Business Visa - B1

Interview Date: 2-May-2011
Time: 7:30AM

Myself and my colleague reached Chennai on 1-May-2011, 21:00hrs and booked the prepaid taxi for `320/- to the 'The Park' Anna Salai, near to Embassy (500m away).

We checked in and looked at the menu card and were surprised to see the charges!
Laundry `250/- for a shirt, Tender coconut `185/- which will cost `14/- in Bangalore, internet `450/hr, and goes on and you can guess the other charges.
As the food, snacks were too costly in the hotel, we came out for dinner at 22:00 and there is a good restaurant in front of the hotel where we had nice non-veg dinner and it costed us only `651/-, and after that we reached room and slept.

Reached embassy at 7:15AM, there was a long queue mixed with guys of different interview time. Checked with the security guard and he made us to stand INSIDE the queue where all 7:30 schedule guys were standing and in front of the other timing guys. So, don’t just stand at the end of the queue!

NOTE: Don’t take any electronic/metal items; just carry your documents in a file/plastic cover.

Firstly, your confirmation letter with the barcode will be checked and a token number will be issued. Then you will be allowed inside the door where your files, purse will be checked for the security purpose, then you will be asked to seat in the corridor where they will verify the documents and take your finger prints. You need to wait for your turn which will be displayed in the monitor along with the counter number to visit. These guys are localities and don’t expect any smiling face from them!

They will take your documents (HDFC slip, passport, confirmation page and interview schedule page and verify it in the database and write a new number on the document and arrange them properly. If your photo has some shadow and is not as per their requirement, they will ask you to take new photo (photographer is available in the same corridor and charge `100/-). Then your finger prints will be taken and you are asked to visit the next place where the interviews are conducted by US guys.

In the interview room again you need to wait for your turn (keep watching the monitor) and be confident, don’t get nerves. They will start the interview around 8:00AM, and there are 24 counters. Once your turn comes go to the counter and produce your documents which was verified and arranged by the previous counter.

My questions:
1. How long are you working in the company?
2. Where are you going?
3. Purpose of your visit?
4. How long are you staying there?
5. Are you going to do any productive work?
Explained clearly, please be honest and don’t create any stories as they are seeing hundreds of people every day and they can smell the fish!

Finally, the lady said you will receive your passport in a week, have a nice trip… I thanked her and left for the room to have breakfast in ‘The Park’. It was awesome breakfast with all kind of items which reminded me the UK breakfast (Bread, beans, scrambled eggs, chicken bacon…yummy)

Finally booked a cab to Airport (Fast track – 044-288-9999) they charge reasonable rates like `100/- for 5kms (minimum) and `12/kms there on.

US embassy London
1. Why are you going to the US - to attend a wedding
2. How long and to which part of US 2 weeks
3. What is your annual salary post tax
4. How long have you been in your present post.
5. Is your wife working
6. Any relative in US - my brother is a US citizen.
7. Have you thought of settling in US - No, I have commitments in India.
8. Any property owned.
Visa approved for me and family.

They asked my Father
1) Why do you want to go US?
2) What do you do?

To my sister they asked
1) Why do you want to go?
2) Why for 2 months what all you will do there?

and to my mon they didn't ask a single question and they approved Visa for all three of them.

Thanks a ton to this site....

VO: What is the purpose of travel?
Me: KT of *** applications and series of meetings with business team to understand the new changes they are proposing

VO: Why you need 4 weeks?
Me : Explained clearly with all the 4 weeks breakup stating meetings, KT, sessions with SME etc etc

VO: Are you doing Documentation?
ME: Yes, document the requirements and KT .

VO: Are you doing any productive work?
Me : No. Will not be involved in any productive work like Coding

VO: Which city?

VO: Your visa is Approved
Me : THanks

Many thanks, really this is useful site for all.

It helped me a lot for getting my B1 Visa....
My interview went something like this

Me: Good morning, How are you doing
VO: Good Morning, I'm fine..
VO: Can i see your Files
Me: Yes, Please
VO: Why are you going…
Me; I replied like this... purpose + where about + duration + Nature of Job, all together in one paragraph.
VO: Silent.. checking something in his monitor..
VO: Your Visa is approved, It will be couriered to you....
Me: Thanks and Bye..

