US Tourist B1 and B2 Visa interview

How can someone traveling to the United States of America through visiting (tourist) visa can change from visiting visa to another type of visa (Student Visa)? Let learn How to change tourist visa to student visa in USA.

This guide will focus on being a student, two types of students in this particular case.

How to change Tourist Visa to Student Visa in USA

It is one of the most frequently asked question that is, “if I come to the United States through visiting, can I find a way to change it from one visa type to another visa type?”

The answer is yes. There are legal procedures someone can be able to do that and it will explain in this guide.

If you are going to U.S on a visit via B1, B2 visa, when you go there, it depends on the duration given to stay in the United States, the visa duration. While you are there, you can apply to become a student, and being a student, there are two types of students.

There are Students who are seeking degree and students who are going to do what is called non-degree program. These two categories also determine two different types of visas or categories of students. They are as below:

• F1

F1 visa, which people talk about every time, because this is for people who are seeking degree.

When you travel to U.S, maybe you want to do bachelor’s degree or you go to community college, then bachelor’s degree, then you are going to do masters, doctorate, that is F1 student.

F1 student is an international student visa, which allows you to go to a university or college for a degree seeking program.

But what if you don’t want to get a degree? You are going to the vocational school. You are going to get what is called non-degree program.

Remember, in the United States, they don’t have something called diploma as a level of education like in other country. In U.S, diploma or certificate is called non-degree program.

So if you want to pursue what is called non-degree program, you are going to apply for M-visa, not F-1 visa, M1 visa.

• M-1

M-1 visa is a visa for a student or a person who wants to travel to U.S to pursue non-degree program or rather going to study what is called the vocational schools.

You attend flight school, cooking school (culinary school), study Cosmetology (the study and application of beauty treatment), etc. There are certain programs you are allowed to go and take those one. If you want to take the English-speaking one, even if it’s non-degree program, is not part of the M1, is going to be part of the F1, that is one of the categories which is different.

Note: Not all institutions are allowed to give you M1 visa because you can apply for non-degree program for this certificate, e.g cosmetology, but just going out there and just get admitted doesn’t give you the documentations, which you can be allowed to enroll to those particular schools.

Remember, there are some schools that are not allowed to have international students. So in order to avoid that, there is a list of vocational and non-degree institutions which is called M1 students, are allowed to go.

There is something called a student exchange visitor program. In that particular category, there is a website, which is the website of the Department of Homeland Security, which has the list of all institutions which are allowed to enroll people to get these programs and the universities or institutions in general.

Some might be community colleges. They can allow to take M1 and F1 non-degree and degree seeking students, and some can be independent institutions, not directed to be the college in particular.

To see the institutions which are allowed, proceed here.

If you go to apply to an institution which is not allowed, then you are not going to be allowed to be given the visa.

Note: On that particular case, there are no scholarships in most cases when we talk about the non-degree programs. You are going on your own to learn any of your desired skill (e.g cooking, culinary speciality school, chef school, study about photography, videography, filming, etc).

Most of those one are not having scholarships. What does that mean? It means if you want to go to study for non-degree program, you have to prove that you are able to pay for tuition fees, and to be able to cater your own living expenses.

People who are in M1, are they allowed also to work like F1 student?

Remember, if you are a degree seeking student, F1, you are allowed to work 20 hours per week. Yes, M1 also are allowed to work 20 hours per week. Also, they’re allowed to work on campus.

What does that mean? If it’s a school year, you work on campus, when it is out of school, the holiday, you can work off campus, you are allowed to do that. But when you are looking for institutions, is better to look for bigger institution. Because if you look like a smaller institution, maybe they might not have works opportunities on campus for international students or rather M1 students, so better to look for the institution like community colleges.

Below is a website that has the name of states, name of the programs. You can select a state and you can choose all the programs you want in that particular state you want to apply.

Even if where you are outside the United States or you are inside the United States, that is one of the way you can be able to change, is to apply to do every single procedures and you’ll be given I-20, the same I-20 like someone is international student, M1 student will be given the same I-20 and you can be able to convert from one visa to become a student, either non-degree seeking or degree seeking student.

This is very important thing you need to understand about M1 visa.

Disclaimer: This site is not owned by any U.S Government Agency or an Immigration attorney. The contents in the site is for informational purpose only, collected from various public domains. You may need to contact an Immigration Attorney for your specific immigration needs.

I hope this guide has been helpful to you. Thanks.

The United States extends tourist (visitor) visa validity from 24 months to 60 months for individuals (Nigerians) who want to enter the U.S temporarily for business and/or tourism. The new policy starts Wednesday, March 1, 2023, according to the statement by the U.S Consulate General.

According to Punchng, early this year, 2023, the Federal Government directed the implementation of a new visa reciprocity policy for citizens of the U.S with effect from March 1, 2023, following an approval for the kickstart of the new Bilateral Consular Policy Agreements between the U.S and Nigeria

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said the Bilateral Consular Policy Agreements between the two countries also include the reciprocity of five-year tourist visa validity for American citizens pursuant to Section 30 of the Immigration Act, 2015; extension of visa validity to three years for diplomats and government officials between the citizens of both countries.

According to the statement by the U.S Consulate, the visa application fee, currently at $160, would not increase as a result of the increased visa validity, the cost of the visa fee still remains the same.

United States extends Tourist Visa validity to 5 years

The statement reads, “Effective March 1, 2023, the U.S. Mission will increase visitor visa validity from 24 months to 60 months for Nigerians who want to enter the United States temporarily for business and/or tourism.

“The visa validity extension allows Nigerians to use the visa for 60 months to make short trips to the United States for tourism or business purposes before having to renew their visa. The visa application fee, currently USD160, will not increase as a result of the increased visa validity.

The consulate also noted that increasing visa validity was one of several initiatives taken by the U.S to reduce visa appointment wait times in Nigeria.

They also said they will continue to offer No-Interview Visa Renewals to those who meet the eligibility criteria adding that appointments for No-Interview Visa Renewals are readily available.

