myUface Blog

Today we’re going to conclude our brief series on preparing for a visa interview by looking at what you can do in order to prove to the consulate that you:

1. Are going to the U.S. for a legitimate reason
2. Have the financial ability to support yourself while in the U.S.
3. Have strong and permanent ties to your country

Tip #1:  Documentation

The most effective way to prove all of the above is through documentation.  Bring as many documents as you can, and have them well organized so you can refer to them quickly.  At the beginning of the interview, you might want to consider asking the consular officer something like, “Excuse me, sir [or ma'am], I brought a number of documents showing my ties to [my country].  Would you like to see those now or later?”  Chances are the consular won’t ask for them immediately, but starting out the interview this way shows the consular officer that you are serious and prepared.

What kind of documents should you bring?  This will be different from country to country, so check the website of your Embassy.  Generally speaking, you want to bring financial documents that show you have the resources to cover your study in the U.S. (bank statements, certificates of ownership, etc.), and then documents that show you have strong ties to your country.  These documents could be many different things.   Do you own property?  Do you have a spouse or children?  Has a local employer offered you a job on your return?  Do you have significant investments in local businesses?  Are you active in your local community as a volunteer or a leader?  Documents that answer any of these questions can be a big help.

And of course, don’t forget the most basic visa documents – the I-20 from your university in the U.S., your visa application, etc.

Tip #2:  Truthfulness

One of the biggest mistakes applicants make is thinking that they have to conceal certain information in order to get a visa.  If you lie during your visa interview, and are caught lying, you will not get a visa.  Maybe not ever. Be sure to be 100% honest on your application and in your interview.

Tip #3:  Professional Demeanor

Be sure to follow common sense guidelines about maintaining a professional demeanor.  Dress well, show up on time, and be polite.  Don’t overdue it, however – if you come to the visa interview 2 hours early, dressed in an absurdly expensive suit, and nervously answer all questions with “Yes, ma’am, thank you, ma’am,” it’s going to look like you have something to hide.  So be professional, but within the boundaries of common sense.

That’s It?

Yup, that’s it.  The truth is, the process for obtaining a student visa in the U.S. is pretty straightforward.  That doesn’t mean it’s not difficult.  If you want to have the best chance of moving through the process without any problems, throw out all the conspiracy theories, spend time on your U.S. Embassy’s website, prepare your documents and application with care, and be professional.

Good luck!!!

Posts in this Series

1. Preparing For A Visa Interview, Part Three (This post)
2. Preparing For A Visa Interview, Part Two - 15 Jul
3. Preparing For A Visa Interview, Part One - 14 Jul

As we move into the summer, many international students, who have already had the good fortune of being accepted to U.S. universities, are now preparing for their visa interviews.

The visa process understandably causes international students a great deal of stress.  Every year you hear terrible stories of visa delays – or even of outright refusals – that negatively impact students.

In order to help those students who are currently preparing for a visa interview, we at myUface thought we’d put together a short, three part series on the visa interview and how you can give yourself the best chance to pass it.

In today’s post – Part One – I’m going to explore some misconceptions of the visa interview process, and speculate as to how those misconceptions arose.  In Part Two we’re going to look at what it is a visa interview is designed to prove, and in Part Three we’ll look at strategies for succesfully conducting your own interview.

The Most Common Misunderstanding About The Visa Interview

The single most common misunderstanding about the visa interview is that there is some secret, some strategy, or some trick that you have to know in order to “pass” your interview.   On international student forums a common question I see is, “How do I answer in order to pass my visa interview?”

This questions assumes that there are correct answers – that there are a set of things that, if you say them, will convince the consular officer to give you a visa.

In some countries, people go so far as to accuse the consulate of outright corruption.  The secret, they say,  is that you have to give money.  Or you have to know someone.  Or you have to be a member of a certain political party. And so on and so forth.

These misconceptions arise because the visa process very rarely provides any feedback to those it rejects.  It’s rare that a consular officer will tell you, specifically, the information he or she either found or did not find that led him or her to deny your application.  Without concrete information, students who are rejected are forced to guess about why they were rejected.  It’s not surprising that they come up with a number of ideas that aren’t really accurate.

This lack of information is further taken advantage of by unscrupulous companies or individuals who claim to have all the answers. They prey on the uncertainty of others, claiming to be able to “promise” that you will pass your visa interview, so long as you pay for their service (and that service might be interview preparation, filling out forms, whatever).

I have a suggestion for all international students:  throw out the idea that there is a secret formula, or a conspiracy.  Accept the possibility that the visa process for international students is very straightforward.

You can even find the “secret” of the visa interview on the webpage of your U.S. Embassy!!!

Tomorrow we’ll talk about the reality of the visa process, and what information it’s looking for.

Posts in this Series

1. Preparing For A Visa Interview, Part Three - 16 Jul
2. Preparing For A Visa Interview, Part Two - 15 Jul
3. Preparing For A Visa Interview, Part One (This post)