Business Visa - B1

Today I have given interview at Mumbai. VO asked few questions, i replied well. VO handed over blue form (stating refusal of visa under 221g) and also PASSPORT and further they asked me to send some specific documents by EMAIL.

On the form it is written that "further documentation is needed before a final determination in your case can be made"

My questions are:
1) if they are under determination then why VO handed me my PASSPORT?.
2) if they determine to give visa, how they will ask for passport?.
3) I have to go again for interview?
4) how can I come to know when they are calling me for passport. I have to schedule an appointment again?
5) what are the steps I have to do now to go further?

Please help anyone.

Hi guys, I had gone thru this forum in the last month or so to prepare for my B1 Visa interview at Mumbai. I am going for technical training at vendor's office. My 2 other colleagues were going along with me and we all booked the interview at same time. I have 7.5 years experience in IT and I have visited 6 countries (never USA) before for work and tourism purposes (3 for each).

My biometrics was done on April 3rd. For 2 pm appointment, i was asked to be in queue at 1.45 pm and by 2.10 pm I was done with the whole process.

The next day, I had my interview appointment at 9.15 am. Going for this had not been easy with most of my time spent in reading forums or discussing with people I know who had been thru the experience.
But in my case, I was feeling very relieved as the time was drawing near my interview. This was because I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. As stated by many fellow interviewees, we see a large crowd always inside the consulate. But the management was pretty good and you don't have to give a large amount of time for the process. After my slot people got a call to form a queue, we went inside the hall where the interviews were going on.
They first check your fingerprints and then tell you to get in a line where you get your VO based on your turn and luck.

I had checked each and every VO about how they approach an applicant. I got over with my stress after seeing some VO approving VISA even when the applicants can't answer properly or were nervous. There was, however one VO who was taking a lot of time to get the interview done (approx 8-10 mins) and he was rejecting many people too. I was thinking what if I get him.
And so my turn came and I got him only. I was waiting in front of him while he was taking one lady's interview who had applied for a tourist visa with some details wrong in DS-160. He was in a long discussion with her and then too he granted her the VISA. This gave me a lot of surprise and confidence. Then my interview started.

VO takes the passport.
VO : What is the purpose ?
Me : Going to attend technical training at ZZZ. (yes, I said training which most people say not to and I didn't say that being fully confident. Just FYI, my vendor is a very big US IT company)

VO : How long have you been working for current company ?
Me : 2 years and 2 months

VO : What is your role and responsibilities ?
Me : Explained in short

I had kept my invitation letter from my company with vendor training program details on top of all the documents. He got an eye on it and asked for it.
After going thru it, he took 30 seconds and said "Your visa is approved".

He didn't ask me if anyone else is going or why only I am going or where am i going. He had taken approx 8-10 mins for every interview while I had him watched but I got off very easily. Not only this, in the counters next to me, my 2 other colleagues were giving interview and they too got their visa approved. While one was asked for IT return papers and details same like me, the other was asked for previous travel purpose additionally. I was in formals without blazer but my colleagues were in casuals.
 
I was tad nervous almost everyday going into this interview and I really had no sleep whatsoever the day before but it all turned out well. What amazed me was few of the VO that were granting visa very generously and even helping out the people.

I gave the interview on Wednesday and I had my passport in hand with 10 years multiple entry visa on Friday.

I hope my experience can soften the nervousness of the people going in for the interview in few days. All the best !!!

Did not wear a formal dress. Wore a Tshirt (not plain), black jeans, Jordan shoes. Saw everyone else dressed formal and panicked a little bit. Do wear formal dress.

Forgot i had a pendrive in my wallet, had to run out of building, store it in locker shop infront of Consulate and come back and join behind the line. So check yourself pretty well before going into the consulate. This raised my tension even more.

VO : How are you
Me (Smiling) : I am fine sir, Thankyou.
VO: What is the purpose of your travel?
Me: Answered it (Regarding project)
VO: Where do you work?
Me: Answered (Company Name - Pretty big, may have effect)
VO: Where are you going in US?
Me: Answered (My company city)
VO: How long are you working in this company?
Me : 2 years 9 months
VO: Are you married?
Me: No (Felt this is gonna screw me)
VO: Are there any relatives in US?
Me: I have my sibling in San Diego
VO: What is his VIsa status?
Me: OTP-EAD
VO: What is your salary?
Me: x,xx,000 per month
VO: What are you going to do in US?
Me: Answered regarding meetings
VO: How long are you going to stay?
Me: 2 weeks
VO: Have a safe journey
Me: Thank you

My experience,

VO was not in his place when i went to the counter after a minute he came to the counter. I was about to greet him before that he started the conversation. Below are the conversation happened.