However, the embassy reiterated that Nigerians “may be eligible for a visa renewal without an interview if your application is for a B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L, or C1/D (combined only) visa.

“Additionally, the person must be physically present in Nigeria, previous visa was issued in Nigeria, the previous visa is in the same classification as the current application, the previous visa was a full-validity, multiple-entry visa.”

The embassy in listing criteria for applying for visa renewal stated that the previous visa expired within the last 48 months or will expire in the next 3 months from the date of application. The applicant must have all the passports covering the entire period since receiving the previous visa and the passport with the most recent visa.

Also, the person must “never been arrested or convicted of any crime or offense in the United States, even if you later received a waiver or pardon. You have never worked without authorization or remained beyond your permitted time in the United States.”

The embassy informed applicants that the processing times for the programme are expected to be up to two months and applicants will not be able to retrieve their passports during that time.

Minors can apply without an interview only if they meet the eligibility criteria on their own, the statement added.

Source: Punchng and ng.usembassy.gov

Do and don’ts in U.S visa interview: In this guide, you will learn top 5 mistakes that people do when they appear for visa interview. Are you ready to learn those top mistakes people do inside the interview room and how to avoid them? Let’s get right into the full details.

Many people get their visas denied not because they don’t have good funding or they don’t prove ties to their home country, no, that is not the point. Many people get their visas denied because of some attitude that happened during the interview room.

Your poster, attitude and behavior you take into the interview room can affect your visa approval.

Top 5 Mistakes People do Inside the Visa interview Room and How to avoid them

Below are top 5 Mistakes People do Inside the Visa interview Room and tips on how to avoid them:

1. Fear.

A lot of people enter the interview room with fear. They go inside the interview with a lot of misconceptions and others who have heard so much about the interview process that makes them afraid.

There are some people who become so anxious about the process that all that they are thinking of is getting my visa approved, getting my visa approved. So they go into the interview room with a lot of anxiousness and fear.

One thing fear does is that when you go into the interview room with fear, it affects the way you flow, it affects how you express yourself and ultimately your visa gets denied. Consulares are looking for people who can speak and defend their case with confidence.

So when you go to the interview room, even if you have good story, you must present your good story with confidence, not fear. The best way you can overcome fear is to prepare well for the interview by practicing sample questions and how you answer them.

2. Don’t decide the V.O or Consular you want.

Many people get their visas refused because during the interview they decide the kind of consular they want to go and those they want to avoid.

The fact that a consular is denying people that does not mean when you go, you will be denied. Many people go to the interview room and because in the interview room we can hear what has happened, we can see and hear consulares approving and rejecting people, it affect their focus.

Make sure that inside the interview room you remain focused irrespective of whatever is going on around you, irrespective of whether the consulares are approving people or they are not approving people. Go and perform, and go and present your case.

Also, many people have heard a lot about some consular. Even before they enter the interview room, they are hoping to avoid that consular because one of their friends told them that this consular is wicked, this consular do not get visa approved.

So assuming you go with this mindset and it is that consular that you go to, it will affect you and it will affect your performance and your visa will be refused because you wouldn’t get the confidence and the courage to defend yourself. So avoid that.

Go to the interview room prepared. Irrespective of who will interview you, go to the interview room prepared.

The U.S consulares are trained equally and although they are individuals who have their personal judgment, when you go and prove and establish that you qualify for the visa, your visa will be approved.

Every consular is put there to make sure that they approve visa. They approved qualified people. If you qualify and you meet their satisfaction, you answer your questions so well, your visa will be approved.

3. Don’t Speak Too Much.

Speaking too much is part of the common mistake that people do. Many people visa get rejected because they spoke too much. They don’t answer questions based on what the consular asks them. They try to be impressive. They try to impress the consular by speaking too much.

In the interview room, you don’t give more information than the consular needs. Always understand that the interview is detected by your response. The response you give to the consular may require a follow-up.

If you know you are giving a response that you cannot back it up with a follow up question, avoid it. Make sure that you speak briefly and give only the information the consular needs. Don’t try to impress by speaking too much, talking too much, speaking too much grammar and trying to be somebody you are not.

4. Don’t show documents until you’re asked

When you enter the visa interview room, don’t show documents when you have not been asked to.

For example, there are some people, when the consular asks them who is funding you? They will say is their uncle, aunty or they give a lot of good explanation and they say this is the document, no, that is wrong.

Always allow the console to ask for documents before you show it. Because when the consular is convinced or not convinced and he/she needs a document, he/she will ask you. So be brief and don’t talk too much.

5. Lack of clear communication.

A lot of people get rejected not because they don’t have good stories, not because they don’t have good details, good scholarship, or they didn’t improve ties to their home country, they get rejected because the consular did not hear anything they said.

The consular did not hear any of the answer they gave. They were not able to communicate clearly to the consular.

Make sure that when you are communicating or you are speaking, you speak clear English that the consular will understand. Take your time and speak slowly but clearly for the consular to hear what you are saying, to hear the story you are telling, to hear the point you are making. That is one of the most common mistakes that you can do.

Somebody comes out of the interview, the person gives you his/her transcript and you can see that nothing is wrong with the transcript and according to the transcript the person really spoke with but the problem is the person did not speak for the consular to hear.

The consular did not hear anything that the person said. Also, there are some people, when the consular asks them questions, they don’t hear the question, but they are afraid and they fail to ask the consular to politely repeat their question.

So if you go for the Visa interview and the consular asks you a question you didn’t hear, politely asking to repeat, don’t just assume and speak or answer a question you didn’t hear clearly. This is another mistake that affects a lot of Visa approval.

I hope that this information is useful to you. Thanks.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice. If you need legal advice, you may contact a licensed attorney.

In guide, you will learn five Tips on How To Get Your B1/B2 Visa Approved.

Benefit of the B1/B2 Visa

The B1/B2 Visa is also known as a Visitor Visa, and it can allow you to either enter to Conduct Various Business Activities or To Act as a Tourist in U.S.

