Business Visa - B1

Vo: Hey good morning!

Me : Hi good morning nice to meet you.

Vo: passport please

Me : here it is.

Vo: What is the purpose of your visit/travel?

Me: to attend healthcare industry conferences which is hosting by Xxx&yyyy

Vo: what type of conferences?

Me : xxx and yyyy and explained the nature of conference.
 
Vo: do you have offer letter and your travel itinerary documents?

Me: I’ve shown my us company invite letter and my full documents for the travel with flight tickets.

Vo: Why do you have to attend?
 
Me : On an annual basis, we exhibit at these conferences to solicit ourselves to the attendees in these conferences. I will have direct access to the decision makers who are seeking ways to improve their efficiency on revenue cycle.
 
Vo: What’s your company name?
 
Xxx y company headquartered in xxx. Ga
 
Vo: How long?

Me :8 days.
 
VO: What is your designation?
 
Senior Business Development Executive.
 
Vo: what’s your experience and How long you have been in this company?

Me: I have four plus years of experience in healthcare space and i have been with this company since last November.

Vo: What dose your COMPANY do?
We are a xxxx so and so explained in detail.

Vo: are you married?
I’m engaged me and my fiancé going to get married next year of March 2020

Vo: sorry sir this time I can’t approve your visa because I feel that you don’t have a strong bond and link here in India to travel usa please apply once the circumstances changes and all the best for your next visa interview.

Me : thank you sir have a nice day

Anyone please tell me what was the reason to my rejection? I was 99% confident that I will get the visa bcoz I was delivered my answers in a very sharp and neat manner and I haven’t left his eye sight. . Please guys your help will be very useful for my next visa application

VO: GM, Passport please
Me: GM, gave the passport

VO: you work for XYZ company?
ME: yes

VO: How long you have been there?
Me : xx years

VO: purpose of visit?
Me: explained in 3 lines.

VO: designation?
Me: told the designation

VO: what's your role?
Me : Explained the role

VO: why they are sending you?
ME : Explained the importance of me.

Golden words from Vo : congratulations your visa is approved.

I would like to thank this forum for all inputs.

Key observations:

Need to maintain eye contact even VO is not looking at you
Do not fumble
Be confident and prepared on repeated questions
Purpose of visit is key point in all of them.

Thankyou.

B1/B2 Non-Immigrant Visa – How the process goes

Day 01:

• You need to carry your Passport, DS-160 form and Appointment Confirmation for verification. Make sure your details received in DS-160 exactly matches with your passport details, word-to-word.
• If your received DS-160 has any typo errors with your original certificates detail (or) mismatches with the info present in your passport, you can ask in the correction centres near by the passport authority office by showing the originals for which you need to pay amount (will be less than 1k). After the updates done, make sure the info in DS-160 and passport matches exactly word-to-word. Then a new application number gets generated which needs to be carried further.
• The website used for filling/updating our details is https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/
• Your details will be verified thrice by the people over there and 2 kinds of stickers will be pasted on backside of your passport. DO NOT REMOVE THEM UNTIL THE VISA PROCESS IS TOTALLY OVER.
• You will be asked your purpose of visit and then thumb impressions with photograph will be taken.

Day 02:

• You need to carry all your supportive documents along with passport and DS-160 form because VO can ask any document of his like to know your details are genuine.
• At one of the US representative counter your fingerprints will again be verified again so that they can match with the ones taken on Day-1.
• You will be given a counter number and guided towards it where you will meet the VISA officer for your interview. Be firm & Confident. Never ever tremble giving answers to the VO else you will be troubled with more questions.

Below was the interview session with VO -

VO: Hi Sir, Good Morning!
ME: Very Good Morning Sir. How are you doing?
VO: Am good sir, thanks for asking.

VO: What is your full name?
ME: YYYY YYYY XX.

VO: Okay. What is your Company name and location?
ME: YYYY YYYY XX, Hyderabad.

VO: Have you ever travelled out of your country?
ME: No sir, this is my 1st time.

VO: Your info says your experience is 9yrs, who was your client all through these years?
ME: I have been part of this project since the time I joined the company and it’s the same client since 9yrs.

VO: Can you tell me your client name?
ME: YYYY YYYY XX.

VO: What is the purpose of your visit?
ME: To attend Business Meetings related to my project.

VO: What is your project about?
ME: My project is about YYYY X tool in Educational Domain.
VO: Sir, I can’t process your visa for your answer, attending business meetings in US as your purpose of visit. Can you tell me more?

VO: What is your project? What is your role in the project? Why are you in particular chosen to go? And how long is your stay? What is your designation? (He expected me to answer all these 5 questions at once)
ME: Am part of YYYY X project and we use YYYY X tool, used by many companies which offer YYYY X benefits to their employees. I will get to know how we have impacted our clients over a period of time and our future plans to attain more prosperity on either sides. Because I have been part of this project since 9yrs, with my understanding over a period a time I can provide my inputs during these discussions which could lead to the betterment of the project. My stay is like 3weeks. Am a Senior Software Developer. I always feel so happy working with such an esteemed client all this time and in the upcoming business meetings, I will do my best to attain happiness in relationships on either sides.

After hearing it all he just smiled to me and said –

VO: Your VISA is Approved. Congratulations! In another 5days you will be informed to collect your passport.
ME: Thank you Sir. Wish you a Good Day ahead.
VO: Thank you, you too.

After 3 days got an sms stating your passport is ready to be picked up!!!

Attended B1 interview at Chennai Location on 22nd Aug 2019.

A big Thank you for all the contributors by adding their valuable experiences.

