Business Visa - B1

Hello Friends...
First of all i am thankful to Immihelp.com for providing such a great help...

My Interview date was on 17th of December 2012 and Finger Print was on 16th of December at New Delhi.
My interview time was 8:30 AM and i was there on time...

Questions asked by VO

First i greeted him Good Morning...

Me: Good Morning Sir
VO: Good Morning and give me your passport and DS160
Me: Handed over my passport and DS160
VO: Where are you going in US
Me: Replied in one word
VO: Why you are going in US
Me: Replied in one line (Straight Forward)
VO: Congratulation your VISA is approved. you will receive an email or sms about collection of your passport.

I was so happy

Thanks once again to Immihelp.com and people who shared there experiences...

I would like to suggest some TIPs
1. Don't mention longer stay
2. Make your answer short and descriptive
3. Don't get nervous
4. Be confident
5. Be Original

Hope these tips will help people...

First of all, thanking everyone on IMMI for sharing their experiences on the Visa Interview.

I had OFC / Visa Interview in Chennai on 27/28 Dec 2012

OFC : Scheduled at 16:00 hours.

I reached around 3:15 pm at the venue, and it took hardly 20 mins to complete the process, as there were very few applicants.

Documents to Carry:

Passport
Appointment Letter from the Consulate
DS-160

They just took the finger print scan and photo and it was over.

US Visa Interview: 28 Dec 2012 @ 8:30 AM

Reached the venue by 7:45 AM and the entire process got over within 1.5 hours.

I was worried as it was the second time I was applying for B1/B2 Visa. I had a rejection last year as I was unable to convince the consular for the stay of 4 weeks of my training. I was also not clear on my agenda then and did not have an appropriate training plan

This time, I was well prepared, again thanks to IMMI and the people who shared their experiences.

The interview lasted for merely 45 secs may be:

Me: Good Morning Maam
VO: Good Morning, May I have ur Passport and DS-160 with Appointment letter
I gave it to her
VO: Where are you going?
Me: San Jose
VO: How Long?
Me: 2 weeks
VO: What purpose?
Me: Training
VO: What will you learning in the training?
Me: Told about the training plan
VO: What is your work exp in the current company?
Me: 2 years
VO: What is your current Role?
Me: Explained what I do ( I think she was cross verifying in the computer on what I had mentioned in the DS-160)
VO: Ur Visa is approved

She did say something that it will be delivered to you, but did not give me any instructions form.

Checked with the Support team there, on which they said it will be delivered as mentioned in your appointment letter.

Now I have to track my passport as my travel is in the next 2 weeks.

All the best to everyone applying in the future.

Arun

Had my OFC at Hyd and consular interview at Delhi today.

Here it goes

VO : Hi
me : Hi, Good Morning
VO: purpose of visit?
me : said the purpose - meeting to discuss about product ZZZ
VO : searches something in his comp
VO: duration?
me : 1 month
VO : explain about ZZZ
me : explained in 2 lines
VO : Do you have meeting agenda for your trip
me : was about to show


Here comes the golden word - Your Visa approved

Hi All,

I went for the b1 interview today in Mumbai Consulate. Reached at about 6.30. There were a lot of people waiting there. I was placed ahead in the line and hence my interview was scheduled early. The VO was a young American lady

Me: Good morning Ma'am, How r u.
VO: GM.
VO: Where do u work ?
Me: I work for [Company]
VO: Why do u want to go to the US
Me: training [and gave her the summary of the project and the purpose of training]
VO: how long is the training ?
Me: 15 days.
VO: [the golden words]

Thanks ImmiHelp.

Hi,

My B1 visa was refused in Delhi consulate in july and again I am reapplying for the same.I am sharing my past visa experience with you and request you some tips if VO asks why u r visa refused last time? and you changed length of stay to 4 weeks coz you feel 8 weeks too length?.My visa interview was on 9:45 AM

Me : Good Morning Madam
VO : Your passport please..
Me : handovered my passport
VO : Purpose of your trip?
Me : Requirements gathering.We have recently aquired a new client YYYY and I am going there to study their business requirement and to collect requirements and to attend technical discussions with their IT team.
VO : which place r u going
Me : Dayton, Ohio
VO : did u traveled any other country?
Me : No
VO : whom do you work for?
Me : ZZZ
VO : are u married?
Me : yes
VO : how many childerns
Me : One kid XX years old.
VO : Your Client Name?
Me : ZZZ
VO : Client website address
Me : www.xxxxxxx.com
VO : How long you are working in this company
Me : 7 years
VO : length of stay
Me : 8 weeks
VO : I dont think 8 weeks is necessary for business meetings..
Me : Initially it was planned for 4 weeks later it was extended by 4 more weeks ..Our Client is doing CSO lending business and they have acquired two new CSO's and have to atend business meetings with them..
VO : Can see your travel agenda..
Me : Sorry i donot have ..once my Visa is confirmed my comapny is going to book the tickets..
VO :..takes few minutes..and said longer duration of visa will not be issued under B1 apply for H1.

