Visa Information
I-20 Information
Consulate Interview
I-94 Information
Consulate Interview
What is a consulate interview?
You will be required to meet with a United States consulate for a visa interview before coming to the United States. The consulate will determine through the interview and the documentation you present whether you are an acceptable candidate for an F-1 visa.
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What will happen at the interview?
Please check with your local United States consular office to find out their procedures for reviewing applications. You may need to make an appointment or you may be able to arrive during business hours and wait in line. Either way, you will most likely meet with a clerk before going in for the consulate interview. The clerk's job is to look over your paperwork and make sure that it is all in order, so it is in your best interest to have a well-organized paperwork file. After you meet with the clerk, it will be time for your interview. You will be placed under oath and then the consulate will review the contents of your entire application. The consulate will then ask you any questions that he or she feels will help them make a decision on your case. The interview itself will be very formal and professional and you should not expect much privacy. Many consulate offices now have bulletproof glass that you will have to speak through and/or microphones that will broadcast your answers to everyone within hearing distance.
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How can I prepare for my interview?
There are several ways that you can prepare for your interview. The first way is to have all of your documentation properly filled out and organized. You will not have much time to prove yourself in the interview, so you must be able to produce required documents quickly and efficiently. You can also prepare by role-playing with yourself. Pretend that you are the consulate and keep in mind that there will be a bias against you from the start. Be sure to carefully review your paperwork and then think of any reasons that he or she may have to conclude that you may not return to your home country after you have completed your studies and be sure to have convincing answers before you go to your interview. You should also have a friend look over your paperwork and ask him or her if they are truly convinced that you will be able to pay your expenses while in the United States and that you are going to return to your country after your visit. If he or she is not convinced, the consulate probably won't be either.
It would also be a good idea to practice your English-speaking skills so that the interview goes as smoothly as possible in that aspect. This way, the consulate will have no reason to hold up your application on the grounds that your English speaking skills are not good enough for you to study in the United States. The exception to this would be if you were going to the United States solely for the purpose of attending an English language program.
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What kinds of questions will the consulate ask me?
Although we can tell you what a consulate is most likely to ask, there is no way to know exactly what he or she will ask you. You may get different questions than these and you'll probably get far fewer questions. In most cases, the consulate interview does not last more than a few minutes. It is important to listen carefully to the question that is asked and answer accordingly. Do not go in to your interview with a memorized speech, listen to the questions and be honest about all of your answers.
The first thing that the consulate officer will probably do is review your documents and then ask you questions that are identical to the ones on your paperwork. It is very important for you to have reviewed your paperwork so that you are able to answer these questions with ease. If you can't remember something, it is much better to tell the officer that you can't remember rather than trying to guess. A large portion of your interview will be questions about your intent to return to your home country after you have completed your studies. The officer will want to know if you have a job that you will return to, if you own a home, where your family lives, and whether you have family in the United States. If you have close family who are United States citizens, the consulate may assume that you intend to have them apply for a green card for you once you arrive in the United States. You will need to provide a good reason as to why you will not take advantage of that possibility. Your answers to all of these questions should be focused on convincing the consulate that you intend to return home after your visit to the United States since that is a major basis upon which your visa will be approved or denied. In addition to these questions, there is a possibility that you will be asked to read from a book or newspaper in order to prove your English language skills. Even if you have passed the TOEFL, the officer may want to verify that you actually took the test and passed it yourself.
The most important thing to remember about the interview is that you must convince the consulate that your only intention is to go to the United States to study or visit, depending on which visa you are applying for, and that you have good reason to return to your home country when you are finished. If you feel that these reasons are not getting across to the consulate, make sure to speak up and explain anything that you feel has been overlooked. Give the consulate specific examples of the things that bind you to your home country. If necessary, ask the consulate what further documentation would convince him or her of your intent to leave the United States after your visit, then ask to be allowed to return with that documentation if you do not have it with you. As we stated, you may be asked other questions, but always make sure to answer honestly and be prepared to present any documentation the consulate may require to make a decision on your case.
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What do I wear for the interview?
