Tag Archives: Visa Interview

The U.S Department of State announced major changes to the Visa interview waiver policy in 2024. If you plan to study or work in the U.S or just visit, you need to hear this.

In this guide, you will learn what the announcement means and how it may affect you. This informative guide simplifies the recent changes to the 2024 Visa Interview Waiver Program, a crucial update for those looking to study, work, or reside in the USA.

This guide breaks down the new eligibility criteria, the application process, and what these changes mean for applicants. Whether renewing your visa or applying for the first time under this program, this comprehensive guide simplifies the process, ensuring you’re fully informed and prepared.

USA Visa Interview Waiver Policy Updates for 2024

After consulting the Department of Homeland Security, the Secretary of State has determined that select categories of interview waivers are in the national interest. The policy applies to U.S non-immigrant visas.

These are visas issued to temporary visitors to the USA. The most common non-immigrant visas are:

• B1 and V2 visas for business, visitors, and tourists,
• F and M visas for students, and
• H visas for various workers.

There are many non-immigrant categories, but it won’t be listed to keep this guide short. Remember, the policy applies to all non-immigrant categories, unless noted.

Let’s review the rules quickly and break them down for different visa categories.

The changes are implemented by the consular officers, who now have the authority and discretion to waive the in-person interview. This means that the visa officers are deciding whether to waive your visa interview based on the guidelines we’re about to review.

However, the key takeaway is that they can still request an applicant who meets the visa waiver category to come in for an in-person interview.

• Criteria 1: Apply in your country of nationality or residence.

This means you’re applying in your country of citizenship or where you currently reside. For example, someone could be a citizen of India but work and live in Frankfurt, Germany. They can apply in India or Germany to qualify.

• Criteria 2: You’ve never been refused a visa unless such refusal was overcome or waived.

This means you’ve never been refused a visa or were initially rejected, but then approved later. For example, someone may have been denied on their first attempt, but have got their visa on their second attempt.

• Criteria 3: You have no apparent or potential eligibility.

This sounds vague, but what it really means is you don’t fall into select categories for which the U.S government doesn’t issue visas. These include individuals who may have criminal charges and may be a security risk or have violated immigration policies previously amongst others. This doesn’t apply to most cases.

On top of these three criteria, there are additional ones. Let’s review those in detail.

Remaining Criteria

• H-2 visa applicants.

You’re eligible for a visa waiver as long as you meet the first three criteria. For all other non-immigrant visa applicants, you must meet two additional criteria. They are:

You must have any U.S non-immigrant visa except a B visa. For example, you’ll qualify if you’re applying for an H-1B and have an F visa.

On the other hand, if you just have a B visa, you won’t qualify. For example, if you’re applying for an F1 visa and have a previous B1/B2 visa, you won’t be eligible for the interview waiver.

There is one slight nuance to it. Your last non-immigrant visa should be current or have expired no more than four years ago. This can get confusing, let’s take a look at three scenarios:

• If your last non-immigrant visa is active or has expired in 2021 or later, great news, you qualify.
• If your last non-immigrant visa has expired in 2019 or before, you don’t qualify.
• If your last non-immigrant visa expired in 2020, your expiration date should be after your potential visa appointment date.

For example, if your potential visa appointment date is on July first, 2024, your previous visa should not have expired before July first, 2020.

This cut-off date can get tricky, so if you fall into this category, you should put in your application immediately to improve your chances of qualifying for the interview waiver.

Also, it’s important to remember that the visa officers can still require you to come in. Finally, the US government can change this policy at any time. It’s likely to stick through the end of 2024.

That wraps up about the updates on the U.S visa interview waiver policy changes for 2024.

Some frequently asked questions about Visa Interview Waiver Policy Updates for 2024 and answers.

Question: Do you know if L1B (blanket petition) is also eligible for visa interview waiver in 2024?

Answer: It is a non-immigrant visa, so as long as applicants meet the criteria, they should qualify for an interview waiver.

Question: Is 352 days ban news true for refused f1 candidates?

Answer: This news is not official, check official website.

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.

Do you want to make sure that your U.S visa application is approved at a U.S consulate abroad? This guide is going to take you through 5 things that you should not be saying or doing at your U.S visa interview, to make sure that you get approved.

What not to say at your U.S visa interview, in order to get yourself approved. If you do these 5 things, you might not get approved for your visa.

5 Things NOT to Say at Your U.S. Visa Interview in order to get APPROVED Visa

1. Not having a return ticket back to where you came from

You cannot go to get a non-immigrant visa at a consulate without making sure that you have a return ticket, a round trip ticket back to the country where you came from. Not necessarily has to be back to the country you came from, but it better be back to a country outside the United States.

You will not be issued a US visa to United States with a one-way ticket. If by chance you do get the visa, unlikely you’re going to get through Border Patrol, if you only have a one-way ticket. Because a one-way ticket implies that you are not leaving the United States, you’re going to stay in the United States longer than you should or permanently.

Make sure you have a round trip ticket booked and with you not only at your interview, but make sure when you’re entering the U.S, you have a round trip ticket.

2. Don’t show ties back to your home country

You must show you have ties back to your home country, the country you’re leaving from to go temporarily to the U.S. You must show them and prove to them that you have a reason to return back home, either family, bank accounts, job, property, businesses, something that ties you back home and the reason why you’re only temporarily going to stay in the United States.

If you don’t have ties to your home country, they’re going to make the assumption that you have no reason to come back and you have no reason to leave the U.S.

Therefore, unlikely that they’re going to prove your visa. Make sure you have ties and you bring proof of that to your interview.

3. Don’t mention U.S Citizens

Don’t talk about a U.S citizen, boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, or very immediate relative. If you have a U.S citizen boyfriend or girlfriend or fiancé or spouse or immediate relative in the United States, do not talk about that at your interview. If you’re asked, do not lie, but do not talk about that on purpose.

For example, “I’m going to the United States to visit my US citizen fiancée.”

That’s not a good idea to do. You do not want them to have any reason to believe that you are going to remain in the United States permanently because you have access to a U.S citizen person that could sponsor you for a green card when you arrive.

Therefore, it is not a good idea at a Visa interview to talk about your U.S citizen, spouse, partner, mother, brother, etc, don’t talk about them unless you’re asked. If you’re asked, you do not lie at any interview, you tell them the truth. But there’s no need to bring up that fact when you’re in your interview.

4. Don’t tell them you will be working in the United States

Unless the visa you’re actually applying for requires you to work. But if you are going into the U.S as a student or a visitor or someone who should not be working and is not authorized to work in the United States, you do not go into your visa interview telling them that you’re going to go work in the United States.

Even if you’re going to be working for your company abroad, even if you’re going to just be volunteering, you are not to be working in the United States on a visa that does not authorize you to work.

Do not talk about being in the United States working on any level unless there is a reason that you have to do it, that’s related to the actual visa. If not, and you’re not allowed to work because it is not authorized visa to allow you to work, then do not talk about anything that you’re going to work in the United States while you’re there.

5. Don’t say the word “I Don’t Know”

Uncertainty at a U.S Consulate Visa interview will set off alarm bells for them. Because if you’re not certain where you’re going, where you’re staying, what you’re doing, what you’re allowed to do, where you’re going to work, what your job is going to be, where you’re going to perform, all these things are critical to show that you understand the parameters of the visa that they’re going to be issuing you, and what you can and can’t do.

Also, it shows that you understand why you’re getting the visa, and it shows that their credibility behind the actual application that was filed on your behalf.

