Business Visa - B1

today i have got B1 visa,today morning i have attented the visa interview and they have asked forsome generol Questions like
why you want to goto us ?
what project do you work?
who is your contact person ?what his role?
how many yr do you have exp..in current company?
what is your postion in this company?
Once i have to enter consulate i have some pear about my old H1b rejected.But they dont ask for any thing reg..this.Plz carefull about your dress.

I wanted to share my experience with future B1 visa aspirants.
To start with reading earlier inputs in this forum has helped me a lot to know what is required to get the visa.
My appointment was scheduled on June 9th 8 AM. I reached the consulate by 7 AM but of no use as the local police didnt even allow me to stand near the gate till 7:45 AM. I went inside and gave the application, CEAC letter and Passport to the first level security guy.
Then went further inside and they gave me a tray to put all my belongings in that for scanning. They will check each and everything.
Then went further inside to pay the fee (revised 9$)
Then the admin personnel checks the appointment letter, CEAC acknowledgement letter with bar code, HERE the learning is that you need get a print from LASER printer and no ordinary printers, mine was on a normal printer and they could not OR the laser gun didn't read the bar cod properly. So better take this letter on a LASER printer. So i went out and got a new document printed on a laser printer, i was worried as they might not allow me to get in again as I already gone thru all security measures. Thankfully the admin lady told me that i am allowed inside again and gave me a reentry letter. So i went out and searched for a nearly internet center. Thanks that I found one quickly as you know the business hours for most centers are from 9 AM.
Came back to consulate by 8:45 AM. They allowed me inside and again all security steps from scratch.
Then i finally got the bar code read and then they asked me to get a token number for counter vacancy and wait in the hall. NOW this is the last minute before you see a Visa officer. Here people look worried, scared, tensed, sweating etc., as you know its abvious.
my token number was C23, finally my number was announced and i had to go to Counter no 10
Visa officer greeted me, i replied and then he asked me few questions
1) nature of your work
2) your clients
3) work you do for your clients
4) your annual salary

Read this carefully: He asked me no paper work, no invitation letter, absolutely nothing. Just eh CEAC document, visa interview letter and passport.I was totally surprised here.
That is it, I heard from VO that my visa has been approved and I will receive the passport in 2 days time.
I thanked him and returned out. When i received my visa, i saw that it was Multiple Entry for 10 years. So am so happy.
One thing that i learnt is with confidence and the will to achieve it, you can get it without too much of worry. one more thing I dressed up well, with a tie thought its not a regular need in most offices, yet i told myself that am applying for a B1 visa, and i should look like am goign for serious business, with the kind of confidience and body language what one Executive should have, so just the same i was and i got it. All this wouldnt have been possible without this forum

Thank you
Pavan

This website was very useful and helped me in the preparation of documents and interview.

Interview was scheduled on June 03, 2010 at 9:30 AM at Mumbai Consulate. I am required to attend a training in the US.

At the time of the interview. Entered and greeted the VO.

Me: Good morning Mam (With a smile)
VO: Good morning. How are you doing? (Returned smile)
Me: I am Fine, Thank you. Hope you are doing well too.

VO: Okay. So what is the purpose of your visit?
Me: To attend training on ----------- for knowledge transfer.

VO: What organization are you working for?
Me: ----- Pvt. Ltd.

VO: What is your role at the organization?
Me: Working as -----. Main duties include ------.

VO: What is this training all about?
Me: The training is on -------

VO: Your visa is issued and you will receive it in 2 days.
Me: Thank you Mam. Have a nice day.

I received my passport with the Visa stamped on June 5, 2010.

Tips: Just answer the questions clearly and confidently.

This site was very useful in my Visa interview preparation as i made a mental answer to all the questions people faced. My scenario: My company was sending me to attend a Microsoft Conference in DC.

I live in Chennai so I parked my Car near Hotel Saravana Bhavan (Thousand Lights). The embassy is a 20 minute walk from here. I had a 8AM appointment, i joined the Queue around 7:30, but there are people ahead of you who have 8:30 appointment. When my turn came for frisking by the security, i was told that i can not take my car keys, as they had remote controls. No issues, there is a guy 10mts away who does the safe keeping for a nominal charge of Rs.10 for which he issues a token/receipt with your passport and appointment number.
I was asked to join a queue as the 5th person. I could hear all the questions asked by the visa officer and the responses given by all the four in front of me.

Why are you going to DC?
What do you do?
How long have you been in your company?
Who else is going with you from your company?
Why are you going?
You say that you were refused a student visa earlier? Why?
Why did you travel to Israel?
What did you see in Egypt?
Are you married?
You say that you were refused a student visa earlier? Why? (I was refused a student visa about 14 years ago)
I heard "I am approving your visa, your passport will be couriered within a week" by 9AM.
Some other things I observed:-
So do not panic, if they say you can not take something inside!
Do not lean on the glass which is between you and the VO, I heard the VO say this to almost all the applicant in a polite manner. Hey! but that was the first five in the morning.
Answer confidently and do not contradict yourself. I heard the guy in front of me say that he is a Tester designated as Associate Consultant, but when the VO asked me what he will do in the US, this guy responded saying he will do requirements gathering, etc., - Rejected
Do not give the same answer for questions like What do you do? and Why is that you have to go?

