How Pay4Me Helped Bomba Pay for His Sevis in Cameroon

Blog Post

How Pay4Me Helped Bomba Pay for His Sevis in Cameroon

Written by Ernest EmekaPublished on July 9th, 2025

When Bomba received his admission into the prestigious Sloan Fellows MBA program at MIT, he knew this was more than just a personal milestone. It marked the next significant step toward transforming Cameroon’s entrepreneurial landscape. With over 14 years of experience driving innovation and strategy across various industries, Bomba possessed the skills, vision, and now, the opportunity. But like many African students preparing for a study abroad journey, he hit a frustrating roadblock: paying the mandatory SEVIS fee from Cameroon.

Traditional payment methods have proven to be unreliable and time-consuming. Just when the visa process risked being delayed, a friend introduced him to Pay4Me, a platform designed specifically to help African students like him overcome international payment hurdles. In this story, Bomba shares how Pay4Me became a turning point in his U.S. study journey, from simplifying his SEVIS payment to helping him prepare for the visa interview with confidence.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your study abroad journey?
I’m a 38-year-old Cameroonian and a corporate manager with over 14 years of work experience in my country. For the past decade, I’ve worked across different sectors, building teams and leading strategic projects. This year, I’ve taken a bold step in my career by joining the Sloan Fellows MBA program at MIT, a globally respected platform for innovation and entrepreneurial leadership. My decision to study abroad was driven by a desire to refine my leadership skills and develop a high-impact venture I intend to launch in Cameroon after the program.

What inspired you to study abroad?
My key motivation was the opportunity to access cutting-edge business education and a global network of innovators. The Sloan program is for experienced leaders, and I felt it was the right environment to test and develop my entrepreneurial ideas in a world-class setting.
My preparation began with extensive research on funding options to secure my I-20. Once I had that in hand, I started organizing my documents and reviewing the U.S. visa application requirements. That included paying my SEVIS fee, booking my visa appointment, and eventually preparing for the visa interview itself.

What challenges did you face when trying to make your SEVIS fee payment in Cameroon?
The main challenge was finding a Western Union agency, which is the method required for making the SEVIS payment from Cameroon. The process was not straightforward, and it felt outdated and stressful.

How did those challenges make you feel, and what options were available to you at the time?
I felt a bit stuck and frustrated, especially knowing how important that payment was for moving forward with my visa process. At the time, the common option was to ask someone in the U.S. to make the payment on my behalf, but coordinating that from Cameroon posed its own risks and uncertainties. That’s when a friend told me about Pay4Me, and I decided to give it a try. I signed up the same day, made my deposit, and the process moved forward from there.

What made you decide to trust Pay4Me with your SEVIS fee payment?
The recommendation came from a friend who had already successfully used Pay4Me. That personal testimony gave me the confidence to try it out. I also found the app interface reassuring and the instructions clear. The process was straightforward, and it was a lot more convenient than I initially thought.

Were there any features or services that stood out to you during the process?
Yes, I appreciated the community forum within the Pay4Me app. It was helpful to see other students sharing their experiences, asking questions, and getting support. It created a sense of not being alone in the process, which was comforting.

What was your experience like with the free mock visa interview provided by Pay4Me?
The mock interview was valuable. It gave me a clear sense of how the actual U.S. visa interview would go. I practiced answering questions clearly and confidently, and I got real-time feedback on how to improve my responses. It helped us understand the tone, pace, and expectations of the consular officer.  

I would recommend Pay4Me, especially for SEVIS fee payments. It’s designed for African students and addresses a very real issue with international payments. You don’t have to stress about finding someone abroad or navigating outdated methods. Use Pay4Me, it’s safe, efficient, and has made a difference in my journey.

Download the Pay4Me App

Click the buttons below to download the app from your preferred store and start using Pay4Me

App StoreGoogle Play
Join our newsletter

Get the latest news, releases, and more.

Articles

Address

Nigeria: 69 Admiralty Way, 5th Floor Brassars Place, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos Island

United States: 9751 West Chinden Boulevard, Suite 100, Garden City, ID 83714

Pay4Me is a financial technology company making it easier for international students to pay their tuition and fees abroad. We offer our products and services in partnership with licensed money transmitters, financial technology companies (fintechs), and banking partners in their respective jurisdictions. All trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. All company, product, and service names used on this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, trademarks and brands do not necessarily imply endorsement.

Study abroad loan services in Nigeria are offered in compliance with applicable state money lending regulations, under a valid State Money Lenders License, through our wholly owned subsidiary, Monivest Technologies Limited. Our in-house loan products and other study abroad loan products are facilitated through partnerships with licensed banks, fintechs, and financial technology companies, ensuring secure, accessible, and reliable lending solutions.

Savings and investment services in Nigeria are provided through our wholly owned subsidiary, Monivest Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited, which is duly licensed and registered under the cooperative society laws of Lagos State, with registration number 19619. This entity operates in full compliance with Nigerian cooperative regulations, offering safe and legally regulated opportunities.

Pay4Me, Inc. is registered with FinCEN in the United States as a Money Services Business with MSB Registration Number: 31000231163752. Pay4Me, Inc. holds a pre-approved Money Services Business (MSB) registration with FINTRAC in Canada. Pay4Me also maintains a Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) registration with the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria.

Disclaimer: Pay4Me, including its subsidiaries, is not a provider of legal, tax, immigration, or financial advisory services. These value added services are intended for general use and should not be construed as professional advice. Before using our value added services, please carefully review our Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, Fee and Refund Agreement. Nothing on our website constitutes legal, tax, or financial advice. For personalized guidance, we recommend consulting a licensed attorney, tax professional, or financial advisor.

Please note that certain Pay4Me App features or services may be restricted or unavailable in some jurisdictions due to local regulations and/or licensing requirements.

© 2020 - 2025 Pay4Me, Inc.