Everything an agent does, you can do yourself
No agent has a contact at the embassy. Nobody at a consulate gives anybody preferential treatment, not for money and not for a friend. Every applicant fills the same form, books from the same calendar and faces the same officer. When someone tells you otherwise, they are selling you something you can do yourself for free.
Last checked 30 Sep 2026
Step 01
Find your country
The visas Nigerians ask me about most. Always use the official site. Go to it from the embassy's own website, never from an ad at the top of Google.
United Kingdom
£135
Online on GOV.UK, then biometrics at the visa centre.
Bank statements are where most UK files fall down. Show where the money came from, not just the balance.
Official site →Schengen
€90 plus a service fee
Apply to the country you will spend the most nights in, through the visa centre its embassy names on its own website.
You need travel insurance and a hotel booking. Both are covered below, and neither needs to cost you money if you are refused.
Canada
CAD 185
Online through your own IRCC account, then biometrics.
The fee is CAD 100 for the visa plus CAD 85 for biometrics. Nobody can make it faster.
Official site →United States
$185
Visitor visas are suspended for most Nigerian applicants since 1 January 2026.
Do not pay anybody to "book" you a US interview right now. The fee is not refunded.
Uganda and Tanzania
USD 50 each
eVisas you do on your phone.
Tanzania: get approval before you fly, and apply early. Agents charge up to ₦350,000 for a $50 form.
Official site →Seychelles and Kenya
No visa
Seychelles needs a Travel Authorisation (about €12). Kenya needs an online arrival form.
If an agent quotes you for a visa to either, you have learned everything you need to know about that agent.
Official site →Step 02
Plan the flight early and catch a promo
- Decide which airline you want to fly, then watch it. Airlines run fare promos all the time. Kenya Airways is one I see doing it often. Follow the airline and join its mailing list so you hear first.
- Call or message the airline's customer care and ask if they have any promo codes. Many people never ask, and it is often the cheapest way to cut the fare.
- If the country wants to see a return ticket, buy a refundable fare. If your visa is refused, you get your money back. Read the fare rules before you pay, because some refunds carry a fee.
Step 03
Book a hotel you do not pay for yet
- On Booking.com, filter for Free cancellation and No prepayment needed. You get a real confirmation for your file and pay nothing until you arrive.
- If you are refused, cancel before the deadline on the booking and it costs you nothing.
- Never use a booking PDF somebody made for you. Officers check. A fake booking can get you banned. A real one is free.
Step 04
Buy travel insurance yourself
It costs far less than people think, usually a small part of what an agent adds for "arranging" it. Compare a few insurers online and buy directly. For Schengen, the policy must cover at least €30,000 of medical costs, be valid in every Schengen country, and cover every day of your trip.
Step 05
Fill the form yourself
- Create the account with your own email and a password only you know. Never hand your login to anybody.
- Have your passport, bank statements, employment or business letter and bookings open next to you before you start.
- Answer every question truthfully and make sure each answer matches your documents. Most refusals come from things not adding up.
- Pay the fee on the official site only, then book your biometrics appointment from the same public calendar everyone uses.
- Save or print every page before you submit.
Stuck on a question? Ask me. It costs nothing.
Message me on WhatsApp