If you are a recipient of an “O visa application”, Extraordinary Ability Visa application, and you go in and you have no idea, where you’re performing, what you’re doing, and you say that you’re a guitarist and you’re applied for as a backup singer, that is not going to work. That uncertainty is going to cause you problems at a U.S visa interview.

Make sure you do some homework before you walk into that interview and know the parameters of the type of visa that you’re applying for, and make sure that you know where you’re staying, what you’re doing, what you’re allowed to do, how much money you need, what is your itinerary, what is the name of your employer, the address of your employer and where you’re going to be staying.

All those things you need to know and be very certain of when you walk into that U.S visa interview. The words I don’t know is not a good one to put out there at a U.S consulate interview.

Those are 5 things that you should not do at a U.S visa interview in order to make sure that you get approved.

There’s lots of other things that you shouldn’t be doing or you should be doing, but those are top five. Those are basics that you have to be aware of when you walk into that visa interview. Make sure you don’t do any of those things. You get prepared, you do your homework, you talk to the attorney that helped you, etc.

I hope this was helpful. Good luck to you all out there.

Source: Szew Law Group

DISCLAIMER: This guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. The information 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.

In today’s guide, we will learn about something called administrative processing, Why is administrative processing an issue, reasons for administrative processing u.s. visa, how to handle administrative processing and others.

What is administrative processing?

Administrative processing is something that can happen when you apply for a visa. When you apply for a visa, the consular officer that’s reviewing your case and that’s conducting your visa interview can grant your visa, or they can deny the visa if they find that you’re not eligible for the visa, or they can essentially put the case into administrative processing.

Administrative processing is basically when the consular officer determines that there’s some additional information needed to determine your eligibility. Maybe there’s an additional security clearance that’s needed, or maybe they need to assess your case for certain irregularities or what have you.

But basically, additional information is needed to determine that you’re eligible for this immigration benefit. That’s just a general, big picture overview of administrative processing.

Why is administrative processing an issue?

The reason is that there’s no real timeline for precisely how long your case can be an administrative processing for. Sometimes administrative processing can last for a few days. Sometimes it can last for a few weeks, even a few months, or even several months.

As you can imagine, if somebody’s applying for a visa, they do not want to be in a position where after they’ve gotten all the way to the visa interview, now their case is being put into this uncertain time frame of administrative processing where it could take anywhere from an additional few days or potentially several months. This uncertainty can be very challenging for these applicants for immigration benefits. That’s why it’s such an issue.

Who is at risk of having their case placed into administrative processing?

For one, citizens of certain countries are more prone to having their cases placed into administrative processing. For example, in certain cases, the applicant for the immigration benefits is from a Middle Eastern country, there may be an increased likelihood of that case going into administrative processing.

Similarly, if somebody has potentially served in the military of one of those countries, there is likelihood of that case potentially getting placed into administrative processing.

Another interesting scenario where someone may get their case placed into administrative processing is if they share a name with somebody else who may have some criminal issues or other issues associated with that name.

Another situation where a case may have an increased likelihood of being placed into administrative processing is if the applicant for immigration benefits either has their own criminal background or has had immigration issues in the past, perhaps a prior overstay, or these things.

Those that we just went over can potentially increase the risk of a case getting placed into administrative processing.

What happens when a case gets placed in administrative processing?

The case may be held for some additional review, some additional security clearances, or certain things like that. The consular officer may send over a notice requesting additional documentation from you. This does not always happen, but you may receive a request.

If the case gets placed into administrative processing, you may receive a request for certain additional documents. For example, a case where the case was placed into administrative processing and the visa applicant received a request for the documentation pertaining to their prior military service.

Maybe someone that served in the military in a Middle Eastern country, and they received a request from the consulate for additional documentation showing the dates of their service in the military, and some additional documentation as well.

In some cases, you may receive a request for additional documentation, and in other cases, you may have no need or request from you to send any additional documentation and you just have to wait. What can you do if you’re in that situation?

Again, the case is in administrative processing and it’s been pending for a period of time. One thing that you can do is to just periodically follow up with the consulate and see if there’s any updates with the case.

You do not want to overly follow up and you do not want to annoy the consulate, but periodic follow-ups can be something to just touch base with the consulate to see where the case is at.

In summary

We have learned about what administrative processing is, why administrative processing can be an issue, what happens when a case gets put in administrative processing, why someone may be at higher risk of having their case being placed into administrative processing, and ultimately, what can be done once a case has been placed into administrative processing.

Source: Ashoori Law

I hope you liked this guide and I believe you got some good value.

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 should seek the advice of an attorney in your jurisdiction before taking any legal action.

As such, I disclaim all liability with respect to actions taken based on any information presented. Nothing herein is intended to nor constitutes a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. Every case is different and outcomes will vary depending on the unique facts and legal issues of your case. Thank you.

DV Lottery interview Questions and Answer

People do ask question about the type of questions that are expected to be asked in the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery interview and what are the correct answers you need to have in order to guarantee you to be given the visa.

Remember, when you apply and win the diversity visa lottery doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee to have or to be given the visa. There are other things, there will be interview for that. But the interview for the diversity visa lottery is one among the easiest, the fastest type of the interview you’ll ever have, if you have ever been to the U.S Embassy by any case.

Why this type of visa interview is different and what type of the questions are they going to ask you?

They are not going to ask you questions which are part of what we call non-immigrant visa. Remember, the non-immigrant visa is the visa type where you apply to go to the United States of America for a specified period of time, like you are going as a student for two years in Master’s program and expect to come back to your country or to go for bachelor’s degree for four years and expected you to come back after finishing your studies.

For that particular case, most of the questions for non-immigrant visas will be towards you proving that you’ll be coming back to your home country. You don’t have the any type of intention to relocate and to stay there permanently.

But the good thing is the Green Card Lottery is immigrant visa, meaning you are going to be sponsored by the U.S government, guaranteed by the U.S government to become permanent resident of the United States of America.

For that case, they are not going to ask you a question like “Tell me or prove to me that you’ll be coming back to your home country”, “Tell me how much you love your country”, “Tell me how committed you are”. They don’t care all those kinds of things. But what then do they care about?

DV Lottery interview Questions and Answer

They are going to ask you to prove to them that you are who you are, but first they’ll just congratulate you for winning the DV lottery before even they ask you anything.

They are going to ask you about your education or work experience.

Question: What is your level of education?

Answer/Hint: My level of education is a bachelor’s degree, is high school, is masters.

Question: Show me the evidence. Give me the certification, give me the transcript you have.

Answer/Hint: You give to them your education documents.

Question: They might ask you, even if you have PhD, what do you do for a living? What’s your current job or what type of job do you do? Or what business do you do? If you say you do a certain job, they might ask you, do you have any documentation? How long have you been doing?

Answer/Hint: Prove to them by showing them your evidence which you need to have. They expect things like a contract letter from your employer, they expect things like a letter from your employer or ID. You need to have so many evidences to prove that you are who you are and you are working from there.

You have recommendation letter. You have any proof and documentation, including even the phone number of your supervisor or the owner or the manager who can verify in case they want to prove that.

Those are some of the questions they may ask you there. Other questions they might ask you are below:

Question: Which state are you going to leave?

Answer/Hint: I’m going to live in Virginia, I’m going to Washington, I’m going to live in Seattle, I’m going to DC, I’m going to Missouri, Kansas, or wherever it is you want to stay, you say it, they don’t care.

There is no right or wrong in which state you are going to stay.

Question: They might ask you, who is your host or what address are you going to stay? What is the relationship with that particular person?