Another benefit of the B1/B2 Visa is that it can oftentimes allow you to stay in the United States for Up To Six Months at a Time.

5 Tips to Help You Get Your B1/B2 Visa Approved

Let now look at the five Tips on How to Have Success with Your B1/B2 Visa Application.

• TIP 1: Make Sure That You Have Very Strong Ties To Your Home Country.

For example: When you go in for your B1/B2 Visa Interview, the Immigration Officer is required to presume that you are an Intending Immigrant. What that means is that they are required to initially believe that you are planning to go to The United States and to stay there permanently.

It is your duty to show them that You Do Plan to Return To Your Home Country. The way that you can show that you Plan to Return to Your Home Country is by showing that you Have Strong Ties To Your Home Country.

Some Examples of Strong Ties to Your Home Country include;

• showing that You Have A Home Or An Apartment In Your Home Country,
• showing that You Have A Business In Your Home Country or A Job In Your Home Country,
• showing that You Pay Taxes In Your Home Country,
• that you have Family In Your Home Country,
• that you have a Bank Account in Your Home Country.

All of these different things can help to show that you have strong Ties to Your Home Country. When an Immigration Officer sees that, they’re more likely to believe that you do Truly Believe to Return To Your Home Country and that you’re Not Planning On Staying In The United States Permanently.

• TIP 2: Make Sure That You Have Enough Money In Your Bank Account to Cover The Expenses Of Your Trip

When you’re in the United States on a B1/B2 Visa, you are not allowed to Work. So when you go in for your B1/B2 Visa interview, the Officer is going to want to make sure that you have Enough Money to Cover the Expenses of your Trip.

Otherwise, they’re going to think that you’re going to the United States to Unlawfully Work. So make sure to have Documentation showing that you have Enough Money in your Bank Account to Cover the Expenses of your Trip.

If your trip expenses are going to be very Minimal because. For Example, you’re going to be staying with a Friend or Family Member, then be sure to have Documentation to prove that.

• Tip 3: Make sure to have documentation to prove the reason that you’re coming to the United States.

For example, if you’re coming to the United States to visit Disneyland, it would be great to have an itinerary for what you’re planning on doing in the United States.

Perhaps having tickets purchased for Disneyland or having a hotel booked in Orlando, similar such documents.

If you’re planning on coming to the United States to attend a business conference, you should have an invitation for that conference or tickets booked for that conference.

Those documents are going to be very helpful to prove that the reason that you’re coming to the United States is in fact, to do that activity that you’re letting them know that you plan to do.

• Tip 4: Be prepared to explain your relationships with people in the United States

During your B1/B2 visa interview, they’re going to ask you whether you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend in the United States or whether you have a parent or a sibling or a child that could potentially sponsor you for a green card.

The reason that they’re asking you this question is to determine whether you’re coming to the United States and then that you plan to stay in the United States and have them petition, for you to have a green card.

So it’s up to you to be able to explain to them that although you’re entering the United States and that you have a relationship with somebody that could potentially sponsor you that is not your plan.

Just tell them you’re just planning on coming for that conference or for that tourism purpose, and that you’re going to be leaving after that initial purpose of your trip is accomplished.

• Tip 5: Be very careful about the information and the content that’s on your phone.

Immigration officers, particularly Customs and Border Protection, may check your phones to search for potentially problematic information. Make sure that you have nothing on your phone that could potentially be misconstrued by an immigration officer to think that you’re planning on coming to the United States for some type of an impermissible purpose.

So make sure that your phone doesn’t have any sort of problematic information that could potentially be misconstrued by an immigration officer.

Those are 5 tips to help you have a successful outcome on your B1/B2 visa.

I hope you found this guide extremely helpful. If you know anybody that could benefit from this information, definitely make sure to share this guide with them.

Thank you so much for reading into this guide(How to get your B1/B2 visa approved).

DISCLAIMER: This guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information presented in this guide should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. The information presented in this guide does not create an attorney-client relationship nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice. If you need legal advice, you may contact an attorney.

Marriage-Based Green Card Interview Questions: Your interview process will begin the moment you walk into the USCIS office. When walking into the building, officers will look at the demeanor of both parties as individuals and as a couple from the moment they enter the building until the time they leave.

You will be placed together in an interview room and an officer will begin directing questions for you both to answer as individuals or as a couple. The interview usually lasts an average of 15-20 minutes and the questions are relatively simple.

Marriage-Based Green Card Interview Questions

Below are a few sample categories and marriage-based green card interview questions that each partner in a relationship should know about one another. Please note that these sample questions are not definite and an immigration officer can ask questions that are not listed below.

How You Meet – Questions about how your relationship started and progressed prior to being married. It’s important to display that you and your spouse established a relationship and actually fell in love prior to being engaged then married.

• Where did you meet?
• What did the two of you have in common?
• Where was your first date?
• When did your relationship turn romantic?
• How long was it before you decided to get married?
• Who proposed to whom?
• Why did you decide to have a long or short engagement?
• When did you meet each other’s parents?

Wedding – Questions about the day you tied the knot are common. Your wedding day is a special day that most couples cherish. You should be able to account for many details of that day.

• How many people attended your wedding?
• Did each of your parents attend?
• Where was the wedding held?
• Who were the bridesmaids/groomsmen?
• Where did you go for the honeymoon?

Relationship– these questions usually deal with the intimate details of your marriage. Most married couples discuss these topics at least at some point in the first year.

• Who takes care of the finances?
• When is your spouse’s birthday?
• Have you ever been on vacation together?
• Do you attend church?
• When is your anniversary?
• Do you plan on having children?
• Do you have any children from previous marriages?
• Do you live together or plan on living together?
• Do you spend a lot of time together?