V0(Smiling): Good morning
Me(Smiling): good morning
V0: Why are travelling
ME: To have business meeting with my client.
V0: Where are you going
ME:so and so
V0: who is your client.
Me:Sorry. I couldn't hear you.
V0: stand near to that microphone
Me(I was there already but i couldnt hear that. Then again he repeated his question): I said ZZZ
V0: Where you working
Me: xxxxx
V0: Annual Package:
Me:11 lakhs per annum(He started typing ).
Vo:Designation
Me(I was little bit nervous): Instead of senior software developer i said senior software engineer :(
After few seconds he typed something and issued 214(B) with my passport.

It was rejected on April10th. Can i reapply again ? Please suggest me and I dont have any travel history and my package is 11L.

First, I would like to thank all the people who shared experience. Today, I had interview but unfortunately B1 is rejected for unknown reason. Here is summary of my discussion.

VO (Visa Officer) invited me to his window after finishing with previous applicant.
 
Me(Smiling) : Hello Sir, Good Morning. I am YYYY .
VO : Good Morning ZZZ. How are you?
Me : I am fine thank you. How are you sir?
VO(Smiling): I also fine. Thanks a lot.
 
VO takes my passport and scans it. He looks into my application information.
 
VO: Are you from YYYY Company ? How long you have been working with this organization?
Me: Yes sir, I am from YYYY . I have been working with YYYY for past 11 years and 9 months.
VO: 11 years and 9 months? That means you are close to 12 years.
Me: Yes sir I am close to 12 years of working with Larsen & Toubro. I will complete 12 years by June 2018 end.
VO: Very Good. Are you first time travelling to USA? Where are you going?
Me: Sir, I am first time travelling to USA. I am visiting Santa Clara, California.
VO: What is the purpose of your visit?
Me: I am visiting my client YYYY Incorporation for business meetings over new product. We have to discuss product and release management strategy for their new product.
VO(cuts me in between): Have you traveled outside India before? If yes, how many countries you have visited?
Me: Yes sir. I have traveled outside India before to four different countries Nigeria, Canada, Norway and Taiwan.
VO: What is the duration and purpose of the stay in each country?
Me: In Nigeria for 1 week for business purpose. In Canada for 5 months over work permit. In Norway for 4 years over work permit. In taiwan...(VO cuts my sentence)
VO : You have stayed in Norway for 4 years?
Me: Yes. It was way back in 2008.I was working as a senior software engineer that time. I returned to India in 2012.
VO: <Does not react over this>...there was pause for 2-3 seconds.
Me: And sir, my last visit was at Taiwan in May 2017 for 2 days for business purpose.
VO: Ok. How long you will stay in US for this business meetings?
Me: Sir. 3 weeks.
VO: What will you do for 3 weeks? Do you have any schedule?
Me: Yes Sir, I have schedule ready with me. <I started taking out schedule from my papers> But, VO stopped me.
VO: It is ok. No need for Schedule.
VO: <waits for few seconds. He is looking into his computer>
VO: We are sorry Yogesh. Due to strict USA visa regulations, we can not grant you visa this time.
<VO takes out 214 B and returns my passport along with 214 B. >
VO: You can go through this 214 B form which states reason for not approval of VISA. All the best Yogesh. Thank you for your visit.
Me: Thank you sir. <I left the counter>

I really did not get where I am wrong. Please help me. Does this all depend upon mood of VO?

Hi guys, Thanks for sharing your experience on this forum. This helped me a lot to get through the interview in 1st attempt.

Interview went through as follows:

Me- Good morning, sir
VO- Asked me to wait for 1 min. Typing something in system.

After about 1 min
VO- Passport pls
Me- Sure. (Passed the passport to him)

VO- Where are you going?
Me- Told city and state name

VO- Purpose of visit?
Me- Technical and business discussions for new project

VO- Tell me about your project?
Me- This project is for Android mobile platform. The network providers in USA like AT&T and Verizon have their own specific business requirements and we create operator specific applications.

VO- What you do?
Me- I am senior engineer and I interact with client to understand their requirements and provide solutions.

VO- What is your salary?
Me- YYYY LPA

VO- Are your parents staying in USA?
Me- No

VO- Have you ever visited any country?
Me- Yes, Nepal

VO- Are you married?
Me- No

VO- Your Visa is approved. Please collect the passport from courier mentioned in application form.
Me- Thank you sir.

