Business Visa - B1

Appearing for an American Visa Interview is a nightmare for many. In this answer I would detail my US Visa Interview Experience at the US Embassy in Doha, Qatar.
**Visa Category: Business (B1)**
**Nationality/Passport: India**
**Age: 23**
**Resident of Qatar, working as an Engineer with a leading employer. My scope of work is into Healthcare Robotics.**
I received my letter of invitation on 15th of July evening from our business associate in Los Angeles. The same evening itself I filled my DS-160 form and got my DS-160 Submission Confirmation. I began collecting my documents and preparing them for the next two days and on 17th July I opened their appointment portal to fetch a slot for my interview and fortunately the rush in US Embassy was a bit less so I got my appointment for 19th of July. This quick turnaround time may come as a big surprise for people living in India as I have seen the long lines outside Mumbai Consulate.
19th of July finally arrived and my appointment was scheduled for 09.45am. I was a bit nervous but my preparation was exhaustive as I had a strong itinerary and papers to prove my application. I arrived a bit early at the embassy, but they did let me in. They verified my documents and my fingerprints were captured and subsequent to that I was asked to move ahead to a big hall were around 100 people were sitting and waiting for their number to be called. I could see 3 Counters where VOs where calling in applicants and were interviewing them. I had to wait almost for an hour and by 10.30 am I could see my number being called on the display system. I rush ahead to the counter and the conversation starts as following:
**VO (A young American guy in his early 30s) : Hi, Can I have your passport please?**
**Me: Good Morning! Sure (Hands over my Passport)**
**VO: What is the purpose of your travel**
**Me: I go business meetings in America with our associate**
**VO: Okay, Which place you would be going to?**
**Me: Los Angeles**
**VO: Can I have the letter from your employer?**
**Me: Hands over the letter, in the meantime VO keeps typing**
**VO: Can you describe more about your meetings over there?**
**Me: I got a business review with our associate over there and later on I need to be at UCLA to see their Robotic System in Action. I also need to sit with them for clinical paper reviews.**
**VO: Who exactly you will be meeting there?**
**Me: I will be meeting their Commercial Head and Clinical Support Team**
**VO: Since how long you are here?**
**Me: 07 months**
**VO: Why your employer wants to send you?**
**Me: Since I spearhead the robotics business in my organisation, they find my presence to bring more value proposition for our growth in business. **
**VO: Where were you employed before this?**
**Me: In India**
**VO: Which other countries you have been to?**
**Me: I have been to UAE & Oman twice for business and around two months back I had been to Sweden and Denmark for business meetings.**
**VO: Have you been to the Netherlands?**
**Me: No! In Qatar, Netherlands is responsible for handling visa applications for Sweden and Denmark and that is why you can see a visa stamp in my passport from the Embassy of Netherlands in Doha.**
**VO: Were you working with the same employer in India?**
**Me: No, I was working with another employer but I was into the same business function of healthcare robotics.**
**VO: What kind of business is operated by your employer?**
**Me: Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Distribution & Supply to all healthcare institutions in Qatar and I look after New Innovation & Robotics Division in this.**
**VO: Can I have your bank statement?**
**Me: Yes, and hands over the statement ( He doesn't even takes a look on my statement)**
**VO: Are you married?**
**Me: Not yet, I am single**
****
**After all these questions, he keeps typing in his system for a while and I keep looking at him with confidence. A few moments later:**
**VO: Okay! Everything sounds great, Your visa has been approved for 10 years with multiple entry. You can collect your passport from ARAMEX Office once you receive an email.**
**Me: Thank you so much & God Bless these United States of America!**
I leave the counter with a big smile and rush back to office for work. The only tip I got to give is to be confident while answering, be honest and prepare your application with maximum details. You got one goal and this is to convince him that you would return back to your country of Residence and wont be a national threat to America.

**Good Luck!**