Answer/Hint: I’m going to stay to this particular person, is my friend or is just the person I met online. I was looking for host is going to host me. My host is my relative, my nephew, my uncle, my classmate, whatever, they don’t care. As long as that person is not keen in criminal activities, they don’t care.

Question: They might ask you a question, what do you plan to do in America?

It doesn’t matter what answer you’re going to say, as long as it’s not a criminal related activity. If you say I haven’t made a full decision yet, maybe I might go to school or maybe I want to become a doctor or I want to join the military or I want to work in the warehouse.

Those are just some few questions they might ask just for curious that they want to know. After those questions, you are good to go. There are no many other questions.

That steps or that processes, it is less than three minutes if you are single. If you are married, it can go for five minutes and in the five minutes, they might ask some few questions to your spouse or a child. But those questions to a child or your derivative or dependent as a wife will not affect you in most cases for your visa.

They might ask your child, are you excited to go if you’re a child, what you plan to study? What’s your educational level?

Spouse education level has no impact in deciding whether to be given the visa or not to be given the visa.

This is the easiest type of the interview. About three minutes for a single, maximum five minutes if they’re married or someone with children.

Once you finish the interview, they will tell you to leave your passport with them. Your passport will remain there. They will tell you depending on the country where you are, either you come back on a certain day to take your passport, or they might tell you in some countries, they will send to you through DHL or whatever, certain location, depending on the country to country.

Within a week, maximum two weeks, you’ll have your passport. Once you have your passport, the visa’s term will be for six months to expire. You must travel to the United States within those six months.

Don’t wait too long. So within a month or two, if there is a possibility to travel, just make sure that you travel and go to the United States of America and start your life there.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

The Visa Bulletin for the month of October 2023 for DV-2024 has been released and there’s some little concern that we need to go through, regarding this visa bulletin.

For the previous cut-off numbers from the previous visa bulletin i.e the visa bulletin for the month of September, it affected the interviews that are scheduled for the month of October.

Also, the visa bulletin for the month of October affects the interviews that will be scheduled for the month of November.

When you look on the last visa bulletin, that is for the month of September, that affects the interviews for the month of October, you will see that the cut-off numbers were 10,000 for Africa with its exceptions (Algeria 7,500, Egypt 5500, Morocco 5600), 2,000 for Asia with the exception of these countries (Iran 1750, Nepal 1300), 4,500 for Europe and with its exceptions (Russia 4400, Uzbekistan 1250), and so on.

Diversity Visa Bulletin For October 2023

The current visa bulletin for the month of October 2023 has cut-off numbers 10,000 for Africa, 2,300 for Asia, 5,000 for Europe and so on.

Why Have Cutoff Numbers Just Slightly Changed?

What you immediately notice is that, for Africa, nothing has changed, it has not increased. For Asia, it has already increased, but by a very slight increment. The same case for Europe, just by some few hundreds.

Why has there been just a slight increase? Why is it that Africa has not increased even by a little bit? That’s what will be discuss on this post because many questions in the minds of the winners because, especially since many have seen how it went with the DV lottery 2023.

The first thing that you should know and importantly it is that for the cut-off numbers, it does not mean that there are as many DV winners as the cut-off number.

For example, Africa cutoff number is 10,000, it does not imply that there are 10,000 cases under this cut-off number. Within this 10,000 cut-off number, you might find there are fewer DV winners. Maybe there is about between 5,000 to 6,000 cases and the rest are holes.

Under the cut-off number, you might find even fewer cases that are scheduled for the interview.

Why has it not changed, having known that? Let’s start with Africa. It has remained on 10,000 as the cut-off number, and we’ve seen that we can have roundabout 5,000 to 6,000 individual cases within that number. Within those cases under this cut-off number, you might find out, that of those cases, KCC might not have processed all of them.

You might find among that example of 6,000, they managed only to process fully around 2,000 cases. Those 2,000 cases are the cases that have been scheduled for the interview for October and they have already received their second notification letters.

The remaining about 4,000 in this example, they will have their DS-260 form processed and then they will be scheduled in the following month, that is the month of November.

It mean that, even without increasing the cut-off number, it is sufficient enough to have cases scheduled still under the cut-off number for the month of November, and that speaks of why the cutoff number has not changed.

So the reason as to why the cut-off number has not changed is because of all the cases under the cut-off number, you might find out that KCC could not be able to process all of them.

They processed some of them, and those processed, they were scheduled for the interview for the month of October, and the remaining cases that had not been processed, then they processed them and they are scheduled for the month of November.

Those cases are still under 10,000. So there’s no need for them to increase the cut-off number. Yet they can suffice the numbers to be scheduled for the month of November, even within the 10,000 cutoff numbers. That is the reason.

It also applies to Asia and Europe and other regions. For Asia, just a slight increase from 2,000 to 2,300. It’s because you find out within the last cut-off number 2,000, not all the DS-260 forms of those individuals had been processed.

Those whose DS-260 forms were processed, they were scheduled for the month of October and 2NLs have been sent to them. But the remaining one, still under 2,000 that had not been processed, they were pushed forward to the month of November.

When they were pushed to the month of November, only a small number of cases were to be added and that’s why only a slight increase in the cuto-ff number was placed for Asia.

Same case apply to Europe and to the other regions.

I hope you have understood that well because that is the major reason as to why the cut-off number has not changed for Africa and has slightly changed for other region and has not changed for the North America.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

Visa Application Gets Denied: Imagine you go in for your visa interview and after all that preparation, the consular officer or the immigration officer overseeing your visa interview and your visa application ultimately denies the case. What do you do?

Well, that’s what this guide will talk about. So make sure you read it very well from beginning to end.

What should you do in the unfortunate event that your visa application ultimately gets denied?

The first thing that you should know is that generally when a visa gets denied, the recourse that you have is basically to reapply.

Ultimately, when you reapply, it’s imperative to know what you need to do to improve your application, and in order to know that, you need to know why the application was originally denied.

Was the application denied because the immigration officer felt that you did not satisfy one of the requirements?

For example, for a visitor visa, you are required to overcome the presumption of immigrant intent. You have to satisfactorily convince the immigration officer that you are not an intending immigrant to the United States and that you truly plan to just visit the United States.

So was your visa application denied because you didn’t successfully do that? Or did the consular officer determine that you’re ineligible or you’re inadmissible to the United States for some reason?

For example, maybe you had a prior issue with overstaying a visa in the past and now you might be subject to some sort of bar from reentering the United States. Is that the case?

It’s very important for you to understand ultimately what the reason was why the visa application got denied? Because as I mentioned, your recourse is essentially to reapply.

When you’re reapplying you need to know what you need to fix with the application, is it just presenting some documentation more strongly or is it something entirely different?

For example, in the example mentioned above where there was an issue with a prior overstay, do you need to apply for some sort of a waiver to overcome that grounds for inadmissibility? All of this comes down to what the basis was for the denial.

Oftentimes when an immigration officer will deny a case, they may provide you with some sort of documentation that specifies the grounds for the denial, but sometimes they won’t, and that’s where it’s beneficial for you, depending on the circumstances, to ask the immigration officer to elaborate on the basis for the denial, so that ultimately you have a better understanding and you can communicate that with your immigration lawyer to develop a game plan for reapplying.

Also, to better understand whether it makes sense to reapply for this particular visa or if there’s potentially another visa that might be more suitable for you.

So there you have it.

If the visa gets denied:

• make sure to understand why the visa got denied;
• strategize with your immigration lawyer to determine whether it makes sense to reapply for this visa, whether you’re going to be required to apply for a waiver of some kind, whether it makes sense to apply for another visa or a different sort of immigration benefit and ultimately go from there.

