Business Visa - B1

Hi all,

I appeared today (18 Nov 2015) in US consulate Dubai. I am having residents visa in Dubai. I got rejected only after asking 4 question. Please suggest what should I do?

Q1: why are you going to US?
To conduct training of software that we have developed.

Q2: what that software is about?
[Explained]

Q3: Where will you go in US?
LA California.

Q4: How long have you been in Dubai>
I said 9 months but actually I am here for 14 months.

Then after writing something she said unfortunately we cant grant you visa because you don't have strong ties to your country of residence.

VO didn't ask about invitation letter etc.
Even in next counter my colleague was there we were going together to conduct training but she got the visa and her VO asked her to show all documents. I don't understand what problem was there with my case? I think I got bit confused therefore she rejected me.

However, my company is saying to apply again after 2 weeks because I am the key resource to conduct training. And they are sending me another letter which demonstrate the necessity to conduct training.

Will I get visa If I appear again in mid December 2015? and show new company letter that shows my need in US office?

This forum is awesome and gives lot of insights on Visa experience.

My previous experience is my L1-A was rejected due to incorrect category 2 years back and applying for B1 visa.
I have prepared list of all questions and answers in one or two sentence.

My Experience:
VO: Why you want to go?
Me: Business Meetings

VO: Whom you are meeting?
Me: Internal team of my organization to discuss new project.

VO: What is name of your company?
Me: Told

VO: What they do?
Me: Work in software services

VO: How long is your trip?
Me: 2 Weeks

VO: Are you married?
Me: Yes

VO: Is your wife travelling with you?
Me: NO

VO: I am issuing your visa, you will get it in 3 days.
Me: Thanks

Some important points:
1. Prepare your answers to tell agenda of meeting if they ask.
2. Read this forum

Admit it or not, you will get nervous. It is fine to get nervous. Just be clear with "Why you want to go" and prepare your answer.

First likely to thanks all the guys who share their interview experience.

First attempt (15/09/2015) my B1/B2 US Visa was rejected under 214B due to irrelevant answer due to nervousness. After rejection i was down to earth

Second Attempt (04/11/2015)
Me: Good Afternoon
VO: Good Afternoon
VO: Purpose of visit
Me: I told in details
VO: Place of travel
Me: Detroit
VO: Explain your project:
Me: Explain in 2-3 sentence
Finally Golden Words......... Your VISA Approved
Me: Thanks Mam

I really want to tell everyone whose Visa are rejected dont be nervous just go to forum and you will succeeded.

Key to Sucess: Be confidence, well dress

Attended for interview on 5th Nov, Questions were straight forward and the expectation of the VO is to the point answers

VO: Good morning Sir. How are you doing ?
Me: Good Morning Mam. Doing good. How about you ?

VO: I am doing very good. Your passport please.
Me: Handed over the passport

VO: What is the purpose of your visit ?
Me: For Business meetings and xxxxx discussions of xxxx application

VO: Who is your client ?
Me: xxxx

VO: What does your application do?
Me: TRied to explain in detail ....but she was interested in very short answer ....the question is repeated again.....by VO

VO: What your application does?
Me: answered in one line
VO: ooh OK

VO: How long you are with xxxxcompany?
Me: xxxx years

VO: What is your desgination ?
Me: xxx

VO: Have you travelled to US ?
Me: xxx

VO: Who is paying for your visit ?
Me: My current company

VO: Your visa is approved. Have a nice day.
Me: Thank You.

Thanks to Immihelp.com. For the past one week I was going through all the posts and this really helped me in preparing answers for all possible questions. I gained the ideas to present the answers and the confidence required after going through the posts.

These posts also helped me get an overall picture of the whole process.

My suggestions are;

Personal appearance : Wear formals and be well groomed.

Documents to carry : You dont have to carry all the personal documents, in 99% they dont ask any documents except the invitation letter, Agenda and your schedule during your stay there. To be on the safer side you can also carry your latest qualification certificate, salary slip. I saw people carrying bundles of documents, its not required.

Presentation : For the important questions like purpose, your roles, justification for the duration of stay, you have to be give precise answers with some technical words (because those answers are the convincing factors). For other general questions answer in few words as required and always understand the que and answer to what is asked.

My Experience;

My interview went for more than 5 mins with more questions.

Vo: What is your purpose of visit?
Me: To visit our group company for **** **** *** Transition, Knowledge transfer sessions and related meetings.

VO: what does your co do?(mentioning the co name)
Me : Explained

Vo: Explain in detail?
Me : Done

Vo: What is the manufacturing process?
Me: Iam not sure, Iam a finance person

Vo: What is the turnover?
Me: I dono, since I look after other group entity and this co accounts.

