Business Visa - B1

I am from Bangalore. I attended interview in Delhi as Chennai wasn't available. Visa was approved easily and I was told that I would receive my passport in 2 days. But, today I checked status online and it shows "Administrative Processing" for some reason. Actually there is a technical glitch in their system. They were not able to conduct interviews the previous day for transfer candidates (people from the south, mumbai, pune ,etc). So my interview which was supposed to happen on Tuesday happened on Wednesday (9th December), as they had told me to come the next day due to a technical glitch.So I went today (December 9) and after 5 minutes they sorted out and called me for the interview. It was approved. Also, after my interview today, there still about 30 people who got their interviews postponed to tomorrow due to this technical glitch ?Could this technical glitch be the reason for the status showing up as "admin processing"

Hello, I will be appearing for interview on the 14 of December in Islamabad. I have applied for B1-B2 visa. Let me explain my situation.

Owns IT business

*Been working for three years

*Age 29

*Good travel history been to four countries in last two years and to UAE thrice

*Bank statement over $50,000 - current balance in personal account

*Fluent in English

*Have made travel arrangements

Going to attend conferences, meet my university friend and also to meet potential investors for my business.

How should I prepare myself?

PS: I been to Korea recently in October and it was one of the toughest interview I gave in Korean Embassy Islamabad, people were talking from black tinted glasses and I was responding as if I am talking to a mirror. But eventually I got approved and got back in my given visa time.

All my friends keep telling me to be confident and visa truly depends on the interview. I have read the experiences on Immihelp as well. Everyone says same.

Your expert opinion is highly appreciated.

Thanks,

Date: 1st December
Biometric

Date: 2nd December
Interview

Question: Passport?
Me: Handed over

Question: where u working for ?
Me: XYZ company

Question: where u going
Me: XYZ city

Question: whom you meet there?
Me: Mr xyz

Question: Explain about current project
Me: explained with 3 lines

Silence for 2 sec and with smile wished with 3 word
You Visa Approved

I am very happy. With full of happiness I back to hotel!!

But now worry is, as of now my passport in embassy itself. No updating,
How many days required to get update? I have attended in Chennai, because is heavy rain and flood is visa processing will delay ?

Please tell me

Date 24 Nov
Biometric
Cloths: Jeans and Shirt
Document required: Passport, DS 160 confirmation, Appointment Letter

Its a static process to take fingerprint and photo.

Date 25 Nov
interview
Cloths: Jeans and Shirt
Document required: Passport

Question: Passport ?
Me: Handed over

Question: So you work for YYYY company?
Me: Yes

Question: Designation?
Me: Answered

Question: Duration?
Me: 2 Weeks

Question: Purpose of visit?
Me: To have business meeting and requirement gathering.

Your visa is approved.
And its done.

hello all, Can you people make me aware for below mention quetions answare:

1. Dose my salary 25k (3.5L/A) will impact B1 visa even my employer is going to sponsor the visit and its a training..

2.If answare is yes, Can I show me my parents income proof to support of my financial status.

Please give your feedback soon :)

Today (27th November 2015) was my Interview date

Thanks a lot to immihelp for guide me in preparing for my visa interview.

My interview was at 12.00 pm noon and I was there by 11.30 am. And I came outside the consulate by 11.50 am

Before my Interview:

Right next to my counter the VO was a young woman and she rejected the guys VISA and gave him a blue sheet and explains the details. But I never let in inside my mind, coz this will distress your confidence level.

At my counter the VO was a young men and he seems strict. I confidently walked up to him.

ME: Good Afternoon sir.
VO: Give me your passport.

ME: Handed over my passport to him

VO: What is the purpose of your visit?
ME: Business meeting and contract negotiation.

VO: Who is your customer there?
ME: YYYY Inc (He didn’t hear it properly and asked me again. When I repeated then he understood)

VO: What is YYYY Inc doing?
ME: They are distributors of our YYYY X products around the states.

VO: Where the company is?
ME: YYYY City

VO: Name the company you work for?
ME: YYYY Company

VO: How long is your trip?
ME: 7 Days

VO: 7 Days!
ME: Yes

Between each questions he constantly typing in his computer

VO: What your company doing?
ME: Manufacturing YYYY products

VO: Where is your company?
ME: I told him the location?