Hope you found this information helpful.

It’s good you go through this guide, so that you will know those mistakes that you can get selected with but will definitely deny you your Diversity Visa (DV). With these errors you will get selected BUT you will be denied the Green Card Visa.

In other words, you may have been selected or you will be selected or you may be selected with these mistakes, but you getting the diversity visa is a dream that may not come to reality. You will definitely be denied the visa.

Mistakes that will deny you the Diversity Visa even if you get selected

Below are the mistakes that you can do and you may get selected, but you will not be given your visa:

1. By selecting the wrong country of eligibility.

If you lie about your country of eligibility during your application, you may get through the selection process, but you will not be given your visa. You will definitely fail your interview.

2. By selecting the wrong level of education.

Yes, if you select the wrong level of education, you may get through the selection process, but during the diversity visa processing, you will get denied your visa.

Don’t make any mistake when selecting your level of education. If you have a high school diploma, select the high school degree. If you don’t have select, you don’t have, don’t lie about your education level, you will definitely get denied your diversity visa.

3. By selecting the wrong marital status.

Wrong marital status will deny you the visa even though you get through the selection process.

If you are single, why not select single? Why put married? Because you have a girlfriend, she is not your spouse. You have a boyfriend and he is not your spouse. If you are single, you select single.

If you are legally married, select you are married. And if it is to a spouse that is a United States citizen or a green card holder, select married to a U.S Citizen or a legal permanent resident.

If it is not a spouse from the United States, select not from the United States. Don’t lie on your spouse and your marital status.

If you are separated and you have the separation documents, select separated. If you don’t have the legal separation document, you have to select married. If you are divorced with the divorce certificate, then you select divorce. But if you are divorced and you don’t have the legal divorce documents, don’t select divorce. You have to select married.

Don’t lie about your marital status. You may get through, but you will not receive your visa.

4. By lying on the number of children that you have.

Remember that the children that are legally allowed to be added as your derivatives include your natural children, your step-children and your legally adopted children, and nor anyone else.

Therefore, indicate the correct number of children that you have and include their details. Don’t lie in it.

Even if you are single and you have a child, include that child.

Therefore, those are the mistakes that you may get selected with but you will definitely be denied your diversity visa. Don’t commit these mistakes.

I hope the information is clear.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

If you have any questions about the DV lottery, please contact an immigration professional/officer or a licensed attorney.

L1 visa is the United States visa issued to professionals employed in a company and is relocating to the American office. To get approval for this visa, you need to go through an L1 interview process. Applicants must belong to managerial, executive, or an employee with specialised knowledge.

What is the L1 Visa?

The L1 Visa is a non-immigrant visa which allows foreign companies to transfer a manager, executive, or person with specialized knowledge to a U.S company. The U.S company must be a branch office, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of the foreign company.

The L1 visa allows you to live and work in the United States for extended periods of time and also provides immigration benefits for your spouse and children.

The L1 visa is not a eligible for self-petition. The U.S company must file the petition on the employees behalf. Therefore, the US company is considered the petitioner, and the L1 visa recipient, is considered the beneficiary.

In this guide we will learn when you can apply for an L1 visa, interview questions and answers and tips to prepare for this interview.

Types of L-1 visa

Two types of L1 visa exist based on the type of work –

• L-1A – This visa is issued exclusively to executives and managers.
• L-1B – Employees with specialised knowledge get this visa. Applicants with specialised knowledge mean that he/she possesses an advanced understanding over an organisation, its product and other details.

Take a look at the questions of L1A and L1B.

When Can You Apply for an L1 Visa Interview?

Before moving ahead with L1 interview questions and answers, take a look at the following circumstances on when you can apply for an L1 visa –

• You are working in an organisation in your native country and joining its parent or subsidiary in the United States.
• You are joining a company’s headquarter for whom you are currently working.

Furthermore, an organisation can transfer a large number of employees under L1 blanket approval. It eliminates the requirement of getting individual approval for an L1 visa. An organisation can qualify for L1 blanket approval under the following circumstances:

• The organisation’s original location is in the United States. The total employee strength is over 1000.
• Annual sales of this organisation must be $25 million.
• It has received L1 visa approval for at least 10 employees in the last 12 months.

Additionally, flexible eligibility criteria and minimal educational qualification compared to other work visas make it an ideal choice.

What Are the L1 Visa Interview Questions and Answers?

Below are what this guide will cover:

• 7 general L1 visa interview questions
• 6 common L1 interview questions and answers about your current Job
• 6 common L1 interview questions about your work in the United States
• 5 frequently asked L1A visa interview questions
• 3 frequently asked L1B visa interview questions

7 General L1 Visa Interview Questions

1. For which visa are you applying?

Hint: Answer that you are applying for an L1 visa.

2. Can you confirm your name and contact details?

Hint: Answer this question appropriately.

3. Can you provide your valid passport, visa fee receipt, and forms I-797, I-128 and DS-160?

Hint: Carry the documents mentioned above and submit the same when necessary.

4. Have you visited the United States?

Hint: Provide a direct answer, that is, either yes or no.

5. If you had visited the United States, then when did you return?

Hint: Provide him/her with the actual arrival date, month and year to India from the United States.

6. Have you worked in foreign countries before?

Hint: Provide an honest answer to this question.

7. Have you worked in the United States before?

Hint: If yes, provide him/her with a document proof as well.

6 Common L1 Visa Interview Questions About Your Current Job

Here, an immigration officer will check your current and past job experience. You may expect questions like:

1. What is your work experience?

Hint: Provide a brief detail about your professional experience. Include your past and current job description in your answer.

2. In which organisation are you currently working? For how many years have you been employed by this organisation?

Hint: Mention the name of your current employer and the number of years you have been working here.

3. What is your employment type?

Hint: Answer accordingly.

4. What are the duties of your present job position?

Hint: Provide the details of your daily job roles and responsibilities in the current organisation.

5. Who was your past employer before this current organisation?

Hint: Mention the name of the organisation where you worked before. Furnish the details with document proof.

6. What is your annual or monthly salary?

Hint: You may need to submit your bank statement as a document to prove the monthly or annual salary you receive at present.

7. How many people are currently working under your supervision?

Hint: Mention the number and details of the people who are working under your supervision in your current organisation.

8. What type of training did you receive?

Hint: Provide an answer according to the training you received.

6 Common L1 Interview Questions About Your Work in the United States

Below are some L1 visa interview questions and answers for the USA:

1. Can you brief me about your job offer? What type of work does your organisation deal with?

Hint: An immigration officer demands an answer that includes details of the new position you have been offered. For the second question, provide details of the organisation’s work.

2. What will be your salary in the United States? Will you be paid in dollars or other currency? Will you receive any allowances?

Hint: Answer this question with correct details. Mention if you will receive your salary in foreign currency. Also, if you receive any allowances, answer honestly to the immigration officer.

3. Why do you need to transfer to the United States for your current role?

Hint: Provide a legitimate reason why you need to relocate to the United States to convince the immigration officer.

4. Whom will you report to in the US? Mention the location

Hint: Provide the details of the organisation or people to whom you will report. Also, mention the location by providing exact details of the city or town in the United States.

5. Where will you stay in the United States? How long will you stay?

Hint: Mention the city or town of the country where you will live. Also, answer the second question based on the requirement.

6. What is your plan of action if your current employer terminates you from the job?

Hint: Provide an appropriate answer. This question demands actionable steps if you become unemployed during your stay in the United States.

