Someone you know has left or is planning to leave. 1,000 Ways To Japa will speak to real people and explore the infinite number of reasons and paths they use to get to Japa.
Amanda* (25) had gotten tired of losing romantic partners to the japa trend, but her life took a dramatic turn when she discovered that she was eligible for British citizenship despite spending her entire life in Nigeria. In this 1000 Ways to Japa story, she shares how she unexpectedly became a British citizen and why she’s keeping that information from men.
Where do you currently live, and when did you relocate from Nigeria?
I live in Brighton, UK, and relocated in December 2024.
Congratulations! How exactly did the big move happen?
The story is a bit complicated but I’ll try to keep it as simple as possible. There was a point in my life when I was having a bit of downtime. The person I was dating had gotten a fully funded scholarship, and he was moving abroad. I was happy for him, but I was wondering if there was something wrong with me.
Why?
I was starting to find myself in this situation too often— I’d start dating someone and within three months, they would either get a scholarship or a job that makes them relocate, and they’d never ask me to be their dependent. It felt like I was wasting away in Nigeria and giving up on relationships before they became important.
How did that affect your life?
I was kind of sad about it. One day, while I wallowed in my sadness,, I got a call from my aunt, who had been abroad since I was born, and she asked me to come to the UK for a holiday. For context, my dad was also born abroad and is a British citizen. But he chose to live in Nigeria until he and my mom separated. I had also never travelled anywhere before that. I was super excited when she called me and offered to sponsor my visit. It was around the same time as my birthday, so it felt right.
So, how did the application go?
While we were applying for the tourist visa, I decided to do my research and figure out the process myself. So, I visited the UK government’s website, stumbled upon a page about the criteria needed to be recognized as a British citizen, and clicked on it. Then I saw a particular part about being born outside the UK and having a British parent. I checked the eligible years of birth, and mine was among them. I had to reread it to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. After confirming it, I contacted my dad and sought documents to back my claims up. I had to look for pictures from my naming ceremony, and that was God at work because most of my childhood pictures were destroyed by water, but the pictures I needed were untouched.
Was it just the pictures they needed?
No. I also needed to get a legal document to prove my case. The lawyers I was speaking to kept tripling their charges after discovering that it was an immigration document I needed. But I met a lawyer who decided to help me for free, which was a big blessing because I was so broke then that I couldn’t afford his fees.
There was no dispute over my paternity, so it was easy to prove that I was my father’s child. My dad signed all he needed to sign, and the process started. While we were at it, the tourist visa I had applied for got rejected. When I received all the documents required for British citizenship, I applied. It took several months to hear their decision.
Checking my mail while I waited made me anxious because I just wanted to know the outcome of my application. Finally, I got a call from them on one random afternoon. I was in the worst situation you can ever think of – sitting down on a bed, sweating with dusting powder all over my body, sick, hungry and tired. The National Grid had collapsed again around that time. Then I just got a phone call from them saying, “Congratulations, your citizenship certificate is now available, and we are to invite you for your ceremony.” I didn’t know how to react, so I started screaming and jumping.
I attended the ceremony the following week, applied for my British passport, and got it. The place of birth on the British passport was Lagos, so when I was travelling with it, people at the airport gave me this weird look. Like “How are you travelling with a British passport with no stamps and your place of birth is Lagos?” It didn’t make sense to them. The icing on the cake was when my friend offered to pay for my flight ticket in full. I didn’t spend more than £200 of my income on the whole process.
That is insane!
It was definitely a miracle.
Were you planning to relocate from Nigeria before you became a British citizen?
I wasn’t actively working on it, but I was considering moving to the US. There, you can get into a fully-funded PhD program without a master’s degree, and there are lots of schools that offer it, so it was an option for me at the time.
ALSO READ: He Got Funding to Study in the US and Said Goodbye to His Canadian Dreams
For Nigerians who find themselves in your situation, how do you suggest that they apply for British citizenship?
First, visit the UK website to find out whether you’re eligible. If you’re eligible, fill out the form and submit it. After doing that, they’ll ask for documents like your birth certificate, parent’s passport, and court documents. They’ll also likely ask for a DNA test that can only be taken at any of the UK government’s approved DNA centres around you. That’s very important to take note of. After the DNA tests are done, , they’ll ask for your biometrics.
Even as you provide all the documents I’ve mentioned, the UK government will also heavily research your background, parents and practically everything about you. If they find you eligible, they’ll call you for a ceremony. After that, you’ll have to apply for your British passport separately.
Thank you. How did people react when you told them the news?
First of all, it was very shocking. Everybody I told confirmed that it was a testimony worth thanking God for. A few people asked me if they could touch my British passport and pray with it so God could replicate the testimony in their lives, too. For me, it was so exciting that I could not sleep. Even on the days I tried to sleep, I would wake up just to stare at the passport. My mom was very happy, too.
Has the passport changed the quality of your life in any way?
Yes, it has. I have the freedom to do anything I want here. I’ve gotten a job, and I’m currently searching for another one. But I haven’t felt comfortable telling men I’m a British citizen.
Why not?
I don’t want to invest my emotions into a relationship for the right reasons, while someone pretends to invest the same level of emotions for the wrong reasons. I’d rather not draw attention to that part of my life. In the meantime, I’m sure the person who is meant for me will find me without trying to take advantage of me.
That makes sense. How are you enjoying the UK so far?
I will say that people here mind their business too much. In Nigeria, I was used to people offering to pay for me when I go out to get stuff. If you’re not secure in the UK, you’ll feel ugly. It can also be a boring place to live, but that isn’t such a bad thing.
Is that because you haven’t made friends yet?
Probably. I don’t know any Nigerians in this city. I met many Nigerians when I visited Manchester, but this place is more diverse than Manchester. It may be challenging to find Nigerian friends here.
I’m rooting for you. On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy would you say you are in the UK?
It’s a solid eight. I still want to earn more money and feel fully settled into my new life, but I’m ultimately grateful for how everything worked out.
ALSO READ: He Moved to Canada with His Family as Permanent Residents, and He’s Loving It
Want to to share your japa story? Please reach out to me here.
