F1 Visa Interview | F1 Visa US | FAQ | You must know Part-2 | 2022

The department of Homeland security warns student memorizing answers that many coaches claim to teach. It is the one of leading causes of visa rejections. Here you will read what visa officer looking for from a student and how to formulate answers in unique ways. So here is our goal to provide students to succeed in Visa got approval and study, work and live in the US. In this article, we gather information from different experts or even with immigration lawyers, professors, ex-students and also with admission committee members. After reading this article, you’ll successfully get the information regarding F1 Visa interview. However, if you need any help, please comment below boxes.

Let’s talk about F1 visa interview, in which time duration may be between 2-8 minutes, it depends upon your answers to Visa interviewer. You may get 3-20 questions between those durations of interview.

Here are the following topics which followed by Visa Officers:

• University and study plans
• Finances
• Academic and works
• Post-Graduation Plans
• Some general questions

Visa Interviewer officer mindset that they actually evaluate 2 things from students:

• You’re genuinely a student and not trying to obtain the Visa for fraudulent purposes, such as Immigrant purposes
• Your intentions should be returning to your country after completions of your degree.

Lets revealed each topic differently, so that you can have more clarification about each question:

*About your university and study plans related to your degree:

In this visa interviewer may ask about your college or university. And hey may be ask about your program ,why you choose such program? At this first stage visa officer trying to evaluate you either you’re genuinely student or not? So get success in this question you have to answer confidently about your purpose of study. You have to share the information about your university and program you want to study in that university while applying for the visa.

“I’m applying master of computer science in computer science at the Westcliff university at Irvine, California.”

Or there may be a slight variation of questions which meaning as same as above like visa interview may asked you: Why do you want visa today? In this case, you have to say about same procedure by telling about your university name and program you want to study.

 “I want to earn master of computer science in computer science. I have been expected into the Westcliff University at Irvine, California and would like to attend the program.”

Note: don’t memorize the answers, questions may vary.

Next visa officer may ask you about other universities you applied to and why you declined those universities? It’s a same way to evaluating student either they are genuine student or not. But you don’t have to worry in such questions like you applied in any other universities or how many universities did you apply to? It can be Yes/No questions or number-based question. Just answers it , there is not need to explain of those universities or degree you applied for unless visa officer ask you specific.

“Yes, I applied for 3 universities.”

Only list them if Visa officer ask about it, beside this you have to give only these simple answers. And make sure you have fresh in your mind about those universities while listing. Also, they may ask you about acceptance or rejections from other universities. Answers them genuinely which is truth, don’t panic and simple response about the question.

“Yes sir/mam, I got selection/rejection from 2 universities”

If they again ask which one? answers them correctly.

After such questions, visa officer knows about your university and program, they may jump to another query that why you choose this program/university or why not study in your home country? These questions may ask in many different ways. The questions of these answers will be the most critical, so make sure that you can answer more effectively. You must be able to tell the visa officer your story, if you can not answer properly this question then your visa approval chances decreases significantly. You need to convince the visa officer that this program you want to study is more important for your future plans. Furthermore, you have to find the right balance and don’t sound desperate. From this visa interview confirm about you are genuine student and return to your home country. For handle such question make sure about :

• Communicate your goals.
• How does this program or degree tie into your goals.
• What about the program at this specific university appeals to you.
• Include any insights you have from communication with any professors and how they further your interests and goals.
• How you plan to use the education once you graduate.
• If you have a scholarship, include it.

“ I love software programming so I pursued my bachelors in computer engineering. I learned and enjoyed it lot. A bachelor degree layout a strong foundation overall field. However, it did not cover machine learning in details, but the master of computer science course at Westcliff university will allow me to specialize in this field. So that from fast few months I’m dealing with professors of this university. They share the information about the program, which I really want to learn. Upon graduation, I’ll return to my home country and pursue my dream of working as lead programmer in IT sector at a top banking company in my country”

~ Remember, answer should be in your format, prepare it is in way memorize and practice. Please make sure it sound smoothly not look like robotic or memorized and also take time to assure how to you back to your home country. It will indicate the visa officer you intend to return in your country.

* How you handle your Finances?

After knowing about your university and program, visa officer wants to evaluate about your financial status that how can you pay for your education and living expenses. If you can not express your financial status, then it will also create to losing your visa status. The main reasons behind losing visa are: First, if student doesn’t have to funds finance their education. Second, student that with a robust financial profile is most likely to immigrate US, they are the most visa rejection criteria. In this, questions’ student likely face will be centered around your benefactor and their ability to pay.