5 Frequently Asked L1A Visa Interview Questions

1. Can you dismiss and recruit employees in your upcoming job position?

Hint: Provide details about your authority in the company.

2. When did you last terminate an employee from his/her job position?

Hint: Answer appropriately.

3. Will you hold any control over the company’s budget?

Hint: If your answer is yes, provide details about the extent of your control and other crucial information.

4. How many people will directly report to you?

Hint: Mention the number and details of the people who will report to you for their work.

5. What will be your daily duties in your new job in the US?

Hint: Mention the details about what your job demands and what you are expected to perform.

3 Frequently Asked L1B Visa Interview Questions

1. Can you mention the professional skills required for this US role?

Hint: Mention your skill sets to convince the immigration officer on why you fit this job role.

2. What is your working experience in this profession?

Hint: Provide an answer with relevant information.

3. Why do you think that a US citizen cannot perform this job?

Hint: This is a crucial question. Therefore, provide legitimate reasons to support your answer.

3 L1 Visa Interview Tips to Prepare Yourself

Below are some of the right preparation can help you to crack the L1 interview:

1. Focus on Your Action

First, must sure you reach the venue at least 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled interview time. Opt for formal clothes. Stay confident while answering the questions. Remember to maintain eye contact with the immigration officer. Listen to questions carefully and respond accordingly and patiently to improve the chances of visa approval. At the end of the interview, express your gratitude by thanking the immigration officer.

2. Honest Answers Are Must

Avoid skipping or providing false information to any L1 interview. The immigration officer verifies every answer. Any incorrect information will create a negative impression and eliminate your chances to crack this interview.

3. Provide Simple Answers

Most of the questions are related to work. Hence avoid using technical terms and simple language to make it easier for an immigration officer to understand every answer.

Proper preparation and correct knowledge about the L1 interview process can help you land your dream job in the United States. Also, make sure to keep yourself updated with changes in eligibility parameters to avoid last-minute inconvenience.

Note: L1 visa interview takes place in the U.S Embassy or Consulate. The standard processing time of L1 visa applications is 6 to 12 months. However, if you apply under the L1 Blanket, the application takes approximately 1 to 3 weeks.

Credit to: godigit

DISCLAIMER: This post/guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any legal advice, not offering any visa too. If you need legal advice, you should seek the advice of an attorney in your jurisdiction before taking any legal action.

The information presented in this post/guide should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

In this guide, you will learn some possible H4 visa interview questions and example answers to help you pass this test.

What is H4 Visa?

H4 Visa is a United States (U.S) visa. It is issued to a dependent family member of H1B, H1B1, H2A, H2B, H3 visa holders. It allows you to travel to the USA with the primary visa holder. A dependent must be a spouse or children below 21 years.

To get an H4 visa, you need to pass an interview test. Accordingly, schedule an appointment for biometrics and visa interviews.

The H4 visa interview takes place at the US Embassy or Consulate. The interview takes place to evaluate the credibility of your marriage since H4 is a marriage-based visa.

Types of H4 Visa Interview Questions

The H4 visa interview questions and answers are divided into 4 categories. These include questions and answers about –

• You
• Your marriage
• H4 visa
• Your spouse

H4 Visa Interview Questions and Answers

Below are common H4 dependent visa interview questions under these categories listed.

Questions and Answers About You

1. Where will you live in America?

Hint: Provide the name of the town or city you will be residing in the US

2. What are your plans to do in the USA?

Hint: Here, an immigration officer seeks an honest answer. Hence, provide a short yet truthful answer.

3. Do you have family members besides your spouse in America?

Hint: If yes, provide a detailed brief about your family members.

4. Do you wish to work in America?

Hint: The U.S administration withdrew the restriction on the work permit of the H4 visa holder. It means that individuals can work against meeting prescribed eligibility criteria. Therefore, answer this accordingly.

5. Whom do you live with presently?

Hint: Answer honestly. For instance, you live with your in-laws or parents.

6. What is your residential town or city in your native country?

Hint: Mention your current residential city or town.

7. With whom will you reside in the United States?

Hint: Mention that you will be living with your spouse.

8. Who is going to support you financially in the United States?

Hint: State that your spouse will be supporting you financially to stay in the United States.

Questions and Answers About Your Marriage

9. Is there any photograph or legal document proof of your marriage?

Hint: Carry important documents like a marriage certificate and a wedding photograph as document proof of your marriage.

10. What was the date of your marriage? For how many years have you been married to your spouse?

Hint: Answer this question directly and appropriately.

11. Was your marriage arranged or love? If arranged, who arranged it?

Hint: If anyone arranged your marriage, provide his or her details. It can be your parents, cousins or friends.

12. What was the location of your marriage?

Hint: Here you need to provide a detailed answer, stating the city, state and country’s name.

13. Was there any engagement before you got married to your spouse?

Hint: In case of engagement before marriage, you need to showcase proof of the same.

14. What was the total expenditure of your marriage? Who financed it?

Hint: Furnish the details with relevant information or documents, if any.

15. When and where did you meet your spouse for the first time?

Hint: If you cannot remember the exact date, mention the year or month.

Questions and Answers About H4 Visa

16. Which visa are you applying for?

Hint: Provide a direct answer that you are applying for an H4 visa.

17. Why do you want an H4 visa?

Hint: You need an H4 visa because you want to visit the United States along with your spouse (H1B visa holder).

18. Have you scheduled an appointment by yourself?

Hint: Don’t hesitate to answer if you didn’t make an appointment by yourself. Mention if anyone else has scheduled it for you. Also, state a legitimate reason why you could not schedule an appointment.

19. When did your spouse receive approval for an H1B visa?

Hint: Provide the accurate approval date, month and year for an H1B visa.

20. How did you collect all necessary documents for this interview?

Hint: Give an appropriate answer as per the requirement.

21. Why did you not attend the H4 visa interview with your spouse?

Hint: Provide an honest reason for why you did not attend this interview with your spouse.

Questions and Answers About Your Spouse

22. From which University did your spouse graduate? What is the highest educational degree of your spouse?

Hint: Provide the University’s name and year of graduation of your spouse. For the second question, mention the highest educational degree your spouse completed.

23. When is your spouse’s birthday?

Hint: Answer the exact date, month and year of birth of your spouse.

24. What is the name of the organisation your spouse is currently working in? Where is its location?

Hint: Mention the name of the organisation where your spouse is currently working. In the case of the second question, mention the location details of the organisation.

25. How long has the current company employed your spouse?

Hint: Provide the accurate month, year and date for which your spouse has been associated with the current company.

26. What is the profession of your spouse?

Hint: Provide the details of your spouse’s profession and the associate job description.

27. What is the annual income of your spouse?

Hint: You need to submit proof to verify your answer. Hence, your answer must be honest.

28. Do you have your spouse’s bank statement?

Hint: Submit your spouse’s bank statement and receipts to the immigration officer.

29. Does your spouse currently stay in the United States?

Hint: If the answer is yes, provide an accurate answer on the date, month and year of his or her stay.

30. Is your spouse a U.S citizen? If not, has he or she applied for a green card?

Hint: Provide an appropriate answer, don’t lie, be sincere.

How to Prepare Yourself for an H4 Visa Interview?

Once you know H4 visa questions and answers, prepare yourself by following these 4 tips:

• Be on Time

Reach the venue 30 to 20 minutes before the scheduled time with all the required documents. Arriving early will also allow you to stay calm during the interview process.