Friends and Family

• Have you met each other’s families?
• How often do you see each other’s families?
• When was the last time you saw them?
• How do you typically celebrate holidays? For example, do you spend Thanksgiving with one family and Christmas with another?
• How many brothers and sisters does your spouse have? What are their names?
• Does your spouse have any nieces or nephews?
• Do you have mutual friends?
• What’s your spouse’s best friend’s name?

Education

• Where did your spouse go to school?
• Did they go to college?
• What did your spouse major in?
• What did your spouse get a degree in?

Employment

• Who is your spouse’s employer?
• How long has your spouse been working there?
• What is your spouse’s position?
• Where did your spouse work prior?

It’s understandable and normal that the marriage-based green card interview will make you nervous or stressed out. Before and while answering marriage-based green card interview questions, it is best that you utilize the tips for marriage-based green card interview questions listed above to be a few steps ahead.

How Can You Obtain a Marriage-Based Green Card?

Here is a comprehensive list of the items required to apply for a green card:

• Petition for Alien Relative (USCIS Form I-130)
• Application to Register Permanent Residence (USCIS Form I-485)
• Biographic Information (USCIS Form G-325A)
• Affidavit of Support (USCIS Form I-864)
• Permission for Work Authorization (Optional) (USCIS Form I-765)
• Medical Examination Results (USCIS Form I-693)
• Request for Travel Documents (Optional) (USCIS Form I-131)
• The appropriate supporting documents

If you are a U.S. citizen within the country through lawful admission/parole, you will need the following:

• File Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
• Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust status

If you are a citizen outside the U.S.:

• File Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

Are You Prepared for Your Interview?

Marriage-based green card interviews are held at a USCIS office and will be conducted by a trained immigration official. The interview usually takes place between 3-4 months after your petition is filed with USCIS. During this time, you may want to gather any additional documents that show proof of the relationship for your interview.

Remember that the main purpose of this interview is to confirm the validity of your relationship. Take the time to review your relationship in entirety with your spouse. It’s normal for you to forget things about your marriage but you can work together to jog each other’s memory prior to the interview.

They are also looking to see if the U.S. citizen in the relationship can support the immigrant spouse. Your spouse will need to submit an affidavit of support to show that they have adequate means of financial support and are not likely to rely on the U.S. government financially.

Going through a process as tedious as a green card interview is not something you should do alone. If you have any questions or concerns before the interview, consult your immigration attorney.

Tips for a Marriage Based Green Card Interview

We know how stressful the interview process can be, so take a look at these top tips to make the best of your situation.

• Be punctual for your scheduled interview by arriving at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time.
• Wear professional and/or conservative clothing because first impressions are important and you want to give the impression that you are taking this interview seriously.
• Be prepared to answer all types of questions. Immigration officials are likely to ask simple marriage-based green card interview questions as well as ones that you may have to think a little harder about to answer.
• Come with a calm and organized demeanor because immigration officials look for red flags that indicate fraud. Looking flustered and nervous looks will raise their suspicion. Remain calm and be confident in the knowledge of your marriage.
• No need to memorize facts. It can potentially make the couple sound rehearsed, which is a red flag. Immigration officials understand that you won’t remember every small detail about your marriage. If you’re not sure or don’t know, then simply say it. It is always better to say you don’t know than it is to lie. Not knowing might lead to having your green card denied, but lying or other fraudulent behavior might lead to barred access to the U.S. altogether. However, you should be able to answer simple questions about your marriage.
• Act normally; not overly affectionate or uncomfortable. USCIS immigration officials are trained to recognize signs that individuals are not behaving normally. This type of in-authenticity is a red flag, so it’s best you both be yourselves and act normal.
• Don’t panic if you are separated. If you and your spouse are moved to separate rooms, remain calm and answer the immigration official’s additional marriage-based green card interview questions honestly.
• Remember to bring the necessary paperwork which can be any necessary forms and any proof of your relationship. This can be wedding or vacation photos or bank statements.
• Confide in your attorney if you’re unsure about anything pertaining to your green card case. Your attorney will know your case inside and out and will make you feel more prepared by addressing any and all concerns you or your spouse may have.
• Review additional resources to feel even more confident about the marriage-based green card interview. Marriage related green card resources are available at the bottom of this page.

Ultimately, having a legitimate case and an experienced attorney should be your most valuable assets during this interview. These questions are designed to determine if your marriage is fraudulent. If that is not the case, then simply follow the above tips and be confident.

After the Marriage Green Card Interview

Once you’ve completed your marriage-based green card interview, you’ll have to wait for the USCIS to approve your petition. There isn’t a defined period of time for marriage green card approvals which can make the waiting process even more stressful.

A few weeks from the interview date, you may receive the news that your green card has been either granted or denied. It can take longer if your file is undergoing an additional security review. If your petition is approved, then your passport will be returned to you with the conditional green card printed inside, allowing you and your spouse to enter the U.S. as legal permanent residents.

You and your spouse are able to check the status of your green card case by entering your case number into the USCIS Case Status Search.

Disclaimer: This site is not owned by any U.S Government Agency or an Immigration attorney. The contents in the site/post is for informational purpose only collected from various public domains (YouTube, search engines), you may need to contact an expert immigration attorney for your specific immigration needs.

Work in the U.S on a working visa: In this guide, we will learn about the different types of U.S work visas that allows you to live and work in the United States on a temporary basis. Some of these work visas include the E1, E2, H1, L1, and TN work visas.

We will also understand the different types of U.S work visas for high skilled working professionals and you can determine which of these visas is best suited for you. U.S work visa types.

U.S Work Visas

There are two broad categories of U.S work visas.

• Nonimmigrant or temporary work visa
• Immigrant or permanent work visa.

Both types of visas are given to individuals with a primary purpose of living and working in the U.S. The main difference between these categories is in the period of authorized stay in the U.S:

• For Nonimmigrant or temporary work visa: Individuals entering the U.S on a temporary work visa are allowed to stay in the U.S for a fixed period of time beyond which they need to apply for what’s called an extension of state.
• For Immigrant or permanent work visa: Individuals who enter the U.S on a permanent work visa are allowed to remain in the U.S indefinitely.

