Business Visa - B1

Hello Everyone,

First of all , i would like thank this forum and everyone here for sharing experiences and making life easy for other B1 Visa Applicants.
My B1 visa was approved today , it was my second attempt , i'm sharing my experience from both visa interviews, hope it helps.

A brief about myself, i'm a Sr.Network Engineer for a multinational company working on mostly Datacenter Technologies.

Visa Interview 1 - 25th-July-2019 : Result: NOT APPROVED!!!

V.O:(Lady) Hello , Good Morning, can i have your passport please?
Me: Good Morning , Here it is .

V.O: Why are you travelling to US?
Me: I'm travelling to us for Business Meeting with multiple vendors.

V.O : What are these meetings about?
Me: These meetings are about the new datacenter project that i'm working on, and i'm going to meet the vendors to analyse the reqiurements
so that a decision can be made about which vendors can be finalised.

V.O: Where will you be travelling in US and How many days?
Me : Los Angeles( 2 week) , Michigan (1 Week) provided the details.

V.O: So approx. 1 month
Me: yes ma'am

V.O: Which other countries have you travelled before?
Me: I have travelled to Ireland( twice), Europe(spain)

V.O: What was purpose of your visit to Ireland and Spain
Me: I was invited to Ireland for an Interview, and Spain was tourism.

V.O: What is your salary?
Me: 1 lakh 50 thousand per month

V.O: how long have you been with current company?
Me: Its been 8 months now with Current Organisation?

Looks up and types something ...

V.O : Hands over 214(B) Form, "Sorry Sir, But i cannot approve your visa this time, here's the reason listed out in the form, thank you?"

I was shocked, i thought i had it covered, the travel details,Purpose,Salary,my visit to other countries, i thought all these were in my favor.
It took a day to sink it and then i spoke to my colleagues, checked this forum and analysed my experience and here's what i think went wrong for me?

1. Length of travel? (Although I'm not pretty sure, but try to keep your travel dates to a week or 10 days minimum, becuz in my view, a business visit is
    not more than a week or 10 days max, anything more than that, they might see it as work, specially if you are an IT background person)
    
2. Experience with you company:
Again, its my personal analysis that this is the prime factor that turned against me, 8 months in the current organisation,
I should have probably added as " My total work experience is 8 years and i have been in this organisation for 8 months now".

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Visa Interview 1 - 04-Feb-2020 : Result: APPROVED!!!

V.O(Gentleman): Good Morning Sir, How are you? ( I must say this V.O gave a very positive vibe)
Me: Very Good Morning Sir, i'm fine , thank you.!!

V.O: Can i have the passport please?
Me: Sure, here it is.

V.O: Why are you travelling to US?
Me: I'm travelling to US to attend Meetings with my Network Architect Team and with Management team.

He started looking into my DS160 on the screen and He looked into my passport and saw that i have visited Ireland and Europe.
 
V.O: I see you have visited Ireland and Europe, What was the purpose?
Me: Europe was for travel , Ireland was for Official Purpose

V.O: What was the Purpose again? i'm sorry?
Me: I gave interview from India and got selected into final rounds and hence they had me flew to Ireland for last few rounds.

V.O: oh , then it was Job interview?
Me: Yes, Sir

V.O : did you get the job,
Me: unfortunately No sir,

V.O: how long were you there in Dublin?
Me: First time 2 week, then second time 1 week.

V.O: Ok, tell me about your day to day job here in current company?
Me: I answered in detail,(** also made sure it matches exactly as I mentioned in DS160 form)

V.O: Ok, please wait , i will be back
He went and discussed something with his peers for about 5 mins.

V.O: ok sir, I'm approving your Visa,I will keep this passport for Visa stamping, here's the document on how to collect the Passport, Have a great trip.
Me: Thank you verymuch sir, you have a great day !

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Here's my insight about B1 Visa based on my both experience:

1. DS160 is the Bible!! Fill it with utmost attention and also , while describing about your duties, make sure you brief well about it.
   your job profile on DS160 has to convey the message that you are important for this project and its related to travel.

2. Purpose: This has to look like it falls in category of B1 Visa ( Business Meetings). So frame your words carefully, if you put it in a way where
it feels to them its more of work than business/meetings, they will deny you the visa.

3. Salary: It would help if its more than 1 lakh, but if not , nothing to worry, have a letter from company outright stating that all expenses will be
covered by them.

4. Be confident: Face it like its just another discussion, its not end of the world and yes, most of the V.Os are polite and that will start giving you confidence
as you speak , just speak your heart out with all the above points in mind.


All the Best to everyone going on Interview ! I hope you get the visa !!