• Answer Confidently

Answer H4 visa questions clearly. It is one of the essential factors that determine the given visa approval. Skipping or providing false information can eliminate your chances to get an H4 visa. It is because the immigration officer verifies your answers with relevant documents.

• Keep the Documents Ready

As you can find from the questions mentioned above, you need to provide certain documents to verify your answers. This includes marriage certificates, bank statements and other essential files. It is wise to keep a copy of those documents ready to submit whenever asked.

• Check Your Documents

Review your documents carefully. All details such as name, birthdate and other information in it will be printed on the visa. Hence any potential mistake in data can be a hassle later.

Additionally, when you receive your visa, check it carefully. If you notice any errors, report them the appropriate place immediately.

Make sure to prepare yourself with H4 visa interview questions for quick visa approval.

DISCLAIMER: This post/guide and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any legal advice, not offering any visa too. If you need legal advice, you should seek the advice of an attorney in your jurisdiction before taking any legal action.

The information presented in this post/guide should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

In this guide, you we will learn 5 visa application mistakes to avoid. These are the mistakes that may lead to your VISA denial. Avoid these mistakes, and your U.S VISAS (B1/B2, F1) will be approved.

Many people get their visas refused because they make avoidable mistakes. Below are some important things we need to avoid and what we need to do to get our visa approved and overcome multiple visa rejections.

5 visa application mistakes to avoid

1. Information mismatch

Your visa can be rejected because the information you provided on the DS-160 form do not match with what you give as a response in the interview room. For example, on the DS-160 form, there is a question, who is paying for the trip?

If you select self and during the interview you are asked who is sponsoring your trip? And you say your uncle or your sister or your parent or whoever that is not you, it is going to affect your visa approval.

Many people think that on the DS-160 form, when they ask them who is paying for the trip, they are asking of flight tickets. So they put self on the DS-160 form and when they go for the interview they show a different bank statement that is not even for them.

When you do that, your visa can be rejected.

If you are going for B1/B2 visa, make sure that whoever is sponsoring you is what you put on the DS-160. If you are going for F1 visa as a student, make sure that whatever you put on your DS-160 form as your sponsor matches with whoever is your sponsor on your I-20 and the information you give during the interview.

Another mistake with regards to mismatch of information is, on the DS-160 form there is a question about length of stay in the United States. If you choose three weeks, it means that you are going to stay in the United States for three weeks.

You get to the interview room and they ask you how long will you be staying? And you say you’ll be staying for two weeks or two months. That is a mismatch of information and it is going to affect your vessel approval.

Make sure that the information you put on the DS-160 form will match with the responses you gave during the interview. This is a very common mistake that affects a lot of people and affect their visa approval.

2. Lack of strong purpose of Travel

When you appear for the interview, the first question they usually ask is your purpose of traveling to the United States? Mind you, whatever answer you give will determine the follow up questions and the flow of the interview from them.

If you are not able to give a very strong and clear reason for your travel, you won’t get your visa.

It’s not just enough to say I am going to the U.S to visit my friend or family, speak to why you are going to visit them and why you need to visit them.

Maybe you are going because your sister is doing her wedding and it’s been a long time you met your sister and as a family member, you need to be there as part of your tradition. You must be part of your sister’s wedding.

If you are a student, it is not enough to say you are going to U.S or you are going to this school to study, speak to why you need that program and why you even selected that school in U.S.

Speak to the why because why is very important than just giving a flat answer.

If you are going for a conference, speak to why you are going for a conference. It is not just I am going to the U.S to attend a conference, no.

Say: “I am going to the U.S to attend a conference, and this is because, as part of my work requirements, I am required to attend this conference for my promotion, or I am required to attend this conference to learn the skills or to report this or that to the board members of the organization.

I am required to attend this conference in order to acquire the knowledge, skills and bring it back for the organization.”

It is not just enough to say I am going for a conference, speak to the why.

There are a lot of people who want to go to the United States, so your raising must be unique, your raising must be different, your raising must come out and it must show to the consular that you really need to come to the United States for your studies, for your visit or for your conference.

It is very important get a clear purpose and a strong reason for your travel.

3. Incomplete details and errors on DS-160 form.

The DS-160 form is your visa application form that has all your details for your visa approval. It is a very important document in the application process.

You must always make sure that you respond to all the questions on the DS-160 form correctly, and you must avoid any error, be it spelling or typo errors on the DS-160 form.

Also, information you put on the DS-160 form must agree with the story you tell at the embassy. You must always make sure you can defend any information that you put on the DS-160 form.

If someone fills your DS-160 form for you, make sure you go through every bit of it yourself been submitted.

When you make errors or when you don’t complete the DS-160 form in the way that you should, it leaves a red flag even on your profile and the visa’s officers do not have time to spend and ask you why this or why that. Because a lot of people are in the queue and they may flag you out and they give you the denial.

All the time they will give you the 214(b) paper telling you that you did not prove your ties back home. No, there are sometimes the reason does not have to do with ties back home, it has to do with your DS-160 form.

You must always correct it. Always make sure you know what is being put there. You know why you are putting this there. You can defend it. You avoid errors in your name, you avoid typing mistakes, you avoid spelling error and you write good and clear English.

4. Lack of ties to home country

This is one of the popular reasons for visa rejection. You must always, all the time make the consular believe that you will come back after your trip to the U.S or after your studies. Do not expect the consular to ask you if you will come back or not.

So make sure that in every question that they ask you, you connected to your ties back home. It is always important to get a good reason to convince the consular that you will come back after your trip or after your studies.

Mind you, they will not ask you. It is not all the time that they will ask whether you come back or not. Don’t expect them to ask you before you say it. Show it, prove it. Let them move through your response.

5. Don’t prepare with internet questions and answers by copying them

It is always good to prepare before you go for your interview. For example, watching videos on youtube and reading around to get a general overview about how some questions are being asked and how people answer them.

But let these always guide you. Always let your unique self and story show in the responses you give to the consular. So do not copy answers that people give for yourself.

However, speak to your own story and uniqueness. When you copy answers given by others, it may not speak to your story and make you unique and that will affect your visa approval.

The consular hear a lot of these responses. What is unique about yours?

Don’t just copy answers people give on the internet. Copy suggested answers for yourself. Let it guide you and help you to form and shape your own answers that meets your unique situations and stories for your visa interview.

Thank you so much for reading this guide (5 visa application mistakes to avoid).

What are the most important questions you must prepare for if you are going for U.S Visa interview? In this guide, you will learn the most important questions you should expect and prepare to answer at the U.S F1 Visa interview. If you understand what the consular expect from you, you can prepare well to prove that you deserve the visa.

This guide has been breaked down into three parts to let you understand what the consular expects from you at the interview, in order to prepare payroll and prove that you deserve the visa.

Questions You Must Look Out For In Your U.S F1 Visa Interview

The first thing you must understand is that irrespective of who you are, when you appear for your interview, the impression is that you are a potential immigrant.

That means, although you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa, a visa that allows you to stay temporary in the United States, the presumption is that you would want to stay permanently.

The interview is the opportunity for the consular to assess the purpose and your intent for traveling into the United States. Below are U.S F1 visa interview questions and guides to answer them:

1. Why are you traveling to the United States?

The consular would like to assess your reason for traveling to study in the United States. They want to know whether you are not using studies as an excuse to migrate to the United States.

Here, they will be asking questions that has to do with you, who you are, your academic background, your family background, whether you are married or you are in a relationship, whether you are gainfully employed or not.

It is important because through these questions, the consular will be able to assess your purpose for traveling.

