US Student Visa Interview Tips

The visa interview is the final step toward studying in the US. After the gruelling college admissions process, a visa interview is a last but equally important hurdle. After convincing the admissions officers about your calibre, you also have to convince the visa officer about your intention of studying in the US. It is crucial that you prepare for the interview and address all concerns of the visa officer. Going prepared for the visa interview is the only way to get the F1 visa stamped onto your passport. We have covered some of the most important aspects of the interview process and given you some tips on how to handle the question-answer session.

Tips to Make a Favourable Impression for US Visa Interview

The following pointers will help students ace their US visa interview and will be able to make an impression on the interviewee too:

1. Language

For the student visa interview, you will be expected to speak only in English, unlike other types of visas. The reason is that if you have to convince the visa officer that you can take up the academic lectures given in English, you should be able to converse with them in English. This is the main reason why all universities ask for an English standardized test. English is the medium of most of the courses in the US, and you will have to show your spoken skills to the visa officer at the time of the interview.

2. Positive Attitude

When your turn for the interview comes, enter the room with a smile, and greet the officer with a warm hello or hi. S/he may ask you ‘how are you doing’. Reply politely and thank them for asking. If your visa is granted, thank them politely and leave. If your visa is rejected, don’t argue with the officer or create a scene. In such a situation, ask the officer the reason for rejection and what additional documents you need to bring next time to avoid rejection.

3. Look and Act the Part

Dress formally, like you would going to work. A well-ironed shirt and a pair of formal trousers should do for both male and female applicants. Do not show up in a three-piece tuxedo suit with a bow tie. It is an interview, not a dinner party. Females can also wear Indian formal wear like Kurti and legging and during winter, they can wear formal blazers or coats. Do not wear a sweatshirt or hoodie. Parents and spouses can accompany but they are not allowed to enter beyond the consulate premises gate. Reach the consulate 30 minutes before the appointed time. You may have to wait for a long time before your turn comes, so be mentally prepared and keep patience. You are not allowed mobile phones inside the consulate so don’t bring one along. Only the applicant will be allowed inside for the interview; don’t bring your parents, spouse, or kids along. You will be made to stand in the queue according to the number assigned to you, so don’t consider breaking the line to reach the front first.

4. Proving Ties to Family and India

If you look at the situation like this, things might get easier to put in perspective: all non-immigrant applicants, including students, are viewed as intending immigrants unless proven otherwise. This statement is just to make you understand how important it is to convince the visa officer about your plans to return to India once your education is completed. If the officer is unconvinced, you may not be granted a visa as you will be seen as a threat to the US immigration policy. You must, therefore, show that you have more important reasons to return to India than those of remaining back in the US.

5. Know your Program

It is important to know all the details of your program, project, and course to be pursued in the US. You should be able to answer questions about your course easily and should not hesitate in giving answers. Do preliminary research about your college and university to make it clear that you are a genuine student. Apart from this basic knowledge, you should be able to explain how studying in the US and particularly this course will help your future profession in India.

6. Give Precise Answers

The visa officers are pressed for time and will have hardly 2 minutes for your interview. The whole process will be quick and short. These two minutes are crucial as this will be your only chance to form a likeable impression of them. Your first impression will decide your fate. The trick here is to provide important information to the officer’s questions in short answers to avoid wasting time.

7. Complete Documents

The officer may or may not ask you for your academic mark sheets, but you need to have all your academic transcripts in place. Once you present them to the officer, they should be organized in such a way that it should be clear to the officer at one glance what those documents signify. This is again to save time as you only have two minutes. So come prepared with an organized documents folder.

8. Do NOT mention Hopes of Employment in the US

Remember, you are applying for a student visa not a work visa. That means you will be there only to study and will return back to India upon completion of the course. So during the interview do not make the mistake of mentioning how you want to further your career prospects by working at some American corporation after finishing the course of study. You need to make it clear you will return to India and will work in India.

9. Dependants

If your spouse is applying for an F2 visa, you will appear for the visa interview together. Both of you will be questioned separately, and you must not answer the questions directed at them. If you are not taking your spouse and kids along, you will have to answer questions on how they are going to sustain themselves once you leave for the US. You should be able to show a stable source of income to sustain your family if you are not able to, the visa officer will get the impression that you will send them money in US dollars by working illegally in the US. This will lead to the rejection of your visa immediately.

10. Visa Interview Questions

The visa officer will ask you questions related to your study plans, university choice, academic capability, financial status, and post-graduation plans. The gruelling on study plan will probe into your interest in the academic field of your choice. Officers need to know why that course is better than the ones offered in India. The questions related to the calibre of the university will also look into why the particular university is better for your future profession. The officer might also ask you questions about your academic capability, your test scores, GPA scores etc. These can all be evaluated to determine the likelihood of your success during the program. American education is very expensive compared to intentional education, so you need to have a financial plan in place and should be able to explain it to the visa officer. Your plan should include funding tuition fees along with living expenses too. Your post-graduation plans should be in sync with the current course you will be pursuing. “What will you do after you graduate?” is the most common question visa officers put to applicants, so give your answer some thought before putting it across.

For more sample questions, visit Interview Guide for F1 Student Visa for USA.