Vo: Where are you going and how much time u need?
Me: Travelling to **** ** and Need 12 weeks.

Vo: Shocked and asked why do u need 12 weeks?
Me: There are about 70 tasks classified as 1** 2*** & 3 **** I need 3 weeks for this, 3 weeks for that, 4 weeks for that and 2 weeks for documentation and meetings

Vo: How long are you working here?
Me : 1 month and I was recruited for this project.(I thought adding those words were, because y would a co send a fresher)

Vo: Just 1 months?
Me: Yes, based on my academic qualifications and experience, management recruited me for this project.

Vo:Previos company name, experience, salary, roles and responsibilities were asked separately.
Me: replied in a line for each que.

VO: Do you have to stay there for all 12 weeks?
Me: Yes, since I have to gain knowledge on each process and blah blah blah. I added some technical words aswell.

Vo: Have you been to any other country before?
Me: Yes to Bali. (He didnt understand and asked again repeated saying yes to Indonesia)

Vo: What is your salary?
Me:Said

Vo: who is paying for your trip, do you get any salary there in US, do you get allowance etc were asked separately.
Me: replied in a line for each que.

Vo: Do this co has a branch in US?
Me: No it another group company Iam visiting.

Vo: Who is the holding co?
Me: Said

He was typing all the while and his face reaction would change in between.

Vo: What is your team size?
Me: 7

Vo: Have they got their VISA's?
Me: 5 are already there, me and another colleague travelling now.

Vo: Have he got the VISA?
Me: He is giving his interview.

Vo: Did your colleague give his interview yesterday?
Me: No his interview is on 4th (I dono y he asked this)

My legs started trembling, because what I read in all posts were the interview was over in a minute or so, but this guy was just shooting the questions.

and after a deep pause, he said your VISA has been approved

I left the place immediately without even seeing him.

I was almost asked all the questions, which I had prepared. I think the key is be confident and reply like you are talking to colleague. As far as possible for all important questions give precise and informative answers, dont just say meeting, training, discussion. He should understand your purpose.

All the best guys and post your experience once done.

My H1B visa petition gets approved and not yet stamped. Due to some urgent business discussion/meeting need, I applied for B1 visa last week and the same has been denied with 214(b).

Can you please advise me on the below points:

1. In this scenario, when will be the suitable time for my H1B visa stamping? Should I wait for 1/2 months for safer side?
2. Is there any chance that the B1 visa denial could impact my H1B visa stamping? Is there any chance of H1B visa rejection for the prior denial?
3. What does mean by 214(b)? Can I reapply B1 visa in future?

Please advise. Thanks in advance.

Hi,
Thanks Immihelp and to all the individuals who shared their experiences here. It helped me a lot for preparing for my visa interview.

My appointment dates were
02Nov2015
09.15 AM >
OFC Appointment
03Nov2015,12.00 PM >
Visa Interview.
1st dayOFC
Appointment
I started from my hotel at 08.30 AM. I took my passport, appointment letter and DS160
confirmation page. I was wearing formals and Tie.

OFC center at 8.45 AM. There were no rush , I approached security and they checked my appointment letter and passport and verified
the details and allowed me to enter in to the building. When I entered the office they did security check and again shown my appointment
letter and DS160
confirmation and allowed me to enter a hall. This is the place where they will be taking our 10 fingers impression and
take our photo. That’s it. By 09.10 am I was out.

2nd dayVISA
interview
I woke up at 6 AM and got ready by 10.00 AM Had breakfast. Took all the documents. I was carrying all the documents in a transparent
folder. And I was wearing formal dress and tie with company tag around my neck. And came out from my hotel at 10.30 AM. I reached Consulate by 11.00 AM and joined the "Q" for my visa interview. I was bit nervous and sweating because of chennai's climate. Inside there will be a initial check for documents and body check up. After that u will be directed to a counter where they will verify your finger prints which u gave in OFC on 1st day. after that u will be moving to another counter, there they will ask ur passport for verification. after that the picture begins, u will be redirected to a "Q". The "Q" will end at one place, at that place a person will guide you to go which counter for the visa interview. My counter number is 31. The VO in that counter is a male.

Me: Hi, Good morning Sir.
VO: Hey..Good morning. Can I have your passport please?
Me: sure (I Passed my passport).
VO: Why are you going to USA?
Me: To attend business meetings and technical discussion about the product development life cycle and their process in specification to project planning and project milestones.

VO was typing something by seeing my company ID card which I wearing in my neck.