This article will only be focused on the temporary work visa, while the subject of the permanent work visa will be discussed in the preceding articles.

U.S Work Visa Types

Let’s take a look at the most common types of U.S temporary work visas in alphabetical order.

• E1 and E2 Treaty Visa

This visa is granted to citizens of countries that have a Treaty of Commerce or an international agreement with the United States and who wish to enter the U.S to engage in international trade on their own behalf. This is the case with the E1 visa, whereas with the case of the E2 visa, this is for individuals who plan to invest a substantial amount in the U.S based business.

Of all the nonimmigrant work visas, the E1 and E2 visas are the most suitable visas for entrepreneurs who wish to enter the U.S to start their own businesses. Currently, there are 81 countries with at least one of these treaties with the U.S. You can find a full list of the treaty countries with the U.S here.

• E3 Visa

This visa is only given to citizens of Australia who wish to come to the U.S to work in specialty occupations and have obtained an offer of employment from a U.S employer. Specialty occupations require specialized knowledge, and you must have obtained a minimum of bachelor’s degree in your field to enter the U.S on this visa.

Individuals entering the U.S on an E1, E2 and E3 visa are typically allowed to remain in the U.S for a period of two years, beyond which they must apply to extend their period of stay for another two years if they wish to remain in the U.S. There is no cap to the number of extensions that may be granted to an E1, E2 or E3 nonimmigrant.

• H1B visa class

This is the most popular nonimmigrant work visa for high skilled professionals who come to the U.S. Similar to the E3 visa, you must obtain an offer of employment from a U.S employer for work in a specialty occupation, and you must have a minimum a Bachelor’s degree or higher that’s equivalent to a U.S Bachelor’s degree or higher degree.

Foreign nationals admitted to the U.S on an H1B visa are typically admitted for a period of three years, and they can apply to extend the period of stay for an additional three years, for a total of six years in the U.S.

• H3 Visa

Foreign nationals coming to the U.S to receive job related training for work that will automatically be performed outside of the U.S can obtain what’s called an H3 Trainee visa.

Typically, individuals entering the U.S on an H3 visa are usually allowed to remain in the U.S for a period of two years. You need to have an H-3 visa in order to participate in any training program that is neither academic or medical in nature.

• I visa

If you are a candidate who is interested in working in the field of media or information, you are required to hold an I visa.

• L-1B visa

The L1B intra Company transferring visa allows a U.S employer to transfer a professional worker who’s knowledgeable about the employer’s business from a foreign location to a U.S based location.

To be eligible for these visa, you must have worked for the prospective employer for one continuous year within three years prior to when you seek to enter the U.S.

Most individuals entering the U.S on the L1 Visa are usually admitted to the U.S for an initial period of three years, and they may extend their stay in the U.S until a maximum limit of five years is attained.

• O1 Visa

This type of visa is granted to individuals who possess extraordinary ability in the Sciences, arts, education, business and in sport, and they must be coming to the U.S to work temporarily in their field of extraordinary ability.

Put simply, extraordinary ability in one field means that you must have attained a level of expertise that puts you at the very top of your field. This is usually demonstrated by the receipt of international or national awards in your field of expertise.

• P-1 visa

You will require a P-1 visa if you are a member of an entertainment group or a team athlete and you wish to travel to the United States for the purpose of performing or competing.

• P-2 visa

You will require a P-2 visa in order to participate in an exchange program that is run between your nation and the United States of America.

• P-3 visa

You will require a P-3 visa if you want to teach, perform, or coach as part of a program that is new in the field of folk, cultural, traditional ethnic, musical, dramatic, or artistic performance.

• R-1 visa

You will require an R-1 visa in order to work for a religious organization if you are a minister, a preacher, or if you have religious commitments. If you wish to work for a religious organization.

• TN visa

The TN nonimmigrant class is based on the North America Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico. This allows a Canadian or Mexican citizen to enter the United States temporarily to work in a qualifying professional level business activity.

Some of these professions include lawyers, teachers, engineers, and scientists. Canadian or Mexican citizens must have the qualifications for these qualifying professions and must receive an offer of employment from a U.S based employer for these professions.

While citizens of Mexico need to obtain a TN visa to enter the United States, citizens of Canada do not. Citizens of Canada and Mexico who enter the U.S on a TN nonimmigrant class are allowed to remain in the U.S for a period of three years and if they wish to remain in the U.S beyond three years they must apply for an extension of stay in the U.S but there is no limit to the number of times a TN status can be extended.

Application Procedure for U.S work visa

Before submitting your application for a work visa in the United States, you are going to need to have the following three things with you. These things are as follows:

Job Offer: You need to have a job offer from the United States in order to be eligible to apply for a work visa from that country.

USCIS: Your employer will have to file a petition for a non-immigrant worker with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in order for you to be eligible for the work visa. You will be eligible to submit an application for a work visa in the United States once your permit has been approved.

Labor Certification approval by the Department of Labor (DOL): A certificate from the Department of Labor is necessary for obtaining certain visas, including all forms of H visas. Your employer will approach these people on your behalf and make this request.

LATEST UPDATE: How to check Your Diversity Visa Lottery Result

I hope you found this guide very informative.

DISCLAIMER: This article/post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information presented in this article/post should not be construed to be formal legal advice. If you need legal advice, you may contact a licensed attorney.

Filing F-1 OPT EAD Application with USCIS: Every day there are thousands of applicants who are filing some type of immigration form to USCIS for the sake of claiming some type of US immigration benefit.

The challenge some of these applicants might have, especially when you’re a first time applicant is not known and what type of response that you’re going to get from USCIS, after submitting your immigration case.

In this article we will learn the different types of responses that you can expect from USCIS when tracking the status of your immigration case.

Filing F-1 OPT EAD Application with USCIS

Your immigration journey with USCIS begins at the moment you mail your application to USCIS. It’s usually recommend that when you mail your application to USCIS, you should request tracking information.

