Business Visa - B1

First of all thanks to immihelp for sample questions and other experiences which helped me prepare my answers for those standard questions

Had interview on June 20th at Chennai

was in full formal dress with Tie & company ID, was very nervous & tensed and was practicing my answers in ma mind.

VO:Good Morning (with big smile)
ME: Good Morning Sir

VO: How are you doing?
ME: Doing good, thank You, How abt u sir.

VO:Passport Please
ME: I handed over

VO: looking at my company ID, oh you from YYYY X company?
ME: Yes Sir, i work for YYYY company

VO:Why are you going to US?
ME: to attend business meeting and requirement gathering

VO:What do you work as?
ME: as Business Consultant

VO: How long you gonna stay there?
ME: 3 weeks

VO: You got to go, your visa is approved (with big smile)
ME: Thanks and i just ran away :) :P

Tips: they may ask any questions regarding ur intension of visit, ur profile there, salary, expenses etc.. so better to practice ur own answers to sample questions and present urself confidently with smile & dress up well and do show nervousness though u have it.

Hi Everyone... I had gone through this site(which gave me confidence) before my visa interview on 10th of June 2013 at Hyderabad consulate. I had completed my OFC on 7th Of June 2013.

I was very nervous on a day before interview but on the day of interview I was quite confident and didnt had any doubts in mind.

My appointment was scheduled at 9.30 and I reached Visa office at 8.30 ( Do not do this mistake... Reach 15 minutes early.)

I was in front of VO at around 10.15. She was a lady.

A guy ahead of me got his visa approved. Now it was my turn....

Following are the excerpts from interview.

ME : Good Morning.
VO : Good Morning. Can I have your passport ?
I gave my passport.

VO : Why are you going to US ?
ME : Requirements Gathering.
VO: For which company do you work ?
Me : I told my company name
VO : Sorry. Which Company ?
Me : I spelled my company name for her.
VO : What your company do ?
ME : We are into s/w development.
VO : Are you going to meet client ?
ME : Yes
VO : Who is your client ?
ME : I told client name.
VO : What sort of company is this ?
ME : I told its NL based company.
VO : Since how long you work in your company ?
ME : 6 months.
VO : What is your salary ?
ME : x lacs
VO : What was previous company name ?
ME : I told my previous company name.
 VO : Can you put your hand fingers on the machine ?
Me : Shall I keep left or right ?
VO : Left

After this she took my passport and told, your visa is cleared... but than something she looked into her screen,, she asked me to wait and than she returned my passport and said your visa cannot be approved... I do not know what made her mind to change...

So My company wants me to reapply again... I have to book slots...

What you guys think, will reapplying will make any difference ?

Also I am more concerned that, suppose if it does not get approved than how it will affect my future chances of travelling to US... I am bit scared for this,,

 <a href=http://keepvid.en.softonic.com/ >keepvid</a>

Hi Guys, Thanks to all of you who have shared your experienced with immihelp. It was really very helpfull.

However there was still a very important point which was missing in all the procedures which are mentioned below...which is "physicall wellness of your passport".

Yes, check your passport twice before goin for visa interview...I will share my experience below.

I went for interview on 24th May'13 with a broad smile and was very cool / confident about cracking the so called "interviwew". My interview time was 10:30 but due to heavy traffic on visa queues, I was infront of councellor @ 11:45. Neverthless I have heard it's always crowded in Mumbai visa office.

Anyways...as all the procedures mentioned below, it went the same way. I was given token # and waited fr my turn. Finally the time came, I was infront of visa officer, luckily it was beautifull lady ;) . She gave me a broad smile and there I was...all flying. She asked me some of the regular quetions which took around 2 mins. But....

The climax was different, I was through and cleared the interview bt the beautfull lady told me "I can't give visa stamped on your this passport, you hve to give me new one and I will stamp on it" Yes, this was bcoz the last page of my passport slighhlty tampered and the lamination was off by say size of fingernail.

