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Visa
H1B, H4 Visa
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Hello,
I had my visa interview yesterday for a student visa at the US consulate in Hyderabad. My case was a little different from others because I already had a valid F1 visa and needed another one as I had been out of the US for more than 5 months. I got my first F1 visa in 2008 (valid till June 2013). I completed my MS in 2010 and worked for a year in the US till July 2011. Then I spent 3 more months in the US traveling around and then returned back to India. I got a PhD admission for Spring 2012 and hence needed another F1 visa to go back as I was technically 'out of status'. I got a fully funded admission but I was still a little worried for my visa interview (because I knew that I will have to clearly and succinctly explain why i need a second visa and also properly take care of the dreaded 214(b) clause). Here is my experience:
I got an interview slot of 9:15 am. I reached the Consulate at 8 am. The police constables asked us to come back at 9 to be able to get into the consulate. At 9 I walked into the US consulate and went through security check, document review, finger printing etc. All this took close to an hour. Finally i got the token for my visa interview. I waited for about 15 minutes in the waiting room before my token number was called for. There are three interviewing counters in the Hyderabad consulate and they are open (no cubicles like Bombay ) hence you can pretty much hear what questions the three officers are asking and what responses they are getting. This can either help you or distract you, so be careful
The interview: I had an Indian guy (may be an American Indian) who took my interview.
Me: Good Morning
Officer: Hi
Officer: Took my documents, looked at his computer and said 'so you already have a valid F1 visa why do you need another one?'
Me: I explained him that I did my MS and worked for a year and then returned back to India.
Officer: Excuse me, so you did not finish your MS?
Me: No, I did finish my MS from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Officer: Can I see your transcripts from MS?
Me: I gave him the transcripts and my degree certificate. He did not take the degree certificate.
Officer: He looked at my transcripts then asked me why i want to go for my PhD.
Me: Because I enjoy doing research and I want to be a professor.
Officer: Which campus are you going to?
Me: University of Texas at Austin.
Officer: What is your field of research exactly?
Me: Robotics and Controls.
Officer: Your visa has been approved.
Then I walked out and was glad that it did not turn out to be that big of deal that I was thinking or making it to be.
My advice based on this experience: practice your answers before you go for the interview. Write down answers to all the common questions and practice them. The answers should be short and to the point. The longer you ramble, the longer the interviews goes, the more questions/doubts come into the Interviewer's head and the more questions he/she will ask. Practice your answers, dress formally and smartly, and at least look confident even if you are nervous on the inside. These things make it a little easy.
Good Luck.
I had my visa interview yesterday for a student visa at the US consulate in Hyderabad. My case was a little different from others because I already had a valid F1 visa and needed another one as I had been out of the US for more than 5 months. I got my first F1 visa in 2008 (valid till June 2013). I completed my MS in 2010 and worked for a year in the US till July 2011. Then I spent 3 more months in the US traveling around and then returned back to India. I got a PhD admission for Spring 2012 and hence needed another F1 visa to go back as I was technically 'out of status'. I got a fully funded admission but I was still a little worried for my visa interview (because I knew that I will have to clearly and succinctly explain why i need a second visa and also properly take care of the dreaded 214(b) clause). Here is my experience:
I got an interview slot of 9:15 am. I reached the Consulate at 8 am. The police constables asked us to come back at 9 to be able to get into the consulate. At 9 I walked into the US consulate and went through security check, document review, finger printing etc. All this took close to an hour. Finally i got the token for my visa interview. I waited for about 15 minutes in the waiting room before my token number was called for. There are three interviewing counters in the Hyderabad consulate and they are open (no cubicles like Bombay ) hence you can pretty much hear what questions the three officers are asking and what responses they are getting. This can either help you or distract you, so be careful
The interview: I had an Indian guy (may be an American Indian) who took my interview.
Me: Good Morning
Officer: Hi
Officer: Took my documents, looked at his computer and said 'so you already have a valid F1 visa why do you need another one?'
Me: I explained him that I did my MS and worked for a year and then returned back to India.
Officer: Excuse me, so you did not finish your MS?
Me: No, I did finish my MS from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Officer: Can I see your transcripts from MS?
Me: I gave him the transcripts and my degree certificate. He did not take the degree certificate.
Officer: He looked at my transcripts then asked me why i want to go for my PhD.
Me: Because I enjoy doing research and I want to be a professor.
Officer: Which campus are you going to?
Me: University of Texas at Austin.
Officer: What is your field of research exactly?
Me: Robotics and Controls.
Officer: Your visa has been approved.
Then I walked out and was glad that it did not turn out to be that big of deal that I was thinking or making it to be.
My advice based on this experience: practice your answers before you go for the interview. Write down answers to all the common questions and practice them. The answers should be short and to the point. The longer you ramble, the longer the interviews goes, the more questions/doubts come into the Interviewer's head and the more questions he/she will ask. Practice your answers, dress formally and smartly, and at least look confident even if you are nervous on the inside. These things make it a little easy.
Good Luck.
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