VO: Who is ur customer in US?
Me: YYYY ZZZ Inc,( He didnt hear it properly it seems)
VO: Sorry???
Me: YYYY YYYY YYYY X Inc.
VO: Ok thank you
VO: Visa Approved!!!!!
Me: Thank you , Have a geart day!!!

Thats all happen to me ,, They asked only 2 questions. And then my visa approved thats all..I really cant believe that they didnt ask more than 2 questions..... Its all In ur appearance and confidence answering.

Suggestions:

1. Dress very professionally.(With tie)
2. Speak Louder and confident
3. If possible ( for men alone) keep French beard because it will show you like professional.

All the best!!!!!

1st day bio-metric.

they will ask for DS-160 letter, interview appointment letter and passport.
nothing major on this day, they will confirm few details are on passport, you just need to say yes or no. in max 10 mins you will be out.

2nd day interview.

don't go before 15 mins of your appointment time, they wont take you in.

few basic questions VO asked.

purpose of travel.
since how long you are working with your current company?
designation.
what I was doing in Italy (I went on 2 weeks vacation with my wife)?
why its important to go to US?
duration of travel?
any friends or family in US? (dont say no if you have someone there. I have my cousin and his family, so I said yes. it doesn't impact if your profile seems strong to them).

I got 10 year visa with multiple entries.

All,

Scenario : I had applied for B1 visa in Jan 2014 and it got rejected under Section 214b

VO : Purpose
Me : Buisness Meetings and Trainings
VO : Employer?
ME : YYYY Solutions
VO : How long you have been associated with the company?
Me : 2 Months
VO : Previous Experience?
Me : Company A - 3 years and Explained the Roles and Responsibilities

VO : Sorry sir we can't give you the visa and handed over the 214g paper.

Then,I Reapplied on 27th Oct 2015,Please find below Questions

VO : Purpose?
Me : Technical Trainings and Project Discussion with the Managers
VO : How long you have Associated with this Employer?
ME : 2 Years
VO : Designation?
ME : Lead and Explained my KRA
VO : Location
Me : YYYY ,CA
VO : Duration of visit?
ME : 1 Business Week
VO :Do you have any relatives in us?
ME : No

Then she was paused for 2 Mins and said Sorry sir,Please ask your employer to choose different visa type and apply again.

I Don't what went wrong,my Employer is re-applying my application in next 3 days,Please give me some tips to handle "Circumstance Change Question"

We have mentioned "Unclear about the purpose of visit in DS-160" under Refused / earlier application status question.

It's humble request to all seniors to give there inputs because i have my interview in next 5 days.

Please wish me luck.

Firstly, thanks to immihelp. Great forum, and user experiences.

I scheduled interview for visa at chennai, US consulate.

First day was biometric process and pretty much hassle free procedure.
Documents required:

1) Appointment confirmation
2) DS-160
3) Passport

Fingerprint and photograph will be taken, and person who is doing this, will verfiy you by asking your basic details. For example, your name, place of birth, date of birth, passport number. That is it. Done for the day.

Next day comes B1-Visa interview. Mobiles are strictly not allowed. Better not to come with mobile, there is a STD booth just near chennai consulate, in case you want to call someone after your interview is done. In case you cannot omit bringing, then you need to submit the phone, which will increase your wait time before interview because of large queue to submit these items before entering premises.
The day I got the visa appointment, it was raining heavily. Myy documents could not be saved, from water even with an umbrella :) . Somehow I managed to save passport and DS-160 (These are the 2 main things you require). After that l entered, screening where they will stamp your DS-160 and send you to fingerprint counter.
After taking fingerprint, I was sent to join the visa interview queue. There was a lady who was asking many questions and here rejection ratio was also high. She was asking questions loudly and almost everyone could hear her. I got my number and joined a queue. My visa officer was very cordial. Here is the transcript

Me: GM Sir.
VO : Good morning. Please give me a minute. (He was still processing the last applicant form, I think. Then he went for couple of minutes, and came back).

VO : Sorry for that. How are you?
Me: I am good sir.

VO: Why are you going to US?
Me: To attend technical meetings and Knowledge transfer session.

VO: What exactly is nature of work?
Me: To decide on future roadmap of a feature **** employed in **** product.

VO: Which company you work for?
Me: Told

VO: Oh, so you are in a semicondiuctor company. Where in US you will be going?
Me: Told

Then he asked some general questions about company, like what does the company develop, and what are the different products. Meanwhile, he was looking on his computer while asking these questions, and I think he was looking for my company on internet and reading about it.

VO: How long do you stay?
Me: 2 weeks.

VO: Thank you. Your Visa is approved.
Me: Thank you sir.