My Visa intw was scheduled at 9.15 a.m. on 5th May, 2011 at chennai US consulate

I was in queue by 8.15 a.m.
After the initial screening of my documents and a security check token no. was issued and was allowed inside at 9 am.

Inside there was a secound round of security check again and documents(originals and photocopies) were screened again and sent to another hall.

There were about 12 counters in that hall and we need to check for our token no. in the big screen. Token number along with the counter no. will be displayed on the screen... accordingly we need to stand in that counter and submit the following documents:

HDFC Receipt
Visa appointment letter
Confirmation page
Passport

Officer will arrange documents in proper order and keep them in a different folder and given them back to you and will tell you the counter no. where you need to go for your finger printing.

After finishing the finger printing, you will be asked to go to the main visa interview hall.

There are about 24 counters in that hall.

Again we need to check for our token no(the same which was issued at the entry) and counter no.

just go the counter which is alloted to your token no.

Now starts the real Visa interview:

I was asked the following questions:

1. Purpose of travel
2. Duration of trip
3. Where are you working
4. who is your client
5. where is client located
6. what is your salary per annum
7. In my case i had two passports (old and new renewed one) i had UK work visa in my old PP

Advice: Please carry all passports(old and new) while going for visa interview

VO glanced thru both passports and asked me how long i was in UK (answered)

I was not asked for any Photocopies or Original documents.

VO: Your visa is approved and will be couriered to you with in a week.

i was on cloud nine :)

i have attended visa today for second time
was confident enough that i shall get it

1. purpose of visit - business meetings and
 also to attend a short term training program
2. company - name , 3. how many years experience in current comp - xyz , 4. salary - xyz , 5. married - single

sorry we could give u the visa this time also
better luck next time
explanation given as young citizen may change from temporary visit to stay there

First of all this awesome site indeed is very helpfull for the US VIsa's.

Yesterday, I appeared my B1 Visa Interview in Chennai. I cleared the Intv. as VO lastly said those magical words. "Yours Visa is approved and you will get it in a weeks time"
I would say though one will become nervous but has to take it easy and not to pretend the nervousness, infact Please be confident, Good dress, have a eyes contact and define the ans. of the VO questions precisely and confidently, once again for 2-5 mins have a complete eyes contact and CONFIDENCE is the key....Aall thge versy best all of you..this site really helped me to get my VISA approved.

Hi,

Can you please provide the process steps thourougly in B1 Visa interview in Chennai

In my observation, my interview appnt was at 8 am in HYD.
I was sent in at 7 :30
checking and finger printing was done
and then was in Q for Token number
i got my token number and was waiting in the hall allocated
then went the number was dispalyed in the digital board
i went to respective counter and then i was asked only few questions
(plz do ask if u dont understand the Question)
ME : Good morng.
VO : Hello gud mrng. ( at a time oth of us wished & smiled)
VO : from how long u r with XYZ?
ME : 10 months
VO : Oh !!! its almost one year.( with smile)
ME : yeah!!!(smiled)
VO : why are you going to USA?
ME :am gng for trainig on XYZ.
VO :ok !!! how long?
ME : for 3 months.
VO : Is in on PQR or XYZ
ME: its on XYZ
VO: do u have schedule for 3 months? ( iasked to repeat the ques for once)
ME: Yes plz ( and gave the document scheduled by my client)
( 3 sec of silence)
went thru the document and
VO: Ok. Congratulations, have a nice trip. u will recieve with in 2 - 3 days.
ME: Thank u
VO: have a wonderful day a head

Note:
plz do ask the co-ordinates if u dont know anything
dont mind to ask the ques once again if u dont understand
plz keep urself cool and calm
stick to u not to anyone else
just take a long breathe before the interview is gng to start.
(it will really help u alot) i promise you it wil definetly help u alot

all the best to future aspirants