He takes my passport and looked into his computer seriously. Then raised his hand behind and there is the lot of forms they kept. I was bit nervous but not showed it in my face.

Suddenly he kept my passport with him and says OK, your visa is approved sir

I said thank you and left.

My interview was just less than a minute and he didn’t ask any documents from me (even I hand carried all essential documents with me).

Some tips I understood from this forum and I experienced in my interview
1. Dress simply and smartly. It was the first impression.
2. Be confident, have a smile, greet the interviewer.
3. Talk boldly, if can’t hear properly don’t hesitate to ask again
4. Purpose of visit should be reasonable.
5. Be honest.

Wish you all success

Thanks a ton immihelp for the help in preparing for my visa interview. I got a 10 year validity visa against all odds for a B1 Visa:
1. Single female in age group 20 - 30
2. Less salary
3. Less job experience, only 3 years total
4. Look young for my age
5. Not very authoritative

My observations:

1. Dress appropriately. It goes a long way towards the first impression. Specially for females - tie hair in a way older women would.
2. Walk confidently, have a smile, greet the interviewer and smile
3. Talk confidently specially while telling your designation and the role you play
4. Brush up your English skills, specially for common questions
5. Having a good masters degree is an advantage
6. Purpose of visit should be justifiable
7. Be truthful

Now my Interview:

The girl before me made the VISA officer angry and was rejected. I was a little scared but didnot reflect it on my body language. I confidently walked up to the VISA officer.

ME: Good Morning (With a confident smile). How is your day today.
VO: Good Morning. Thanks

VO: Can I have your passport?
ME: Sure! (Handed him the passport)

VO: What is the purpose of your visit?
ME: The sole purpose of my visit is to attend a training organised by so and so (Prestigious organization)

VO: You work for so and so company
ME:Yes and repeated the name (Private company)

VO: What is your designation?
ME: Assistant Manager of so and so department (Told confidently)

VO gave an amused look. Maybe was impressed but can't tell surely.

VO: What is this training about?
ME: Explained in exact two lines. Told the area and its importance for my job

VO: Who is sponsoring for your trip?
ME: My employer

VO: For how long you worked in the present company?
ME: 2 Years

VO: Are you married?
ME: No

He typed something while looking towards his computer screen. Then uttered the magical words "your VISA is approved. Have a safe flight"

I gave him the biggest smile possible and said thank you and left.

No documents were asked from me. Neither my salary was asked. I think a lot depends upon the way you present yourself. If you look the part you get the VISA. Also, be truthful and confident.

Best of luck to everyone!

B1 Visa - Applied in Hyderabad.

Some Tips first:

1. There are different queues in which applicants are made to stand including Student, Business and other categories (all mixed, no separate queues for each category).

2. You can easily hear the questions being asked to the person at the counter in your queue and the ones next to you. Don't concentrate too much on those questions.

3. You might see several candidates being rejected in your/other queues next to you (mostly student visas), again don't worry too much about it.

4. You will feel nervous and your heart will start pounding as your turn approaches, this is normal and will happen with most of the candidates, just don't show it outwards. At the interview point, there is a counter top where you can rest your hands, place your documents and even if your feet are trebling the visa officer cannot see it as everything below your wait is invisible from the other side.

5. Carry a small water bottle (or you can buy one near the refreshment / tea stall just before the interview counters), you can also carry one or two halls / vicks / strepsils just to clear your throat - if your are nervous and your throat is dry you won't be able to answer questions clearly - this is just a suggestion.

6. for > 90% of the candidates, Passport is the only document the interviewing officer will ask for, keep rest of the documents in a transparent folder, only in rare case they will see your other documents.

7. One or two days before the interview, prepare a sheet with possible questions (thanks to this site) and exact answers to those questions. Keep the answers short and to the point, neither too crisp nor too lengthy. Practice Practice Practice ask one of your friends or family member's to play the role of interviewing officer and try to answer the questions as you would in the real interview.