I asked her, do I have to come fr interview again?? She told NO not needed, once you get the new passport...bring it with us along with old passport and yellow page (which was mentioned about the details.."I need to get new passport n all"). I was like Thank God!! But was lack of feeling, do I have to get Happy or Sad...was numb.

Anyways I am getting my new passport done, which I will get in next 2 days frm today and will visit visa office. Will keep you posted....

So guys, keep in mind.... "check you passport very carefully before going for interview"

Dear all,first of all thanks to all the members who have posted here which really helped me a lot to better prepare and succeed,special thanks to immhelp and the team behind.
Here is my Interview experience at Chennai.

My OFC was fixed for 5th June 2103 at 11AM,and this job got done just in 30 minutes in all after entering the gate.
For OFC,no need to take all the documents..Just keep your passport,Appointment confirmation letter and DS 160 confirmation.

Interview fixed for 6th June 2013 and time chosen was 10AM.
I arrived around gate area at 9:30(Please note that no need to reach early ,simply waiting outside and get exuasted)
Allowed me to the gate at around 9:45,after security check they let me inside the in another few minutes.
Please don't carry your valuable gadgets like Mobile phones,ipad etc..with you as there will be no safe place to keep this,you will have to leave it outside and take a chance.

At the first hall,they will check your passport and appointment and take your Finger print once again here(I think this is just to cross check with the one that took at OFC other day)
Also they will issue a token too here,this token number is the one meant for your Visa Interview counter.
Then I was forwarded to a nearby building where the actual interview takes place.
Got in and waited in security check again(so fast here) and asked to occupy seats and watch token number.
We can sit somewhere and also can watch people undergoing interview(Don't look too much if your pulse is bulding up).
I just sat back and relaxed watching the TV screen for my turn.
Now it is my trun came up...
First greeted the VO with a smile and Good Morning.
VO replied and asked for my passport and same handed over instantly..then..
VO:why you go to US?
Me:To attend the YYYY XX conference and vendor fair.
VO:When you will travel?
Me:Said my intended departure date.
VO:How you know about this conference?
Me:Replied in short
VO:what is your annual income?
Me:x lakhs
VO:How long you stay in US?
Me:X weeks
VO:Do you have a company letter?
Me:I was just showing the letter and he made a flash look and said the golden words..
Your visa is approved,have a nice stay in US.
He did not ask for any other documents(I have kept many docs with me,my company trade license,Bill of lading,
Partnership deed,PAN card,Bank statement,Travel itinerary,Land documents,my family photo,kids birth certificates and their
passports...etc)
But please note that better we keep all docs which would we find good to support our statements that we declared in DS 160.
In my experience,what matters more is how we present,be honest in filling DS 160,declare true facts.
Good Luck!

My visa interview was on 4th June 2013. After finishing all the formalities like security check, biometrics, I waited for my turn in the waiting lounge in the US consulate office. When my token number was displayed, I went to the counter and he asked me below questions:
1. Which company do you work for?
2.Where are you going in US?
3. How long will you be there?
4. What is the purpose of your visit?
5. Do you have the inviatation letter?
6. What is your salary?
I answered all these questions confidently without thinking what to say. My answer was to the point and I was granted visa. One needs to be confident and crisp to face the questions. DO NOT give lengthy answers unless required, nor argue with the Visa officer. Luck factor also matters!!

All the very best!

Hi,

My Appointment is on 05th June 2013 at 12:30 AM . I reached the Hyderabad location by 12:10 AM. I am very confident and already gone through all these sites.

1. what company you work for? XYZ
2.what is he purpose f visit? To attend business meetings and requirement gathering.
3. who is your client?
4. Can i have your Business meeting agenda? Yes of course and submitted the agenda of meeting schedule.
4. what is your company primary business?
5 . What is your highest Qualification?

That's all. I got positive response saying. Your Visa got approved.

Thanks,
Joseph Reddy

I got B1 visa which is valid for 6 months.I stayed in US for 85 days on B1. I came to india last month. My visa is going to expire next month. I want to travel to US in Aug for some business meeting. Can I go for the B1 Visa interview again. Is there any minimum time gap is required to go for B1 Interview once we return from US.

