Important tips to prepare for your visa interview:
- Bring all of your documentation to your visa interview. Here is the list of documents you will need to bring; your embassy or consulate may require additional documents, so please check: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/study-exchange/student.html
- Unless you’re under the age of 18, do not bring family. Your spouse and children would receive F-2 or M-2 visas.
- Dress appropriately and respectfully. Business attire is recommended.
- Answer the visa officer’s questions clearly, concisely and quickly. I know you may be nervous, but it’s important to be confident and positive. Be specific when you answer questions.
- Proof that you have adequate funds to support your education and cost of living in the United States.
- Intent to return home is one of the most important factors in determining whether or not you are issued a visa. You must have ties to home country, be familiar with the U.S. program to which you have been accepted and know how that fits into your career plans.
- The interview will be in English. If you can’t speak English, you may request an interpreter.
Prepare for your visa interview:
The visa officer needs to know your specific objectives, both academic and professional, for studying in the United States. Be prepared to explain why it is better to study your specific field in the United States than to study at home. Be ready to say exactly what you will study and for what career your U.S. studies will prepare you. Calmly state your education plans concisely and clearly.
Visa officers like to hear honest, direct responses to questions. They generally react poorly to applicants who give vague answers, memorize a speech, or make overly solicitous comments about how great and wonderful the United States is.
You should also be able to explain in detail why you chose to study at a specific school and be able to give information about that school and where you will live (dormitory, host family or apartment).
Young people around the world are often unsure of their plans. However, in the visa interview it is best to give definite answers. If you seem to be unsure about what you will be doing, the visa officer may believe that you are really going to the United States for reasons other than education.
Financing
You must have adequate, demonstrable financial support to live and study in the United States. Visa applications are generally stronger if the financial support comes from family, employers, or other institutional sponsors located in the home country.
If your parents will pay for your education, be ready to document how your family gets its income. Bring a letter from your parents’ employers stating what they do, how long they have worked at those organizations, and how much they earn.
When visa officers see information that is contradictory or does not make sense, they do not grant visas. If your family can only show enough income to support you in the United States, the officer will become suspicious.
Large sums of money in bank accounts may not be sufficient proof of financial support. When providing information about your bank accounts, ask someone at your bank for a letter that states how long the account has existed, and what the average balance in the account has been. That should convince the visa officer that you and your family have a long and stable history of business at the bank.
“Intent to Return”
The most common reason for a student or exchange visitor application to be denied is that the person applying for the visa has not proven to the Visa Officer that they will return to their country when they complete their studies in the U.S.A. This rule is called Section 214.b.
To determine your “intent to return” home, the visa officer will ask you a series of questions about your connections to your home country and about your study plans. You will have to demonstrate to the officer that your family has the ability to pay for the first year of your proposed stay in the United States and that you have realistic plans to finance the remainder of your education.
If your visa was approved you may only have to wait a few days to receive it.
If all else fails…
If you are denied a visa there may be something you can do to reverse the denial. You may appeal the decision or reapply. In most cases, you will need to provide additional documentation that was not presented with the initial application. In some cases, a visa officer may request additional documents like proof of employment, or ownership of a home or business. You should respond with the information requested. You can find more information about visa denials.