For example, if you are a person who is gainfully employed in your current country, you earn enough money and assuming, let’s say, you are employed as an accountant and you are going to study for MBA.

The consular can based on your current employment, and know that you are not ideal in your country and know that you are getting reasonable income to sustain yourself. You are not somebody who is desperate to travel to go and stay in the United States.

The console will able to know that your purpose of traveling is purely for studies, that you are going to study in order to come back to enrich yourself and your current position in the organization.

Don’t go to the embassy and say you are not employed. Even if you are not employed, explain to them that you are involved into a voluntary service. It could be a national service, it could be a service you have with an organization, with a firm. It could be a teaching opportunity you are volunteering.

When you are unemployed the consular believe there is high possibility for you not to come back. But when you are able to explain to them that you are involved in a voluntary work, it means that you are not idle, you have plans, and you make good use of your time to help society.

Also, prepare to answer questions about your academic background, what you did in your undergraduate studies, in your senior high school or even in your graduate studies, and why your studies in America will be relevant to your academic surface.

In your U.S F1 visa interview, you may asked questions like this:

• How old are you?
• Are you married?
• What do you do?

These are questions you must prepare for.

You must be prepared to answer questions and explain how your current state in life is not an opportunity for you to travel, just to go and stay in the United States.

This is where you prove to them that you are working, you have a family, that you studied a particular course, and you are going to study in order to come back to help your society.

2. How can you finance your studies?

This is another visa interview question you must prepare for and is very important area. You must prepare to answer questions about who is sponsoring you, what is the relationship between you and the person and why is the person sponsoring you? What is the annual income of the person? What job does the person do?

The consular want to assess whether you have the financial capabilities to go and study in the United States, the ability for you to sustain yourself, especially in your first year in the United States.

They would want to know who your sponsor is, what kind of job your sponsor does, and why your sponsor is sponsoring you. It’s not just enough to show bank statements. It is important to prove to the consular about the work or the occupation of the person sponsoring you, because it is the work of the person that can convince the consular that indeed he or she can sponsor you.

If you claim your father is sponsoring you, be prepared to answer questions such as; how much does your father earn at the end of every year or monthly? What kind of job does your father do? Why is your father spending so much? Why is the sponsor spending so much money to take care of you?

There are times, if an organization is sponsoring you, they go ahead to ask you the number of employees the organization has employed, how long you have been working with them, and why the organization is sponsoring you.

It is not enough to prove bank statements, but it is important to prove that the person who owns the bank statement has enough cash flow from relevant work or occupation.

It is important you prepare around this area because proving your financial capability to support your studies is one of the most important reasons that your visa will be approved or denied.

3. What are your plans after school?

This is another question you must prepare for. As you go for your interview, the consular will want to know your long-term plan after school, and it is based on your plan that will help the consular to determine whether you would overstay or you would return when you are done with your studies.

Even if you have plans of pursuing PhD after your Masters or whatever degree you are pursuing, don’t tell the consular that after getting your Master’s you would want to do your PhD, no. Tell the consular that after getting your Masters, you would come back to your country to other things.

If possible, prove to him or her that you have an organization, you have even a certain letter already. It is an added advantage. Don’t worry if you don’t have that. All that is important is that you prove to the consular that at the end of the day, you have a long term plan that is connected to you coming back to your country to give back to your society.

If you are not able to answer these three questions, your visa will not be approved. Just bear in mind that you must be able to convince the consular about this three line of questions. Even if you fail in one, your visa may be rejected.

4. Why must I give you this Visa?

This is where you explain your career goal and why studying in America will help you achieve your career goals and give back to the society.

I hope that these tips will help you and give you the needed information that you need to prepare for your U.S F1 visa interview.

This guide is going to talk about Spring 2023 Visa updates. In this guide, you will learn all that you need to do to get your U.S (F1, J1) student visa approved for your Spring 2023 term.

Many have deferred their program to the spring term. There are some who have their Visa rejected, as a result, your program was deferred. Some people have just gotten admission and have not gotten a date, they had to reschedule or defend their program to the spring term.

How to get your U.S Student visa approved in the spring 2023 term

1. Get A New I-20.

The first thing you need to do if you’re going for Spring 2023 is to get an updated I-20. If you have gone for a Visa interview recently and you have been refused and as a result you defend your program to Spring, you will need a new I-20.

If you just got admission or admitted into a school that is starting in the Spring, you will also need a new I-20.

Also, if you didn’t get a visa date for the fourth term and you have deferred to Spring 2023, you also need a new I-20. So no matter your situation, you need a new I 20.

Those that have gotten their visas, you need to get a new I-20. You don’t need a new visa because you already have a visa approved. You can enter U.S with your already approved visa, but you will have to update your I-20.

How to get a new I-20

Your school will have to issue you a new I-20 that comes with a new start date that will reflect the Spring 2023 term.

If you don’t do this, if you go for the visa interview, you’ll be rejected. If you don’t do this, if you come to the U.S at the port of entry, you will be denied entry because your I-20 will be outdated bearing the false start date.

Make sure you check with your school to get an updated I-20.

2. Update Your DS-160 Form

The next thing you need to do is to update your DS-160 form.

If you applied for a visa for full time and you didn’t get a visa date, so you have to defer. What it means is that, if you have your old DS-160 form, that old DS-160 form have some information that might be outdated.

For example, expected date of travel, when are you expecting to travel, and when are you expecting to complete your program?

Because you are getting a new I-20 form, which means that those dates will also be new. It is important to update this information on your DS-160. If you don’t do that, that may go against you.

If you have already submitted a DS-160 form, it means that you must fill a new one. Make sure to fill a new DS-160 form and also make sure that you will use the new DS-160 form code to update your profile on your profile.

After you have done that, print a new appointment confirmation. This is very, very important. If you don’t do that, you will have your old DS-160 form on your profile. You may be denied entry at the gate for the interview because your DS-160 form will have a different code and your appointment date will also have a different code. Make sure you correct that.

3. Get Visa Appointment Date.

The next thing you have to do is to make sure that you get a visa appointment date. Many people have dates that are beyond their program started, the embassy has begun opening some dates for people who are coming for the Spring 2023 term. Make sure to regularly check your profile to get a date.

You may also want to consider requesting for emergency appointments if you have not already done so. There are some laws, rules and regulations concerning when and how and what to do and what to use to apply for emergency appointments.

Those are the three things you need to do. After you have done all these three things, the next important thing is to prepare for your interview, and this is the most important aspect of the whole process.

A lot of people rush into the interview and they go and get denied. Getting a US visa approved always comes with a strategy. You must always have a strategy as to what is the best story for your situation. What is the best story that you can tell to convince the consular?

It is not about what you have, it is about convincing the consular. This is where preparation is key. Read this guide below, it will really help you pass your visa interview and get your U.S visa approved.

Read: 5 Things You Must Do In The Interview Room To Get Your U.S Visa Approved

Tip: As you are prepared for your Spring 2023 interview, the most important thing you have to deal with is finances. Many students who have funded or who have good source of funding have a high chance of getting their business approved.

You must prove that indeed you have the funds to support yourself. Make sure that you are well clear about the sources of funding. Why is this person sponsoring you? What is the purpose? How are you connected to the person? How are you related and what is even the reason at all for the person to spend so much to sponsor you?

If you are on scholarship, that is fine.

Tip: How to answer the three visa important question

• Why did you choose this school/university?
• Who is funding you?
• What are your plans after school?

These are the updates on how to get your U.S Student Visa approved in the spring 2023 term.