The first day at 11.30 my OFC was done.
The next day Visa Interview was at 9.30 am

I reached consulate by 9 am. Waited on a lengthy queue for 9.30. Then a consulate staff came and checked appointment confirmation letter and passport. The asked me to move on the next Queue which is near to the consulate entrance.

In the entrance itself they will check your appointment confirmation and check you.

After entering thru the Metal door, there were security guys again checking our file bundle and us.

Note : Please do not take mobile or proximity cards or pendrives or cds/dvds / bags. If you carry them they will ask you to leave it outside. There is a local person near to outside consulate wall who keeps our personal stuffs if some one bring these things.

After security checkups, i was asked to move on to the next building where the interviews are taking place.

 
There were small queues inside the building to be called inside.
After getting inside there are chairs to wait for your Interview Queue allocation.

I have waited around half an hour to get in a Interview counter.

There was a lady officer in the counter.

She was asking several documents to the guys in front of me, Some of them were explaining with a lot of details.
I was worried, what will happen to me.

At last the time has come.

I have reached near the counter.

Me : Good Morning
VO : Good Morning

VO: Passport {Note : Only provide the documents which they have asked}
Me: Here is my passport. (I gave the passport thru the small window in front of me.)

WHile typing in the computer continuing questions
VO: Who is your client.
Me: XYZ Company

VO : How long you are planning to stay over US
Me: 2 Weeks

VO: Whats you going to do over there?
Me: Business Meetings, Requirement Gathering and Co-ordination of future Development activities. I told her what are the dates in which meetings are going on.

VO: Your Company
Me. ABC

VO: Your Salary
Me: ......Lakhs/Annum

VO:Are you taking your wife with you?
Me: No

VO: Children?
Me: (Simply smiled and said) I am just married before 4 months.

VO: OK. Your Visa has been granted. Yo will get the passport in 1 week.
Me: THank you.

THere was a counter for collecting courier charge for senting the passport (Rs 300)

This was my experience...............

After biometrics/OFC is done,I had my B1 visa interview on 23/5/13 at hyderabad.
After all the checking process is completed,I waited in the waiting hall and my turn came after 20 minutes.
The interview went like this.

Me:Good morning ma'm.
VO:Good morning.

VO:why r u going?
Me:Techinal training and to attend business meetings
VO:who is the client?
Me:I am going to my company Head quarters.
VO:hw many yrs in current cmpny?
Me:1 yr
VO: What is your salary
Me:xyz lakhs/annum.
VO:what is ur previous cmpny?
me:Xyz cmpny
VO:where are u going?
me:xyz in usa
VO:who are your customers?
me:xyz
VO:what d you do?
me:Told what i work on
VO:what does your company do?
me:Told what my company does.

Then she told my VISA is approved.
Just be loud and clear when you speak.This site is very useful.Read some threads before going to interview.

Biometrics/OFC is simple, Picture and Finger prints were taken.

My Visa Interview was at 8:00AM.
Generally people prefer Morning slots.

I havent carried anything except the VISA req docs. Electronics devices are restricted into the interview premises.
After the Security check, I was kept waited for some 20 mins in a Hall having Display tells the Token(Which was taken at counter at start) Number that was currently running. Once your token number displayed go to the assigned counter.

I have 3 folks before me in my line.
All the three have got the Visa.

Now I was little tensed.
I have already gone through the forum and kept my calm and cool... (Just Chilll kind of.....)

VO:Which Company you working. RE: XYZ...
VO:Who is your client. RE:XYZ..
VO:How long is your stay RE: 3Weeks
VO: Purpose of you visit RE: Business Planning Meetings, Technical Discussions and Set Goals of My Project.
VO: Current CTC RE:xxxx
All the time he is asking questions and checking through the computer..
VO:You got Visa.. RE: Thank You.

Dont give lengthy answers, One word answer in a suitable sentence is fine.
Be Cool and maintain eye contact.

Thanks folks for sharing your Exp. It was really helpful.

BTW, My interview was done a week ago in Hyderabad.