The consulate officer is going to base his or her decision on whether he or she believes that you are telling the truth. You will appear more sincere to the officer if you are dressed professionally and conservatively. We have heard that the best way to describe how you should dress is that you should dress as it you were going to visit your grandmother. Avoid T-shirts or jewelry with slogans or symbols so that the officer does not take offense to anything that you are wearing and question your lifestyle or morals. You should be neat and clean, so be sure to plan your outfit in advance so that you have time to wash and iron your clothes by the time you go to your interview.
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What do I need to take with me?
The consulate will need to review the following documents:
- Properly completed I-20 from the DSO of the American university you plan to attend
- Evidence of financial ability to meet expenses
- Evidence of English ability sufficient for your course of study
- Passport valid for at least six months
- Form DS-156 "Non-immigrant Visa Application"
- Form DS-157, if applicable
- Form DS-158 "Contact Information and Work History for Non-immigrant Visa Applicant"
- Photograph - Please contact the United States Embassy in your country of residence for visa photograph requirements
- Machine Readable Visa surcharge fee (approximately $130 but please check the U.S. Department of State website for current fee changes).
- Visa reciprocity fee, if applicable
- Visa forms can be downloaded from the U.S. Department of State website.
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What paperwork will the consulate ask me for?
The consulate will need all of the paperwork that is required for the visa application process. You will also want to make sure that you have all of your financial records available, including your bank statements showing that you have adequate funds to cover your expenses in the United States. If you will not be paying your own expenses, you will need to provide a signed and notarized Letter of Support and the bank statements of your sponsor showing adequate funds. You will also want to provide any documentation that shows your intention to return to your home country after your visit to the United States. This documentation can include your return plane ticket that has already been purchased or a letter from an employer stating that you need to return by a certain date. You must also show the consulate that you have a reason to return home after your trip. For example, if you have recently bought a house or have an apartment in your home country, you should provide the title or lease agreement to show that you have a stable place to live. You may also want to take copies of recent pay stubs if you have a job, copies of your birth or marriage certificates showing your ties to family that live in your home country, and even letters from family members who can confirm that you live there and are expected to come home after you complete your studies.
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What fees will I have to pay?
Before your visa application can be processed, you will have to pay the $130 Machine Readable Visa surcharge fee. Please see the Department of State website for fee updates.
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What are the wait times for getting a visa approved or denied?
Your visa may be approved or denied on the spot or it may take days or weeks for the consulate to make a decision. However, an officer is most likely to make a decision on the spot unless he or she allows you to leave and return with a specific document that would decide your case (it is very rare that a consulate would allow this).
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Do I need to make an appointment?
Some consular offices do require you to make an appointment. You will need to contact your local United States embassy's consular office to check their procedures for the interview process.
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How long will the consulate interview take?
In most cases, your consulate interview will only take a few minutes.
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What do I do if my visa is denied?
If your visa is denied, the decision is final. There is no appeal process to go through in order to challenge the decision. If you are denied, you should ask the consulate the exact reason why you were denied. The consulate is not required to tell you his or her reason for denying you, but it is recommended that you ask anyway, just in case. If the consulate does give you a reason and you are able to correct the problem, you can start the process over again with a new visa application. For example, you may be able to provide a new piece of financial documentation that would prove that you could afford your expenses in the United States. However, if your denial had to do with fraud or inadmissibility due to security or health reasons, you would not be able to get a visa no matter what other documentation you provided. If the consulate denies you based on a certain law or regulation, ask for the section number of the law under which you were denied because an immigration lawyer may be able to help you with this kind of denial.
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Can I be denied entry into the United States even if the consulate approves my visa?
When you arrive in the United States, you will go through a "second interview" with a border patrol officer. There is always a risk that this officer will think that you lied to get your visa or that it is not a real visa. If he or she believes that, you could be put on a plane back to your home country. Therefore, it is very important that you keep all of your paperwork close at hand to show the border patrol officer that you are a legitimate visitor. This includes your passport, your visa stamp, your I-20, and your evidence of financial support. Make sure that you dress conservatively for your arrival in the United States and do not do anything that would be considered inappropriate and cause the officer to doubt you. You should always look the officer in the eye; looking away or at the floor could indicate to the officer that you are untrustworthy and are hiding something. This may not be acceptable in your own culture, but it is a very important part of American culture. Be sure to keep your answers short and speak in a loud, clear voice to make yourself appear confident and honest. As long as you have prepared your paperwork carefully and you understand the entry requirements, you should have no problems crossing the United States border.
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