A Nigerian businesswoman who saved for years to fund a trip to China has recounted how she was deported at the airport and banned from re-entering the country after a travel agent issued her the wrong visa and provided a forged invitation letter.
Visa Nightmare Unfolds at Doha Airport
The woman, known on TikTok as @classicgirlie.ng, shared her ordeal in a series of videos. She had begun planning the trip in 2025, putting aside enough money to make the journey worthwhile. In February 2026, she contacted an agent recommended through a friend already based in China and negotiated a visa fee down from 1.5 million naira to 1.3 million naira.
She believed she was being processed for a business visa, which matched the purpose of her trip. While waiting for her connecting flight in Doha, Qatar, she grew curious about the visa issued to her and decided to investigate. After a brief consultation with ChatGPT, she discovered the travel agent had given her the wrong visa. "ChatGPT explained to me that the kind of visa that this woman gave to me is a student or a research visa," she said.
Fake Invitation Letter Exposed
Upon arrival in China, immigration officers questioned her extensively. They contacted the company named in the invitation letter her agent had submitted. The company reportedly told authorities it had not invited her and that the letter was fake. Officials then confiscated her passport and mobile phone shortly after discovering the discrepancy.
The woman claimed her passport and phone were returned only after she landed in Nigeria and completed immigration procedures. Nigerian immigration officials advised her to consider legal action against the visa agent. However, she lamented that she had no funds left to pursue a lawsuit. "I told them everything that happened, and they said that I need to sue this agent. Now I don't even have money to sue this agent because I used all my money for this trip. And this is how I lost my 6 million Naira that I have been saving for years," she recounted.
Financial Blow and Travel Ban
The TikToker estimated her total loss at about N6 million, including visa processing, flight tickets, and other travel expenses. She also claimed the incident has affected her chances of travelling to China again, resulting in a ban. She did not reveal the duration of the ban.
This incident highlights the risks of dealing with unverified travel agents. Meanwhile, China has published an official list of 50 nations whose ordinary passport holders are eligible for unilateral visa-free entry for up to 30 days for tourism, business, transit, or family visits. Nigeria is not on that list.
