Getting U.S. Student Visa (F-1) will get you one step closer to attending college/university in United States. Every student have to go through the U.S. Visa interview process. F1 Visa interview tips in this article will help you understand the what Visa Officer (VO) expect from prospective students. Based on that you can prepare for the interview.
US F1 Visa Interview Basics
- Proper Documentation
- How you present yourself during the interview
- Way you answer the questions.
In this article I’m going to explain in detail about US visa interview process. Key to get visa stamping is to understand the process and prepare according to the process. Can you expect to get high marks in the exam without preparation? Same case applies to visa interview.
U.S. F1 Visa Interview Process
Visa interview officers are well trained to identify good from bad students. If you are well prepared with answers for F1 Visa Interview Questions, then you can get through the interview with ease. VO are trained to find
- Who you are?
- Do you have academic capability to complete the studies in U.S.
- Do you have enough financial resources to cover the cost of education in U.S.
You could have done mistakes in documents, or have fake documents related to finance, degree certificates, property documents, … VO job is to make a decision about the you in few minutes.
You might have all the right credentials, but F1 Visa could be denied and someone with fake documents might get F1 Visa stamping. It all depends on tat few minutes on how you present yourself. Now, lets assume you are in the queue waiting to be called for the interview.
Inside Visa Interview
- When you walk to the interview window, have a big smile and wish them. You could say Hi, Hello, Good Morning, Good Evening.
- Eye Contact is MUST. From the moment you walk-in towards the window, look deep into their eyes and smile and wish them “Hello”.
- If you don’t make good eye contact, then you are reducing your chances to get F1 Visa. Now, you made good eye contact, then its about how to present your answers.
- Next big thing – Don’t Lie for the questions asked.
- If you lie and if they identify that you are lying are gave contradicting answers, then your entry into U.S.A is will be tough.
- Some have mastered the art lying. If you belong to that category, don’t mess it up (again that’s not recommend)
- If you are not sure and not comfortable to make up an answer, then DON’T LIE
- Now, you will be convinced and made a decision, not to lie. Then VO asks this question “What’s your plan after Graduation?”
Majority of student will say answers like this..
+ “My field is growing in India, I will good job opportunities, when I come back”
+ “I will work for 1 year in OPT period, gain the experience and come back”
- Do you really think answers like I will return back to India will suffice them? They know how many student go to U.S. every year, how many return back.
- VO know, why would you have to spend $40,000 for 2 years and come back to India get Rs40,000 per month. They know for sure students returning back to home country is very less. It will be very few percentage of students return.
- So, for such question speak the trust “After Graduation, I will party hard, and then will look to spend my OPT period working for US company” that’s simple and straight forward answer. Other way is to say, I plan to work for few years, get U.S. corporate life experience and then plan to come back.
- I know the above answer is much different from what you have on your list. But, the above answer should work.
- Next, for the question related to finance documents, make sure you know the source of each funds in the bank statement. VO will ask about transactions, only if they feel something might be wrong in the finance documents.
In general, it will be like
+ Who is your sponsor?
+ What does sponsor do?
+ How much is his/her income?
- Make sure you have bank statement for student visa with you. Also don’t forget to read F1 Visa Interview Tips [15 Rock solid tips].
In coming posts, I will write about bank documents tailored for Student F1 Visa, how much bank balance to show, how to create a fund flow chart for student visa interview. Few of my friends have got F1 student visa after getting rejected for 3-4 times. Some students prefer to use the same bank statement that was used for college admission. Those statements used for college admission will be old and probably funds showed during college admission will be less. For student visa, you would need to show more bank balance.
hi, my daughter is only 14 yrs. so VO asked question her or her parents ?
I am applying for f1 US visa. I have paid the I-109
sevis fee online. I have the print of the confirmation page , generated online after fee payment. I have still not received the original sevis fee receipt. Can someone tell me, if the original document is a must for finger print and visa interview ?
no, it’s not necessary original sevis receipt.
I have completed my b.tech in 2010 and didn’t get a job after that so i had 2 years gap what should i tell if the VO asks me about the gap?
please please reply soon i really need help
plsssssssssssss reply
plss……..
Hi. Please help me. I have a valid F1 till november 2012. I came back India like 2 yrs back. I recently applied for B2 visa, which got rejected. Now i want to extend my F1 on another i-20. is there a way or should i do it frsh and go through interview process. thank you.
hi i am coming to NOVA to get my associate degree; before the community college told me you must do intensive English because I am francophone ( second language is french) my question is can i do my interview with Arabic or English i speak basic English answer me please
Hi,
i am on F1 visa now,i don’t have the money to pay my tuition fee for next semester. just i want to know if i became an out status, can i come back in status by paying other semester fees . and can you please tell me what would be happen if i stay in the US while i am in out of status. please reply me i need help.
i just want to ask hw can i get the question and the anwser for the interview SIR explain to me very well because i have interview in the month of AUG
I was a teacher in the US for three years on a J1 visa status and my visa expired on June 30, 2009.
While I was there I started an M.A. at a college and I was on campus that summer until the end of July, which means the time to leave the country had already passed. However, according to information from my sponsor, you are given one extra month to leave if you are also studying; that is, I could still be in the US lawfully (?) until July 30, 2009. On July 27, 2009 I filed a change of status petition: I sent an I-539 because I wanted to get an F1 status so I could complete the whole M.A. program while in the US before leaving. I stayed in the US for over another month studying and expecting my case to be considered. However, my family had some personal difficulties in my country, and I had to leave the US and go back to my home country before I knew about my case.
I left on Sep. 3, 2009. Later, I knew that on Sep. 4 the USCIS had mailed me a notice requesting certain initial evidence to process my form, which I never received because I was not there. On Sep. 25, knowing that they might send me mail regarding my case, I decided to fill the USCIS online change of address form so an American friend would get any coming mail for me. Well, my American friend said she received (on Oct. 13) a second notice for me (with a remail date: Oct. 7, and a response due date: Oct. 7) asking for the above evidence. In conclusion, I could never send such evidence because the due date had already expired.
Long story short, I left my country without knowing if I would get the F1 status and I still do not know my current situation regarding my visa. Was my stay after June 30, 2009 unlawful even though I filed the I-539? When I filed the I-539, (Jul. 27) was I still in the US legally?
I am currently in the process of requesting another J1 visa but I do not know what probability I will have to get it based on my case.
Please, advice on my situation and what I should do now. Please do it asap.
Hello,
I am a PhD student at University of Maryland on F1 visa. I am planing to go back home and I need to apply for the visa again. I had some concerns and I appreciate your comments and experience on this:
3 years ago, when I first got the student visa, my parents lived back home, and my brother was in the US on F1 visa.
Now, my parents has obtained green card and my brother has also finished his PhD and is now on working visa (H1B). My parents have green card but they just travel back and forth to the US and they don’t permanently live here.
My concern is that I get rejected because of insufficient family ties and my study here remains unfinished. Do you think I should risk this?
Dear HSB,
I really need your help iam in quicksand now as my f1 visa was rejected because of the less GRE scores.My gre score is 287 with 143 in verbal&144 in quant. Iama student from pharmacy background,when VO asked me that “why you got low score in GRE” &”WHY HAVE NOT YOU TAKE IT AGAIN” i was failed to convince the VO,please let me know the effective response as early as possible as my next visa interview date is on 25th of this month
sooo,
did u got ur visa
hi friends,
please post your experiences those who already face this type of situation,regarding less toefl and gre scores ,post your answers friends.