The reason you want to do this might be quite obvious because you want to monitor the status of the application. But it’s also very important to do this because in certain circumstances you might want your application to get to USCIS before a particular deadline.

A common scenario here tends to be the case of F1 students in the U.S who are applying for optional practical training with USCIS. Now, once you confirm the delivery of your immigration application to USCIS, it’s best that you save this confirmation of delivery in your records.

The reason why this is important is that just in case USCIS says that they did not receive the application, you can have an evidence to show that your application was submitted to USCIS.

In most cases, when you receive a confirmation of delivery from your mailing service provider, saying that your meal was received by USCIS, it’s more than likely that USCIS would have actually received the application.

It is quite rare to have circumstances where USCIS could lose your application after your mailing service provider has provided a confirmation of delivery of your application.

So it is safe to say that once you’ve received the confirmation of delivery from your million service provider, your waiting game with USCIS officially begins.

Form I-797 receipt notice

The very first response you’re likely to get from USA is a confirmation letter stating that your application for a particular immigration benefit was received. Now, this confirmation letter from USCIS is formally called a Form I-797 receipt notice, and it’s usually delivered by USPS regular mail.

When you get this receipt notice, the most important section of this notice is a receipt number that you can find on the top left corner of the form.

You are going to be using this receipt number moving forward to track the status of your immigration application with USCIS on the USCIS case status online, too.

On this receipt notice, you’re also going to find two important dates:

• The first date is the notice date, which is essentially the day USCIS generated this letter to be mailed to you, and the second date is the received date, which is the day USCIS confirmed the receipt of your application.

Under normal circumstances, where USCIS might have a fairly typical processing time, it might take about four weeks for you to receive this receipt notice.

However, when USCIS has a severe backlog, it might take anywhere between six to twelve weeks to receive your receipt notice.

As a first time filer, your mileage might vary. For example, you might have someone who submitted the exact same immigration petition to USCIS that you’re submitting, and it takes them about four weeks to get a receipt notice while you have to wait longer than eight weeks to get your receipt notice.

Once you’ve got your receipt notice and you’ve found your receipt number, you can now start tracking the status of your immigration case using the USCIS website.

If you want to learn how to do that, checkout the post below that walks you through four best ways of tracking the status of your immigration case with USCIS.

Different types of USCIS immigration case updates you can expect after filing your F-1 OPT EAD application

Let’s go over the different types of case updates you might get when tracking the status of your immigration case with USCIS.

Once you’ve got your receipt number, if you enter this number into the USCIS case status quo, you’re going to see a case update that says “case was received.”

This is usually the first case updates on your immigration case. Now, one of the hang ups of the USCIS case status, too, that frustrates a lot of applicants is that the tool does not give you specific details on your immigration case, so it’s quite common to have a case update that says “your case was received” for several weeks until your immigration case is either approved or your immigration case is rejected or denied.

So if you keep checking the status of your immigration case on this tool, don’t be surprised to keep on seeing the update, “Case was received” for several weeks up until your application is approved or rejected.

Another case update you might get in this time period is the case update that says that your “case was transferred and the new office has jurisdiction.”

If you happen to get this case update, it simply means that USCIS has moved the application to another USCIS office simply because of a processing time issue. If this is the case, USCIS is also going to send you a letter in the mail explaining what new location your immigration application has been sent to and what you can expect to do if you have any further questions.

So from this point on, you’re only going to get the case update on the USCIS website if your application is either approved, rejected, denied, or if you receive a notice explaining that you need to provide further documents for your immigration application to be processed.

Using the example of someone who’s filed a Form I-765 for the Employment Authorization documents with USCIS. So if you file your form I-765 and you’ve checked your case status and it says that your case was received, the next steps you might get will be either if your case is rejected, denied, or approved.

Approved I-765

Let’s take the straightforward path that your application for your I-765 was approved. Well, what you can expect when you check your case status is that it’s obviously going to display that your case was approved, and within a few days you’re going to see another case update saying that a new card is being produced.

Once your case has been approved, you’re going to expect to receive another form I-797. Well, this time it’s going to be an approval notice explaining that your application for your employment authorization document (EAD) card was approved.

Unless it’s otherwise stated, this approval notice does not confer any immigration benefit to you.

So you would have to wait until you’ve received your employment authorization document card before you could begin working.

Card was delivered to me by the post office

Within a few days of USCIS producing your EAD card, you’re going to see a case update on the USCIS website saying that the card was mailed to you. And once this EAD card has been delivered to you, the case update is going to change to “the card was delivered to me by the post office.”

USCIS usually sends out EAD cards by USPS regular mail, so you should check your mailbox for your EAD card and also make sure to inspect this card closely, making sure that your biographical information, such as the spelling of your name and your date of birth, is correct on the card.

In the unfortunate circumstance that your application doesn’t go as smoothly from case was received to case was approved.

Some other types of case updates you might expect on the USCIS website or case updates like a request for additional evidence was mailed. Now, this is usually called an RFE

Once you respond to the request for evidence and USCIS receives a response, your case updates is going to change to response to USCIS request for evidence was received, and this is quite similar to the initial case updates that your case was received in the sense that you might have to wait for several weeks to receive another response from USCIS, which could be that your case was approved, rejected, or further evidence is needed.

Another case update you might get is an update that says that a notice explaining USCIS actions was mailed. Just like the case of the RFE, if you receive a case update like this, USCIS is going to send you a letter in the mail explaining the problems with your application, and will tell you what documents you need to provide so that your application will be processed.

A possible case update you could see on the USCIS website is the case update saying that your application was rejected.

This could be caused for a multitude of reasons. Sometimes it could be that you provided an application on a form that already expired, or sometimes it could be that you did not pay the right application fee.

For whatever the reason is in your rejection, USCIS is going to be providing a letter explaining the reasons why your application was rejected.