Tips- Be confident and fluent and answer to the point. Do not elaborate things until he asks for it.

I had my 1st interview on 14th Feb, was rejected and given 214(b).
My company wanted me to apply for 2nd time. I got the interview date of 2nd April after rescheduling twice.

I was so unfortunate that I got same VO who had rejected me 1st time.
Then she transferred me to another counter.

Conversation is as follows:

VO- Which countries have u visited outside India?
Me- Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand in the year 2012 with family for vacation.
VO- Why are u going to US?
Me- To attend Kick off meeting of YYYY project and also have a technical discussion on procedures to be followed for various process deliverables.
VO- Your Designation?
Me- Process Engineer, Level- grade II
VO- Number of years in the company?
Me- shall complete 4 year in the month of June.
VO- U are ineligible for the type of visa applied under US immigration act

Can someone please tell me what type of visa should I apply for business meeting. I had applied for B1/B2.

Hi All,

Thanks everyone !

My interview was on 2 and 3 April .
I got rejected in first attempt @ Dec,2016 . but approved this time 3 April 2018 .

Me: Hi,Good Afternoon mam.
VO: Hi
Me: How are you mam?
VO: I am tried
VO: What is your purpose of visit?
Me: Purpose is for having design discussions on new feature 'xxxxx' with the stakeholders. I am representing the offshore QA Team.
VO:Where are visiting in USA
Me: San Francisco, California
VO:Whom are you Going to meet
Me:I will be meeting my onsite QA team members and all other teams who are coming for the design discussions
VO: Why can't you do it from INDIA
ME: I had been working all this while remotely and collaborating with team via video conferencing and regular remote meetings. However since this project is still at early design phase .multiple teams from many different locations are meeting up.it will be good for me to meet these teams in personal.
VO:What is your salary packages
Me: xxx.x LPA
VO:What is designation
Me:Lead Test Engineer
VO:hmm Lead Test engineer
Me:Yes
VO: For how long your trip
Me: 2 weeks (it will be very short trip)
VO: Smiling at my face and started typing something in system
 congrats ! Your Visa approved !!!
Me: Thank you ! have a good day
Left the counter !!!!

Hi All,

Thanks for sharing your visa experience over this forum. I have appointment on 4/4 and below is my experience.

Previous year my visa got rejected. So i have re applied.

VO: Good Morning
ME; Very good moring

VO: what is purpose of your visit.
ME: I explain my purpose in detail. like below

A XYZ Group of Companies, PQR is our business associates and we have been providing IT services more than 5 years. The primary purpose of the trip is
Client would like to Implement Online Software for XYZ,PQR and ABC Business Unit
In order to that client has invited me to be a part of strategy sessions and business meetings with all stakeholders to decide project road map.

VO: how long you will be in USA?
ME: 2 weeks

VO: have you travelled before?
ME: No

VO: How long you are in current company
ME: 1 year and 6 months?

VO: Sorry

Previously also, visa got rejected when they asked me for how long you are with company but at that time only 5 months.

this time also after same question they have rejected my visa.

Can any one help me to identify reason of rejection?

I have no travel history?

Please suggest can i re apply or not?

Thanks in Advance!

Today was my interview for B1/B2 visa

VO: Good morning
Me: Good morning sir
He asked something
I said i cannot hear you
He: please stand back so you can hear
I stand back
He: Now can you hear me?
Me: Yes sir
He: So what are you working for?
Me: I am doing a business of import and export
He:Can i see your ITR
Me: sure( passed over the ITR)
Are you owner of your company?
Me: Yes
He: From how many years you are in this business
Me: from 2013
He: Why are you going to US
Me: I am going to attend a exibition.
He: you have invitation?
Me:yes sir (passed over)
He: sorry i cannot approve your visa as your income is xx,yyy per month
Me: yes sir but this is my net income after all the expenses. I have many expenses of ticketing accomodations and visas
He: so whats your company turnover?
Me: xx-yy lac per year
He: you have any client of xx( related to my exibition) ?
Me: in india?
He: Yes
ME: no as i am not doing impor- export of only xx. I am also doing the same for xxx,yyy,zzz
He: where you have been last visited
Me: Japan and Korea
He: typing something on computer as he started from begining the interview
After 20-25 seconds
Me: i am going to japan in the end of this month too
He: said something( i didnt hear that) after that he said I am keeping your passport and i got a white paper that was about the collection of passport.
Me: thankyou sir. Thanks a lot.
I put all the documents in the bag and again said thanks and come outside.
Now online it shows that your passport is still with us consolate/embessey. What does it means?