My learnings:
1. VOs not interested to see any documents for B1.
2. In comparison with the struggles outside the consulate, inside is much better. (Maybe only for my day of interview)
3. You can re-submit your DS-160 any number of times till the date of Biometric, provided the new DS-160 confirmation updated in ustraveldocs profile.
4. VOs are genuine, helpful if our case is genuine. I was little nervous initially, but the VO was very patient and co-operative.
5. Read and understand our DS-160 carefully. All queries will be based on DS-160 form only.

The conversation with VO below:

VO: GM, How r U?
Me: Im good, Hope u are doing well, Thank You.
VO: Purpose of Travel.<Looking at the screen>
Me: The purpose is to audit a supplier facility, from where our company want to start business.
VO: What sort of materials do you procure from US? <Looking at me>
Me: Excipients for Pharmaceutical formulations.
VO: Looking at the computer, you don't have any relatives in US and you want to stay for a week.
Me: Yes, i don't have.
VO: Whats your role in your company?
Me: I am handling vendors and supplier of our company. Basically engaged in identification, evaluation and selection of vendors.
VO: Annual Income?
Me: 13L per annum
(Still not looking at me....Keep on typing)
Handed over a slip to me....Smiled at me...Have a great trip to US.

My Background:
10 years of experience, No travel history, average package.

All the very best to one and all waiting for interview.

Except invitation letter I don't think VO interested in other documents.
VO: Passport
Me: Hi, GM and gave passport
VO: Purpose of travel
Me: To attend xxxxx conference hosted by yyyy in zzzx.I was adding more info but VO asked next question.
VO:Role and responsibilities
Me: Explained
VO: who is funding... I didn't hear question properly ... She try to explain 3 times ..
Me: My company . Shown documents.
VO: Salary
Me: 2x lakhs per annum
VO: typing for 2 minutes .. silence, then .. your visa approved
Me: thanks

My observations
1) ask to repeat question if you don't understand. VO try to explain
2) prepare for following questions
2.1) purpose of travel
2.2) Role and responsibilities
2.3) why company sending you? Why not others
2.4)how this trip useful for your project.

The interviewer asked me the below questions:

VO:What is my Purpose of travel ?
me:I said business meeting and training

VO:How long I will be there?
Me: I said 19 days

VO: Have you been outside india before?
Me: I said No

VO:Where you will be in US?
Me: I said Houston.

VO: Which Company I work?
Me: XYZ Company

VO: How much is your Annual CTC in INR?
Me: 4.20 L

Then she said finally, Sorry unfortunately your visa is not approved.
They even didn't asked for any other documents or welcome letter .
They have returned my passport.

Can you suggest me anything as I am planning to attend again after few months. What should I say this time to get my Visa Approved.

Please advise.

Hi ,

I have my US B1 Visa interview scheduled on September 9th at Chennai Consulate. I am working as a senior software developer in a software company, going to US to have a business meeting with our product and legal team. What is the chance that the visa will get approved.

I visited Chennai consulate today for B1, below are the learnings

1) You can carry mobile phone if you dont have an option to leave it, outside the consulate, police personnel collect the phone or any other electronic item and hand over a token number to you. You can show the token once done and get your things back. Pretty Simple.

1)Common Myths.
Wear formals for interview as you need to look like a business person.
I disagree - The VO sees only half of you from where he speaks. Wear whatever makes you comfortable.
Obviously, don't wear something outrageous,

One person, wearing blazer, went in front of me and was rejected.

2) VOs are too strict.
I found them to be quite genuine and helpful, not only with my case, I observed in other counters as well, that they were actually trying to understand the purpose of visit.
One should try avoiding cooked up stories, be confident of your purpose of travel and respond not like
you are at their mercy.
If they get doubt about your purpose of visit, they do ask you to explain.
And if they still feel something is sounding fake or cooked up, they reject

My interview

VO: Gm, How are you doing.
Me: Gm, Am doing good, thank you! How are you today

VO: I am good, may I have your passport
Me: Sure

VO: Why do you want to visit US
Me: Our dept has arranged for a discussion involving business IT and architects for an proposed solution in Dearborn, this meeting will be a collaborative meeting with various vendors and the company's stakeholders.

VO: Types something, not saying anything

VO: After 1 minute of typing, Sir your VISA is approved. Thank you
Me: Thank you

That's it!!

This was my first US VISA attempt, may be I was lucky I got thru easily. But folks, dont get too stressed up about the consulate interview, it's a bit hyped for sure.

You only need to worry if your case isn't genuine.

Good Luck everyone!

Which location is better for B1 Visa Interview in terms of approval ratio? Hyderabad or Chennai?

HI all,
I have my B1 visa interview scheduled in 2 days and i myself prepared a questionnaire reg the same.
Kindly find below and please correct/add me for any additional information if i need to say precise on something or provide more details anywhere.

My other details :
Exp : 9 years , Married , Kid , Visited Uk and Europe earlier.

Purpose of visit :
I am visiting YYYY client office at Boston, Massachusetts and shall be attending business meetings to understand the future business requirement related to our Digital project.

Place :
YYYY , Boston

Client name :
YYYY

Purpose of meeting :
Mostly the discussion will one the road maps of digital project as we are planning to introduce a new development strategy. Also we are planning to migrate our application to cloud platform . So our major discussions and meeting will be on the understanding of business requirements.

Why can't the meetings be online ?
The initial discussion happened over the call , but now my client wants me to be a part of business meetings as there are multiple vendors involved.
Also my physical presence over there would have better impact and it will be an opportunity to get interacted with clients more closely.

Will the stay extend ?
We have planned agenda for 2 weeks in such a way that we shall be covering everything in specific amt of time , so i dont think there will be a need for me to stay back there.

Hotel name :
YYYY

Designation :
I'm Lead technical consultant and i'm handling a team of 20 member. I'm responsible for the project deliverable from the offshore team.