This brilliant and educative article will focus mainly on U.S student visa rejection reasons, how to apply for the right study visa for USA, how to handle the U.S student visa interview and common questions you should expect during the visa interview.

USA Student Visa

The moment you were waiting for has come and you got admitted to an American College or University. You’re gloating and excited like never before and you should be. American universities only accept the best candidates, so this truly is a great accomplishment.

Your life is about to change significantly, not just in terms of your higher education, but also your entire future.

Studying in the USA will highly impact your career as well. So you should benefit from this amazing opportunity as much as you can.

There is one small step left, you need to take the Student visa interview. You’ve probably heard numerous stories about how daunting the whole visa application process can be. U.S student visa rejection reasons.

Worry no more! Nothing is as terrible as it sounds, not even the visa interview. Read further to be fully prepared and find out some useful tips for avoiding visa rejection for studying in the U.S.

Apply for the right Study Visa for USA

There are two student visa categories for people who want to study in the USA:

• The F-1 student visa, which is for academic studies;
• The M-1 visa is for nonacademic or vocational studies.

Try to apply for your visa three months before your plans travel to the U.S. This will give you enough time in case there are delays at the embassy or wish to make an appeal in case your visa is denied.

Find out more about the required documents and the conditions you have to meet to apply for the US student visa.

How to Handle the U.S Student Visa Interview

The student visa application for the United States is comparable to a job interview. For international students, the simple idea of entering the embassy and having a discussion with a visa officer will seem as an intimidating experience.

Below are six key points to consider in order to feel more comfortable during your visa interview.

• Dress professionally

The first impression will be in regards to your outfit, so be sure to wear a business attire. A visa interview is a formal event and you should treat it accordingly.

• Keep answers to the point

Give quick and complete information when you answer the questions of the visa officer. Proving you have good English skills during the interview is important and would make a good impression.

However, if you are unable to answer some questions in English, you can ask for an interpreter. This will not affect the outcome of your interview, as many students choose specifically to study in the U.S. To learn the English language.

• Be honest

Do not give vague answers. Don’t memorize a speech and do not make overstatements about how wonderful the United States is and how you have always dreamed to see this country.

It is a good idea to prepare a little before the interview, but the visa officer will simply focus on the general idea of how it would be in your benefit to study at an American College or University and in the benefit of the American institution to have you as their student.

• Name the school and location

State exactly where you will study and for what career your studies in the USA prepare you for. Try to explain in a few details why you chose the specific school and give information about where you will live.

• Prove your commitment

In case your grades are not exactly high, you will be required to explain how you will succeed as a student in the U.S. It would be a good idea to have prepared a letter from a school teacher explaining how the study program you applied to make sense.

• Adapt to your interviewer

Try to figure out if the interviewer is in a hurry or not; if so, keep your answers short. On the other hand, if the officer seems to enjoy the discussion, you can extend your speech a little, but don’t be more specific than needed.

Common questions you should expect during the visa interview

• How many universities did you apply to?
• To which universities did you get admitted?
• Why do you want to study in the USA?
• Can you tell me some details about your chosen University?
• What is your GPA percentage?
• Have you been to the US before?
• What are your plans after graduation?
• Did you receive any scholarships?
• Who will finance your studies?
• Do you have any relatives in the USA?

U.S student visa rejection reasons

Below are some useful reasons why your USA visa application might get rejected:

1. If you show your intention to remain in the U.S after you graduate

This is the most common reason that makes visa officers reject a student’s F-1 visa and the most important aspect they follow during the visa interview. Without any exaggeration, try to make it as clear as possible that your only plan is to study in the States and that you will return home after you graduate.

2. If you cannot show financial ability to support yourself

You have to prove that you have the finances to live in the U.S. If you don’t, you’ll need to show your willingness to take a job to fund your studies, and that contradicts the purpose of a student visa.

3. If your University/degree looks suspicious

If the visa officer considers that the University you applied to may not be accredited or sees other aspects that will make him/her wonder of the credibility of your chosen course or degree, this could be a reason to reject your student visa application.

Your school must be approved by the Student and Exchange Visitors Program, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

4. If you have members of your family already living in the U.S

This raises the suspicion that either you apply for a student visa under a false pretext or your real plan is to emigrate or that you will remain in the U.S after you finish your studies and pursue a career with no intention of returning home.

In summary

Staying positive and confident is crucial during the visa interview. Remember to stay positive the whole time during your interview. You might be surprised by a question or don’t exactly give the answers as you planned or thought you would.

This is completely normal, considering most candidates are more or less nervous during this kind of interview.

So try to keep a smile no matter what and remember that showing you are a confident person is a key element in this case.

I hope this article has been helpful to you.

Disclaimer: This site is not owned by any U.S Government Agency or an Immigration attorney. The contents in the site is for informational purpose only, collected from various public domains. You may need to contact an Immigration Attorney for your specific immigration needs.

In this article you will learn how to prepare for and pass U.S Tourist B1 and B2 Visa interview. So if you have one of these interviews coming up, please do make sure you read this guide from beginning to end, because it will give you good idea on U.S Tourist B1 and B2 Visa Interview Questions & Answers.

USA Tourists B1 and B2 Interview

This guide will cover below topics.

• How to prepare for your USA Tourist B1 and B2 Visa interview;
• What to expect during the interview;
• Sample of USA Tourist B1 and B2 Visa interview questions and how to answer those questions, so that you will be fully prepared.
• USA Tourist B1 and B2 Visa interview checklist. This checklist is a simple form that you can go through and that will make sure you are fully prepared for this interview.
• Documents required for the USA tourist visa interview.

What happens during the interview?

You will be asked a series of interview questions by an officer and the number of questions that you will be asked can vary. It depends on the answers you give. However, it could be around eight interview questions in total.

So you need to prepare for eight interview questions, which we will learn in this article. The questions asked will be dependent on the officer who is asking the questions and more importantly, the answers you provide. Make sure you prepare for the interview questions.