Dear all,
Yesterday i got my B1 visa approved at US Hyderabad,consulate.
It went like this.................
1.Their is no parking at US Consulate,Hyderabad.So need to park vehicles at begumpet airport.Hence if any body coming by vehicle,please plan accordingly.
2.Exactly only 30min before scheduled interview,we are allowed to proceed for visa intwerview.
3.For entering in to consulate building,we need to show our passport and interview appointment letter.
4.Once after we enter building,then we will be given tray,in which we need to keep all our belongings and the visa documents as well.This tray will be passed in a scanner for security check.
5.After this data entry step,where all the mandatory documents like HDFC receipt,CEAC barcode,Interview letter,passport are taken and verified and are kept in order.
NOTE:-For my B1 visa,Photo was not taken , in the mandatory documents list.They said they already have soft copy of it.
6.Once data entry is done,then finger scanning of all 10 hand fingers.
7.Now comes visa interview round.The following questions were asked.
1.Why going to USA
2.Who is present employer.
3.Since how long working in current company
4.Who is client and where he is located
5.Where you will stay in USA
After this came golden words.Your visa approved.You will receive passport in one week.
So my suggestion to others is be confident,speak assertively,greet VO and tell truth.
I just had only 4 months experience in my present company,because of which i was bit not positive enough in getting visa.However as i feared,it did not happen.VO didn't take this as -ve and she granted visa.All the very best to others and thankyou immihelp's discussion forums for sharing our experiences.

Wow !! I really felt USA is so much lucky :)...I am going to put foot on USA LAND ....Indeed This is the mindset what I went ..You can see my below thread.I am going to benefited nothing ...Although Embassy officer said I am approving I Just said Thanks ..No big smile or No Huge expression ..He thanked for that :)

So here are my tips

1) When I Walkin my heart beat increased
At the entrance door I asked few people about their result
Many told Accepted Few told rejected ...
Conculsion: Dont ask feed-backs..Just keep in mind today is your day No one is going to stop

First You always ready to accept rejections then only acceptance will come :)


2) I enter inside and after all the formailites I sat in the chair infront of embassy officers with all other mad-frighten crowd who afraid to talk to other people ...

I take my team to slow down my heart beat and paying attention to Visa-interviews

Every one is unable to understand what officer is talking ..So they are asking to repeat

Code 2: Dont ask repeatdly ...If you dont listen try to say some thing Positive about you then he only say that is not my question :) Use Little brains


3) just be causual to the office and talk politely and Crispy because if we talk too much already his mind is jamed from long time with lot of people so dont make it more :)

Code 3: He is hard to understand our langauage as we indians speak fastly ...So slow down and convay information clearly...So the TENSION from our side shifts to the other side

All the best ...

I had only 4 common questions...

For any further tips pls feel free to mail me
Sas

Tomorow is my B1 visa , Have rejected VISA for couple of times in Embassy for F1 in 2006......Lets see what happens this time..I believe I shoulndn' be nervous , Nothing wrong from my side...But I dont know Will i get nervous Again Before embassy officer??..One thing is SURE This Time its different case "its a invitation from united states" not Either I requested or I am going to get benefit out of that ......So I want to strong this time lets hope the best ...Wish me best of luck

Hi All,

Just today I got my visa approved , Here is my experience . My time was scheduled at 11 am , i managed to reach just on time due to heavy traffic (mumbai)advisable reach early to avoid make your self tensed .

In my queue before me all 3 guys got rejected that increased the flow my sweat to some more mm/sec

Question asked me :

Q:My current Role in My company
Ans : pak pak (give short answer to the point) make sure don't use techi jargons , use domain specific terminologies

Q: What my client into :
Ans : Don't stretch too much

Q: Why I am going and why they selected (This was tricky )

ans : told the reason (as she was doing some work in her computer ) don't stop untill she ask somtehing else if both you and VO are on mute that gonna be bad ..

She cut me off and said huh !! that's quite heavy and gave a smile and said what I was waiting to hear "Your visa APPROVED you will rcv in 2 days"

Me: Thanks a lot , have a great day

Tips :
-Maintain good body language (don't keep nodding every time )
-over smile doesn't work , be polite and speak slow
-The cabin made to terrify you , but you won't as you already reading this ...lols


ALL THE BEST FOLKS

My B1 (BEP)interview was scheduled on 23 Apr 2010. I was a little apprehensive as I got some cut marks in two of my fingers but I was quite relieved when the lady at the pre-screening counter approved my fingerprinting without a fuss. The two candidates before me were given the dreaded blue slips. The interview for me was a simple question - How long have you been with your organization?. That's all and my visa was approved.

Reading other's experiences and doing your homework (reading from Forums on the process involved with visa application) helps you to have a déjà vu of the whole process. It was indeed a great experience. Thanks Immihelp.com

Well,12th 2010 April was my interview date.Appointment time was 11:45 AM
Reached on time.
After finshing security check,finger prints waited for my turn.

Me: Good Morning ,Sir .
VO: Good Morning.
VO: How are you?
Me: I am fine,how are you?
Vo I am fine,thank you.
After scanning my documents.


VO: What is purpose of your visit to US?
Me: Knowledge Sharing (Explained it in details).

VO: What is your current experience in current Company?
Me: I think it is Close to 3 years now,2 Years 11 Months to be exact.

VO: What is your per annum salary?
Me: Gross is approximately *.* lacs/annum

VO: You would get your Visa in 8 days.
Me: Thank you,Sir.

So be confident and give your best shot.Don't panic if they try to fustrate you.Americans appriciate formal wear,so it is recommnded (for Men) to wear tie etc.