“If you wan enter, I fit help you. First person. Second person came na just 10k to enter, but some dey take 5k.”
That was the vibe at VFS Global, Ikeja (Ile Oja), the day I went to pick up my passport. My appointment was for 2 p.m., and my husband had driven me down. We were in Lagos for the weekend (yes, I don’t live here), so we figured it would be a quick pick-up.
I arrived early 12 noon, only to meet a mammoth crowd. I thought, “Let me head to the hotel and come back around 1 p.m. Maybe the crowd would’ve reduced.”
I lied to myself.
By the time I returned, the number of people had doubled.
The Game Begins
At that point, I had no choice but to give the touts at the gate a listening ear.
I immediately remembered the same guy who had helped me upload some of my documents. VFS Ikeja supposedly allows self-upload on their portal, but guess what? I couldn’t upload my sponsor’s financials no matter how hard I tried. Meanwhile, the tout at the gate did it in a flash.
Let’s Call Him “T”
T was the guy helping people get in — always whispering to security, walking people to the gate, getting things done.
I paid him ₦5,000 (thankfully not 10k), and after some pushing and dragging, I got in.
Number 213 and No Dignity
Inside, we were told to queue up for number tags. I got number 213.
At this point, I was trying to stay calm because I had an appointment with my aesthetician, who coincidentally shares the same office space with the visa office. (Grace? Maybe.)
But the biggest shocker was that there was no special consideration for the elderly or physically challenged. Everyone had to stand or sit for hours, scrambling for whatever space they could find.
3 Hours of Waiting
The entire process took about three hours. I kept texting my husband updates and regretting not choosing the Victoria Island (VI) branch. What on earth was I doing here?
Finally, around 3-something, we were ushered in one by one. The stamped passports were handed over. That was it.
Was It Worth It?
To be honest?
No.
VFS Ikeja (Ile Oja) is not a place I’d recommend. If you value your time and sanity, please go to the VI office.
Thankfully, my visa was granted.
But imagine if it wasn’t after all that shouting, heat, and ₦5k “entry fee.”
🎥 Watch My VFS Visa Appointment Story
I’ve shared a full YouTube video where I broke down:
• The documents I submitted when I was denied,
• What I did differently this time,
• And why I think my application got approved.
Click here to watch it.
Till you hear from me again,
Keep blooming.
Have you had a VFS experience? Share it in the comments, let’s compare notes.
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