday afternoon to pick them up. A quick walk to a Post Office 2 blocks away seemed in order.
By now it was close to 100 degrees outside and 90+ humidity, so dripping with perspiration we arrived at the Post Office and purchased the necessary money orders and Express Mail envelope. Before we knew it we were back at the Consulate and if all went well we could be at a corner diner for some breakfast by 11 am.
Unfortunately, the Post Office sold me the wrong Express Mail envelope (??), so I had to make a return trip. Gloria remained in the waiting room rather than brave the heat again. Not that the waiting room was much better, with no noticeable A/C or fans it was a bit stuffy. But Gloria made the best of it befriending the Consulate employee and exchanging cell numbers.
I dutifully returned with the correct envelope and was called immediately up front, handed it in and after courtesy thank you Gloria and I headed out for breakfast quickly becoming lunch at 11:45.
As we were crossing the street, we heard something. turning around we saw the woman Consulate worker running after us! My heart sunk... let me tell you. Escorting us through security she explained that my profession as a clergy and the letter of invitation from a seminary professor would surely kick off some red flags and I would likely not get a visa. She thrust a new application in my hand and said fill it out, meanwhile she instructed Gloria, my Nigerian friend, to write me a new letter of invitation. Heart beating, quiet prayers flying I filled out a new application. Gloria scribbled a letter. When it came to occupation, she suggest "counselor."
Now it was Gloria's time to disappear, searching the NYC streets for a photocopy machine. The consulate does not have one for public use. (The process was all to reminiscent of my days in Nigeria, machines that don't work, few services, no A/C and gracious, friendly people.)
Almost a half hour later Gloria returned dripping wet with a photocopy in hand. Smiles handshakes and profuse thank yous and we left again... my watch read 12:10. I turned to Gloria and said, "Hey Gloria, they are supposed to serve authentic Nigerian lunches beginning at noon, can I buy you a lunch?" "Yes," she smiled. Unfortunately the guard standing near us said, "Sorry, lunch isn't set up yet, maybe by 12:30?"
Gloria and I glanced at each other and said politely to him, maybe another day. We bought cold drinks at a street vendor and drove to Riverside for lunch.
I prayed a lot the next couple of days, then Friday the Express Mail envelope arrived with our passports and visas ... now for certain the trip is on.
I've thought quite a bit about the visa process... God is good and when He calls He provides:
- God answers prayers...
- Had we gone to the Consulate Monday, we would have had a different Clerk. The woman who was so helped for us was filling in for the regular person who was out on Tuesday... hmmm, that delayed email confirmation was part of God's plan all along...
- Gloria's offer to ride along with me, turned out to be a God-gift. Had she not been with me I may not have my visa...
After this beginning... I wonder what God has in store for us throughout the trip. Keep reading and find out.
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