so this time I feel they definitely going to ask why u r visa was rejected last time and length of stay can u please help me to get visa this time any help would be highly appreciated.

with regards,
Babu

Feeling disappointed, that Unfortunately my Visa request has been denied (rejected with 214 (b) by selecting third option).
Consulate asked the following question in the same sequence order:

First i greeted him as "Good Morning Sir".
1) Who is ur employer ? " YYYY XX"
2) Ur designation ? "Programmer Analyst"
3) Where r u going ? "Told city & state"
4) last CTC ? "X.XX lpa"
5) job duties in india? " YYYY YYYY YYYY ZZZ"
6) how long you stay ? "4 weeks"
7) R u married ? "YES"
8) Do you have kids ? "YES, one kid"
9) how old ? "She is 3 yrs old"
10) Why r u going ? "It is a business meeting trip. YYYY YYYY ........."
11) As a Programmer Analyst, Can't you do this transition from India ? "I can do, as there is a timezone difference most of the technical phase on transition ensures to have on-time deliverables. We tried this from offshore in the first phase of the development, but impacted badly in the project and identified it as high priority risk. To over come this risk, my PM decided to execute this transition at the client end in this 2nd phase. PM expected me to achieve this transition smoothly and effectively."

Immediately given rejection form 214 (b) saying "I am sorry, i can't process your visa request now".

I thought of that they are expecting the Client's invitation letter.

Hi,

First i would like to thanks immihelp for providing valuable information. I had learned lot from the posts.

On 16th Nov 2012 OFC

On 19th Nov 2012 Us Consulate.

Vo Hi Good morning How are you today?
Me Good thanks for asking. How do you do?
Vo Fine. So wat is ur purpose of visit to US?
Me Technical discussion & Training
Vo How long you will be in US
Me 3 weeks
Vo Can i see ur invitation letter
Me Given
Vo Oh is this ur client
Me yes
Vo Wat are they into
Me xxxxx yyyyy zzzz
Vo which company u work for
Me xxxx
Vo Wat is ur role
Me yyyy
Vo Can you please Breif me about ur client?
Me xx yy zz



Then he told you are good to go to US, But we need some Administration Process and issued me a pink slip 221g and directed me to window 32 were a indian lady asked me about my family details and gave me an Status tracing number 2012321 xxx x. And i was confused that i was selected or not then i confirmed with her and she told it will take 3 weeks to issue a visa. I left for the day.


My visa was issued on 4th dec 2012

and i got the passport in hand on 7th of dec. exactly 3 weeks.

Learning. Please make call atleast one in a day with call center for chennai 00912267209400 and Dial 1211 extn. Dont just keep checking online as it is not updated peroidically.

Thanks.

Hi all,
Thanks for your valuable posts,i got confidence by reading reviews here and now i'm sharing my experience to help other users.

on 03rd Nov i done with my OFC(for biometrics it require only passport,appointment conformation letter with two barcodes in last page and DS-160 conformation page)

on 04th Nov i attended interview in 7.45 slot,i joined the long line at 6.45 in the morning.....after many security checks(friskings..)entered inside at 7.15.

They verify fingerprints once again and ask you to wait for ur turn.
My turn came at 8.00 and the ?????? are

Why r u going?
How long?
Why u?
Wht u'll do thr?
Wht u'll do aft come back?
work Experience?


........at the end the lady officer told me pick up your PP from choosen location!!!!!!!!Thats all(today i got my stamped PP:))
Really good experience,i went thr with all supporting documents and what i feel is it gives us gr8 confidense if we are attending with genuine reason,many times the VOs have good experience in identifying it.......!!
So,please be genuine and definitely u can.......

Hello All,

My overall expeirence with VFS and the US Embassy is good: After my biometrics on 28/11/2012, I went to Us Embassy to have my interview for B1.

Here are Questions comes while interview:-

Where are you going to?
How long you will stay there?
What you will do there?
Experience with current Company
Why 4 weeks of Traininig in different Way VO aSKED :(
Then Suddenly VO comes in to Personal Question about family
Who else in your family
What your Father and Mother do ?
What's your brother do?
Are you married?
Then VO comes with the Golden Words:-

That Wish you Good luck for your Journey and you will get the confirmation once your passport is ready to pick.