How you answer the USA Tourist B1 and B2 Visa interview questions is really important. It is also essential you come across in a friendly, positive and cooperative manner. You have to be honest in your answers, do not lie. Make sure you are Truthful in everything you do.

What to do at the interview

• Make sure you get to the interview location with plenty of time to spare, do not be late. There will be lots of people there waiting to be interviewed. So make sure you get there organized and go through that checklist to make sure you have all of your documentation with you to make the officer’s job as seamless as possible.
• Be personable, polite and respectful. Be friendly, be confident when you go there for your interview.
• Maintain eye contact with the interviewer or the officer who is asking the questions.
• Be honest in your answers to those questions being asked, that’s really important.
• Be accommodating and don’t be defensive in any of your answers.

Let’s work through those USA tourist B1 and B2 visa interview questions and answers.

USA Tourist B1 and B2 visa interview questions and answers

Question: Can I see your passport?

Tips to Answer: Have your passport ready because this will be the first thing that they are going to say to you.

So when you hand it over to the officer, just say:

“No problem, I have it ready for you right here”

Then just give it to them. Do say something when you hand over your passport, don’t just hand it over and don’t say; “Hello, No problem at all.”

Question: How long are you planning staying in the U.S?

Tip: Just give a short, concise and honest answer that you can back up with evidence if needed.

So you should say:

“I plan to be here for just two weeks”

And then show evidence of your return flight ticket. This is one of the things that you should take with you, because one of their concerns because some people want to go there to stay, and they want to work, which you can’t under this visa.

So say, “I plan to be here for two weeks or however long you are planning to stay there for” and then show evidence of your return flight ticket, because that then proves that you are planning on leaving for sure because you’ve already got your ticket.

Question: Have you ever been denied a visa before?

Tip: They will check, so be 100% honest in your answer. So it’s either yes I have or no I haven’t. But if you’re dishonest, your visa is likely to be declined. So please don’t be dishonest. Be Truthful and just say yes or no.

Question: What’s the purpose of your visit to the U.S?

Tip: You have a couple of options when answering this interview question:

• You might be visiting for personal reasons, perhaps on vacation, visiting a tourist attraction, or maybe visiting friends and family, etc.
• Or you might be there in the USA for visiting for business purposes. You might be attending a business meeting or attending a conference for example.

So if you are able to take along with you any evidence of the purpose of your visit, such as:

• An invitation letter from a friend or relative or an invitation email;
• A booking form for a visit to a tourist attraction for example;
• A booking confirmation slip of your attendance at an event or a conference, etc.

Do take along with you some evidence of why you are going there; the purpose of your visit; What is the intent? Why are you going there? Because they want to know that.

If you say:

“I’m just visiting friends”, then you are likely to get asked additional questions around the reasons for your visit to the U.S.

So you should either say:

“Yes, I’m here on vacation and I’m going to visit a number of places.”

Or you might say, if you’re visiting friends:

“I am here visiting my friend whom I went to College with.”

Say who your friend is, because then they will say to you… “Where is your friend right now?”

So do be prepared for additional questions if you are visiting friends.

Don’t forget – There are strict rules in regards to visiting the U.S for business purposes, so make sure your business trip fits in with the criteria that is permitted.

Question: What’s your employment? What do you do? What is your work?

Tip: Again, be honest in your answer to this question. If you are unemployed, it’s no problem. But just explain how long you’ve been employed for and be prepared for additional questions around your intent for visiting the U.S.

So say:

“I’m currently between jobs, but when I return back home I have a few interviews lined up as I am looking to get a new job in sales (or something like that).”

That shows that you are prepared for when you go back, you’re looking for work. But specifically you are not going to the U.S to work because you can’t do under this visa.

Question: Are you traveling alone?

Tip: This is a very easy question to answer – a simple “yes” if you are on your own is fine, or “no, I am traveling with my mom”, for example.

But if you are traveling with somebody else, then the officer would expect them to be with you.

Question: How will you support yourself whilst you are in the U.S? How do you intend to support yourself?

This is another pretty much guaranteed question.

Tip: Make sure you provide evidence of how you intend supporting yourself whilst you are visiting the USA.

If you have sufficient funds for your stay, for example, prove it by any of the following means:

• It might be your latest paycheck.
• It might be a bank statement.

Take along a couple of these with you so that you’re not going there and you haven’t got sufficient funds to support yourself while you’re there. If you’ve got money in your bank account, then take along your paycheck with you or your bank statement to prove it.

Or let’s say a friend or a relative is going to support you. Then take along a letter with you that says that they are prepared to support you during your stay.

USA Tourist B1 and B2 Visa interview checklist

Let look at the USA Tourist B1 and B2 Visa interview checklist:

• Make sure you have your passport with you.
• Make sure you take your return flight tickets or a booking confirmation by email, for example.
• Evidence of any funds that you have to support yourself whilst you are over in the US.
• Perhaps a letter of invitation or an email invitation from a friend or a family relative.
• A booking confirmation for any of the attractions that you are going to visit, or perhaps even you’re booking a hotel or a conference center.
• The exact reason for visiting and if you’ve got any kind of evidence to prove why you’re visiting the U.S.
• Make sure you know the location of your interview and get there with plenty of time to spare.
• Always be polite, cooperative, be honest at all times, smile as well, do not lie and don’t forget to maintain positive eye contact. Do not be defensive in your answers.

In summary

If you are applying for a U.S B1 Visa or a B2 Visa, you will have to go through an interview with the consular officer at your U.S Embassy. This guide have covered the following topics related to B1 B2 Visa Interview below:

• How to prepare for B1 B2 Visa Interview
• B1/B2 Visa Interview questions and answers
• Best practice tips for a USA tourist visa.
• Documents required for the USA tourist visa interview.

Disclaimer: This site is not owned by any U.S Government Agency or an Immigration attorney. The contents in the site is for informational purpose only, collected from various public domains. You may need to contact an Immigration Attorney for your specific immigration needs.

I hope this guide has been helpful to you. Thanks.