Another important thing is that you must have to carry documents with you, and visa officer will rarely ask you to show the documents.  Only student have to focus the attention in answering the questions. Likewise, visa officer can ask you who will be paying for your education, who is sponsoring you? On this, student will have to answer about the person who is listed in documents for financial support where your submitted, as a part of your application. Be specific, if your parents sponsoring you just say my parents or if you have proof education loan then tell about loan. But if you have scholarship you have to mention it first.

“My father will pay for my study” or “I have scholarship about $4000 for per semester/annually”

Based on these questions they will follow to next questions which may be, how will they pay for it? What funds will they use to pay for your studies? Now in this question you have to let visa officer to know about all the assets your sponsors will use to pay for your education. Answer it truthfully, be calm and confident manner. The most important part is your body language, critical here. You don’t want to look nervous and shifty.

If visa interview to want to know about sponsor financial status, they ma be ask student about: What is their income? How long have they worked at their current job? How much money do you have in the bank? Other assets that your sponsor owns?

“My dad current has a current job in banking sector for 15 years and have house in xyz and also have fixed deposit amount of  xxx for time xxx .“

You have to answers these questions as matter of fact. You have to answer the incomes in your local currency and don’t try to convert them in USD. Because visa officer aware about local currency and exchange rates.

You have to mentioned all the assets you have written in your forms earlier. Don’t be bashful here. Stronger your financial situation, better your chances to secure your visa rate. Also, another thing may be, visa officer may ask you : How much your program cost? How will you pay for other expenses like housing, food, shopping, living expenses, entertainment, books? Similar to before, let the visa officer know that you’ll pay it form your assets that you demonstrated in your forms. Warning! You may think about having a campus job, however you don’t have it in interview time, rather than this you should focus on the finances you’ll use for these expenses. Do not mention anything speculative, as it will make the visa officer question your financial strength.

 * Academics and work:

Once the visa officer has determined that you are financially sound, they will move to academic and work topic. Visa officer may ask you about your background study like: what did you study? where did you get your Bachelor’s degree? When did you graduate? What was your GPA, graduation grade?

These questions easy to answers but you should be familiar with your current and past education. But if you working in industry and have a gap year in education then you will face different questions too. They may include:  what is your current job title? What is your current salary? How long have you worked in the industry? How long have you been at your current job? Have you received any promotions?  Why did you take a gap year? Why are you leaving the workforce? Then you have to simply share your answer of question.

“I worked in xyz company as a senior developer. I have work in this industry for x years and I have been my current company for 3 years. Also, my current salary is xxxx(local currency) . And last year I promoted junior to senior developer. (if you have gap year)  I took gap year intentionally as I didn’t want to commit to a path for the wrong reasons. I took the time to research different universities and degrees and weighed the pros and cons. I took the time to invest myself and learn the basics of machine learning, which will allow me to apply myself better toward the degree I want to pursue. After completing my undergraduate studies, I wanted to join the industry and start contributing. Working in the industry has allowed me to build practical experience. It has also provided me insight into how an advanced degree will help accelerate my career. I have been in discussion with leadership team. They have informed me that company plans to invest heavily and grow aggressively in Machine learning. Earning a US-based advanced degree in machine learning will allow me to rejoin the company as the machine learning program lead. ”

• Post Graduation Plans:

When Visa officer satisfy with your academics and work response , he may ask you about your post graduation plan. Remember, the visa officer determines whether you intend to return to your home country after completing your studies. If you don’t demonstrate strong ties to your country, your Visa will likely be denied. The visa officer will ask you about your future plans. The questions can be straightforward. Hopefully, in the questions until now, you’ve naturally peppered your responses and desire to return to your home country. If you have, then you may not get a direct question. They could sound like: Do you plan to return to your home country after graduating? Do you plan to stay in the US after graduating? Do you plan to work in US after graduating ?  Remember that the F1 Student Visa is a non-immigrant visa as you answer the questions. For non-immigrant visa holders, the US Government expects to return to their home country after they fulfill the purpose of their trip. So do not violet to visa rate by saying you have intention to stay in US after study.

• General Questions:

If everything goes well then student will come to last topic general questions, these questions appear in no particular order. They are asked during the interview in context as the visa officers best sees fit. Lets review some questions that belong in this category: How many siblings do you have ? Who all are part of your family? Do you live with your parents? Who all live in your house? Simply keep this answers short.

And finally, do not profess your love for the US lifestyle. Demonstrating excessive attraction towards the US may imply your inclination to stay back in the US, which may work against you and result in a visa denial.