I emailed to "[email protected]" in the night time today and got the bounce back with the message stating that "The current status of your passport is Picked Up" Not Sure What Does that Means?

Please Help if any one has any idea.

Thanks!
Gurpal Maggo

Hi Everybody,

 First of all thanks for sharing the experiences and givings us those small lessons which you learned in your experiences. Thanks immihelp for such a helpful portal. I had my visa interview on 27th November 2012. The biometrics on 27th
November. Let me share with you my experience.

Day 1(26-November-2012)
Location : US Consulate, Trade Center Mumbai.

I was staying at Kamran Residency, again this hotel information i got form immihelp portal. This hotel is strictly for those who wants a shelter in mumbai near by US consulate that too at affordable price. I will not go into details of Hotel for now.
My biometrics was scheduled at 9:00. So i woked up at around 7:00, reached the consulate at 8:00. There was a small line already formed, i just asked the security person and he asked me to join the line for 9:00 o clock batch. Around 8:30 we start moving inside and at 9:10 i was inside the center, first normal security check was done and then some officials cross checked our DS-160 confirmation page. They usually reconcile the data with that of passport. Several members ahead of me were asked to correct their DS-160 confirmation form, i was thinking how foolish those guys were. Anyways, when my turn come i was confident that everything is fine with my form, BUT... my birth place was wrong in DS-160 page. What the *&*%&^.. I was totally surprised, felt foolish, ashamed and bit irritated. They asked me to go to nearby cybercafe make the corrections and take new confirmation print. Also to re-print the new Appointment letter.
My day just started. The officials informed me that there is a 16th block two three blocks away form the tradecenter where i can get a cybercafe. Since i was already irritated as soon i came out of the building one auto puller asked me if i am looking for cyberCafe. Great.. i fetched him and too my surprise he just took me to hardly 200 meters away to a cybercafe. The cybercafe is some kind of Den. Operated inside a building, very untidy. I give the auto walaah 10 rs.
The cyber cafe owner without asking anything told me he will charge 150 rs for using the internet, Can you imagine...?. Well it was need of the hour so i agreed, suddenly more 10-15 people with same frustrations came there.. Anyways after changing the form and taking two printout, the guy asked 170 rs.. i asked him that he said 150rs initially, but he said 150 only for internet usage, 10rs for each printout. ..

I came back to tradecenter, given my new confirmation page done with my biometrics. They put a large stamp on my appointment letter saying, Please take a new printout of this form. I initially thought i just need to take a fresh print out. But soon i realize that since i made corrections in my DS-160 new confirmation no got generated and i need to take new appointment letter printout for this new confirmation number. Great.... My visa was under BEP program so i didnt have any login details to reprint the letter. I called my HR, she said even she dont have any print option. I took new printout of my old appointment letter and went back to trade center. The official told me that i have to login to my profile and take new printout of appointment letter. Till this time, i was confused, frustrated and literally gave up hope that i wont be able to attend the interview.

I called back my HR, again the same answer. But my HR also called Chennai and Mumbai Consulate help line numbers. After around 2-3 hrs, My HR called me back and ask me to take a print out of some mail which the consulate has sent to her.
In the mail it was written that ask your candidate to carry original appointment letter and the new DS-160 confirmation page.

time 4:00 PM. I was very tired because cybecafe is bit far and i had totally given up. Finally i just took the printout of the mail , came back to hotel and slept.

Day 2(27thNovember)
Location : US Consulate C-49 Near Trident hotel.

My interview schedule was at 7:45 am. I woke up around 5:00 reached there at 6:00. Already many people had come there. Around 6:30 the officials came ask us to form a queue. At 7:00 one official came to verify our forms. The officially straightaway remove the stapled appointment letter and ask me to keep it inside since its not required. I was like, totally astonished. Man i spend 4-5 hrs for this bloody appointment letter and it was of just no use. Great.. I was happy and bit confused too. Anyways after that everything was smooth. We had one more round of biometrics and at around 7:55 i was infront of VO. The VO was a lady officer and had just came and i was the first one, She asked me few questions
VO - Why are you going
VO- For how long you will be staying.
VO- Where will you be staying in US.
VO- Whats your current salary.

thats it. i was waiting for the golden words. But.

She just said, you can collect the passport from pickup point. Next please.

I left but i knew that since she didnt handed me the passport that means my visa got approved. Now i am waiting for the passport. Lets c.

Learnings

1) Check your DS-160 form thoroughtly for any mistakes, Just cross check with your passport.
2) Dont assume things and prepare well.
3) Stay calm and cool.

Regards
Sachin