Your attitude or behavior in the interview room can have an impact on your visa approval. In this guide, we will learn 5 things you must do in the Interview room to get your U.S Visa approved.

Lot of people who had good cases messed up during interview. Many people who had basically nothing but with a right attitude in the interview room, they had their visa approved.

This guide will teach you some of the basic things you must do inside the interview room in order to get your U.S visa approved.

5 Things You Must Do In The Interview Room To Get Your U.S Visa Approved

1. Properly Arrange All Your Documents.

The first thing you must do is to properly arrange and catalog your documents. This will help you to swiftly get access to any documents when asked for during your interview.

Usually, the embassy does not allow people to go inside the interview room with Bags. Get a clear file and arrange your documents in it, in a way that can be easily accessible.

Your passport must come first, followed by your I-20, your bank statement and sponsorship letter, your admission letter, certificate, CV and any documents that you want to carry.

Oftentimes, many people attract a lot of pressure for themselves during interviews because they were asked to show a certain document and they struggled to locate it. This can be worrying and delaying, so you must always try to avoid that, properly arrange and catalog all your documents.

2. Deal With All Your Doubt.

Many people enter the interview room as losers even before they are interviewed. They go for interview with so many doubts and misconceptions.

Many people sees the consulate and start having doubt in their mind. So they go for interviews with so much fear, these people enter the interview room with so much doubt.

The point is, everyone who goes for visa interview has a 50% chance of getting the visa and 50% chance of not getting the visa. So it is 50 50. Of course, we go for interview with different cases, but no one’s visa is guaranteed.

So why don’t you trust in that 50% chance of getting the visa? Instead of thinking about the negativity. Yes as humans, sometimes the negativity comes into our mind, but we shouldn’t dual much on that.

Also, there are some misconceptions that people take as long as they go for interview. Many people says that when you go for U.S visa interview, they have already decided the number of people they will give their visas, no matter what you do, you will not get the visa.

There are some people who also say that every day the embassy has specific number of visas the issue and when they reach that limit, everyone will be denied. These are all fallacies. So clear your doubts and be hopeful. Just do your best and leave the rest to God.

3. Focus and keep your calm.

Sometimes while in the queue waiting to be interviewed, we see and hear our friends being interviewed, being rejected and some being approved. This kind of things put pressure on us.

There are some people who say to themselves, I want to go to this consular, I wish I can get this woman, this man is really rejecting people, I want to avoid him. Some of these things can affect your focus and it can really distract you, stay focused.

Assuming you have seen a certain consular rejecting people, if you don’t take care and you go to that consular, you may mess up.

Don’t allow the rejection or approval of someone in front of you or someone being interviewed before you, affect the way you approach yours. Keep focus and be calm.

4. Smile and keep eye contact.

This is the most important thing, Smile and keep an eye contact. Whenever you are answering your questions at the interview, try to give a soft smile, let it be natural, let it be engaging. Don’t try to be too hated, don’t try to be too serious.

Don’t try to be sharp and don’t try to be anxious. Try to be yourself. Don’t go and give fake smile.

Also, when you are giving responses, keep an eye contact. Usually, in America people believe that when you cannot look them in their eyes and talk, it means you are not honest or you are lying about that thing you are talking about.

So it is important to keep an eye contact and give a soft smile, don’t think it, let it be natural.

5. Be Smart and don’t talk too much.

It is important to be aware that there are times you may be asked a question that you have no idea about or a question may be put to you in a way that will get you confused. Don’t worry. Try to be smart at that time.

Always, it is the smartest people who get their visa approved. Avoid talking too much. Always be brief and specific. Don’t forget to keep your confidence moderate. Don’t be overconfident or under-confident. Try to be yourself. It is not about life and death matter.

Don’t enter the interview room with the mindset that I must get this visa by all means and at all costs. Of course, that is what we all expect. But sometimes go into the interview room well relaxed and expecting all possibilities.

When you do that, it makes you relaxed, it makes you comfortable and it releases some tension of you, and that can go a long way in helping you in articulating your point.

I hope you will find this information useful. Thank you so much for reading this guide.

I wish you all the best as you go for your interview.

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 this guide we will learn those documents required for B1/B2 U.S Visa Interview. All the B1/B2 documents checklist for U.S Visa Interview, that will make you successful.

B1/B2 visas are temporary visits that allow you to travel to the United States for visit, for tourism, for conference, for funerals, for graduation, for medication, for business meetings and so on. If you are applying to travel to U.S for any of these categories, you will need B1/B2 Visa.

Documents Required for B1/B2 U.S Visa Interview

If you are preparing for your U.S Visa Interview, make sure to check these B1/B2 documents checklist which have grouped this into two-part, primary documents and secondary documents checklist for B1/B2 visa applications.

Primary documents checklist for B1/B2 visa applications

Below are the primary document that you will need for B1/B2 visa.

1. Passport

You will need a passport that is valid for at least six months.

2. DS160 Confirmation Page

When you filled out and submitted your visa application form, you receive a confirmation of submission. You must always print this page and add it to your documents.

3. Visa Fee Receipt

You should always go with your visa application fee payment receipt.

4. Photo

You must upload this photo during your application, but if you are unable to do so, you must get copies or hard copies of these photos with you when you are going for your interview.

Even if you were able to upload your photo during your application form, make sure you take some photos with you when you are going for your interview.

Secondary documents checklist for B1/B2 visa applications

Supporting documents are documents that you will need to prove your purpose of travel to the United States, your financial support, and your ties back home. Below are this document:

1. Documents for purpose of traveling

(i) Invitation Letter: For purpose of travel, we are talking about invitation letters from the person you are going to visit. If it is a conference, you will still need an invitation letter from the organizers of the conference.

(ii) You will need an itinerary: This is a list of your activities in the United States. If you are going for a visit, you can type and print all the places you would want to visit and add it to your documents. If you are going for a conference, you will need a brochure or the program outline of the conference.

(iii) Accommodation reservation: This details where you will stay while in the United States. Usually this should be part of your invitation letter. But if you are going for your own tourists, assuming no one is inviting or you are not going for a conference and you are going for your own vacation and tourist, you will need a hotel reservation.

(iv) Photo I.D of Invitee: The next document is photo ID of the person you are visiting. If the person you are visiting is a U.S Citizen, you will need his/her ID page of his/her passport.

If the person is a green card holder, you need a photocopy or scanned copy of his green card front and back. Or if the person is in U.S on a visa, like an F1 visa, you are coming for graduation, you will need a passport ID page and the visa page of the person you are visiting.

2. Financial Support Documents

Financial support documents are documents that prove your ability to support your trip. These documents are:

• Bank statements, if you are sponsoring yourself
• An affidavit of support, if your sponsor is in the U.S.
• Letters of sponsorship, if you are going for a conference and any means of proof of funds that you have document to prove.

3. Documents to prove home ties

These are documents that will show that you will come back after your visit or your conference in the United States. Below are the documents:

• Employment letters, if you are employed, you need your employment letter.
• Leave letter i.e a letter from your employer or organization stating that you are on leave and you are using that leave for your visit in the U.S or you are going for a conference.
• School letter: You will also need letters from schools or school registration documents, if you are a student.
• Business or financial documents: You will need businesses and financial documents to prove your asset and your ties back home.

Sometimes you also need some family documents such as marriage certificates and pictures. Also, remember to include any other documents you believe can help your case.

This guide has answered the question, what document should I bring to a US B1 B2 visa interview? Because this is all the documents you need for your B1/B2 visa application. Always remember to prepare well to go for your interview.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information and educational purposes 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.

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.