8. You fate is generally decided in the first few questions. Practice the answers for these questions very carefully. e.g. What is the PURPOSE of your visit ?. What is this Project/Training about, what is your role in this project etc. Do not try to bluff around and give exact and accurate answers.

9. You can wear whatever you want to and look whatever you want to look like, with a beard / stubble, curly hair, pony tail, with a fancy dress and tinted glasses... BUT..you are attending an interview for a Business Visa so try to look Professional - clean shaved, trimmed hair / mustache, White or other light colored plain shirt and black/dark plain trousers. While your appearance may not play a part in the visa officer's decision, you will certainly have at least one less thing to worry about at the back of your mind when facing the visa officer.

Interview:

VO: Good Afternoon, How are you?
Me: Good Afternoon, I am doing good, How are you/

VO: Can I have your Passport please?
Me: Sure (handed over the passport)

VO: Which company do you work for?
Me: XYZ Company.

VO: Purpose of your Travel
Me: I am traveling to my Company's office in XX to get trained on a Product called ABC.

VO: ABC? what does ABC do?
Me: Explained ABC in exactly 2 lines.

VO: Who is paying for the trip?
Me: All expenses related to this trip will be borne by my company.

VO: How long is the Training for?
Me: X weeks.

VO: Where will you stay in US?
Me: XYZ City.

VO: what is your designation in the company?
Me: I am a xxxx.

VO: What is your annual salary?
Me: X Lacs Y Thousand Per annum.

VO: How long have you been with this company?
Me: X years.

VO: Your Visa is approved sir.
Me: Many Thanks.

Collected my stamped Visa next day (just 1 day)

Thanks.

I got my B1 VISA approved in New Delhi on 23 Nov at 11.15AM

Please make notes of following points before you go ahead with the process:
1. Fill out your DS-160 Form properly
2. For the Interview, go through the forum and prepare your answers well. Say them all loud and confidently.

Don't fall for following Myths:
1. Wearing Formals with Tie would help you get VISA easily

I wore a Casual Short Shirt, with Jeans and Cat Boots to the interview. I keep a beard in serj tankian (from SOAD) style, which everyone was against while I was going but guess it didn't matter. So this is how it all went:

It didn't start with any Good Morning as everyone says here

VO: Show me Your Passport
Me: Handed Over

VO: What is the purpose of your visit ?
Me: Explained in 2-3 lines, to the point.

VO: What area would you be visiting ?
ME: At their Headquarter in San Jose, California

VO: How long have you been associated with your current company ?
Me: Over 4 Years

VO: What is Your Designation ?
Me: Tech Lead

VO: What is the duration of your Visit ?
Me: 3 Weeks

VO: What would you be doing there for 3 Weeks ?
Me: For the first week, YYYY and for Second and Third ZZZ

VO Typed for about 20-30 seconds on his computer and the finally said

Your VISA is approved, Fly Safe !! That's it !!

The whole process took about 3 minutes or so. My advice is to wear your style and just be confident in what you say. and that's the key to success.

Hope this Helps

My B1 Visa interview appointment was in New Delhi at 8:00 AM.

Before my turn VO was interviewing a Punjabi couple, and they were communicating in Hindi.

Now, it’s my turn.

1. She (VO) asked me in Hindi, (kis se milne ja rahe ho?)
Ans: (I surprised by her question in Hindi) I said the name, ZZZ.

2. Who is he?
Ans: He is Manager of software development at ZZZ.

3. What you do?
Ans: I am Senior Software Engineer.

4. Where you work?
Ans: I work for YYYY Pvt Ltd.

5. Why you are going to US?
Ans: I am going to attend business meetings and client discussions.

6. What is your salary?
Ans: I answered in annum.

7. Then she asked me to answer in per month?
Ans: There I think I did mistake, by mistake, I did not answered exact figure which I mentioned in application form.

8. Then she asked how much experience you have?
Ans: I am working for YYYY since last 3 months. Having total experience of 4 years and 5 months.

She(VO) said, Sorry your Visa is denied. And handed over me a letter saying =denial under Section 214(b).

My Bad luck !