Visa for attending conference for student

[gouthamsarang]

I am a Ph D scholar from NITK Surathkal, Karnataka, India. I have to go to US (Orlando, Florida) to present one of my paper in an international conference.

As per my passport, I dont have a surname (it is blank) and my given name is GOUTHAM SARANG. So wht should i write in D160 for Surname and Given name.
In the form, in Given name column they are giving an option of FNU (First Name Unavailable), if it is not there. But they are not mentioning anything about Surname.

Alsoit has a column to fill, who is paying for my trip. Actualy I have applied for funding Dept of Science and Technology, but will be confirmed after one month or so.

If I am writing my father/mothers' name, what all documents are required and how much bank balance should be there in his/her account.

One of my cousin is working in US (but not a citizen), can I write his name? in that case what I have to do??

Pls reply at the ealiest... My trip is in June first week. So I have to apply for visa fast.

Thanking you in advance....

Goutham Sarang

[peace999]

you should wait till your funding source from the dept is confirmed. That is a very important point and can mean the difference between an approval and a denial.
they will look at the actual approval paper.

writing parents' and someone else's name for funding when you are actually being funded by the dept. is very wrong.

about first and last name the best thing is to have your name corrected in your passport . You still have about 2 months.

[gouthamsarang]

you should wait till your funding source from the dept is confirmed. That is a very important point and can mean the difference between an approval and a denial.
they will look at the actual approval paper.

writing parents' and someone else's name for funding when you are actually being funded by the dept. is very wrong.

about first and last name the best thing is to have your name corrected in your passport . You still have about 2 months.

Thank you for your response.

But problem is like, i am not sure whether the dept will fund me or not. It depends on my luck also. So if they are not funding, I have to spend from my parents only. The dept decision will be confirmed just 2-3 weeks before my travel.

I don't want to change the name in my passport, because i want it as GOUTHAM SARANG only. So purposefully i gave given name as GOUTHAM SARANG, by keeping last name blank while passport application.

And many are telling me to apply at the earliest, already i am very much delayed and all... so i am in tension. and when i am delaying, my flight charges also rise up...

Please help...

[peace999]

actually they will want to know what is the purpose behind presenting the paper .
if the department is funding then it convinces the officer that it is a genuine presentation.
otherwise they may think it is just an excuse to go there.

By the way , you have completed your PHD. are you employed?

[gouthamsarang]

actually they will want to know what is the purpose behind presenting the paper .
if the department is funding then it convinces the officer that it is a genuine presentation.
otherwise they may think it is just an excuse to go there.

By the way , you have completed your PHD. are you employed?

I have not completed my PhD and presently I am a full time student. So I have to come back to finish my course.

I received e-mail from the organizers of the conference, regarding the acceptance of my paper, and confirmation of registration after paying reg. fee. So I think, these may be enough sufficient to prove my purpose of the trip (Or else pls correct me...)

I am worried about the other things, I mentioned, name and payee for my trip....

[peace999]

see there are tons of conferences , paper presentations, held in US in all fields, that accept one for a fee.

the main thing here is the officer will definitely ask you how the presentation is required for your PhD course,
,who told you about the conference , and why you decided to go, if anyone else at your dept is also doing the same.
.the officer can really grill you on this .

do not think just by registering and paying a fee you will get the visa.

that is why I am telling you , do your best to get the funding from the dept. , that will give weight to your application.

[gouthamsarang]

see there are tons of conferences , paper presentations, held in US in all fields, that accept one for a fee.

the main thing here is the officer will definitely ask you how the presentation is required for your PhD course,
,who told you about the conference , and why you decided to go, if anyone else at your dept is also doing the same.
.the officer can really grill you on this .

do not think just by registering and paying a fee you will get the visa.

that is why I am telling you , do your best to get the funding from the dept. , that will give weight to your application.

Actually the conference is organized by the Transportation and Development division of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), one of the premier institute in this field. From my college, only I am participating since only my paper (which is based on my present phd work) was accepted. I think hardly 2-3 papers from India are accepted.

As I mentioned, I have good chances to get funding from the Dept. of Science and Technology, but their confirmation will be late (may be 2-3 weeks before my travel). That is the issue. I got a No Objection Certificate from my institute. Will that be sufficient? And how long it may take for this visa process??

[gouthamsarang]

I need help regarding payee for my trip.


My father is a retired teacher and he is having pension and my mother is working in a school as Head Mistress. Both of them are Indian citizens and living in India (Kerala). So for person paying my trip (to Florida to present paper in conference), whose name I can keep in the visa (Type B1) form?? And how much money should be there in his/her account??

And what all are the documents required for that.

Pls reply at the earliest... My trip is in June first week. So I have to apply for visa fast.

Thanking you in advance....

Goutham Sarang

[peace999]

retired parent and teacher mother may not work as payees as the payee should have good income.
Maybe if they have large savings like 15-20 lacs may work.

You should have worked on this payment part long before you applied for the paper presentation. This is not a small issue.

[victorblaze]

If you are from Kerala then you will be going yo Chennai for attending the interview at US embassy. They are very strict on checking your papers and there are chances that your application get denied because if you can not prove your funding then you can not convenice them. But if you have a large amount of savings in your bank account or your parents then that may help you. Please note that it should be cash. Not assets like land or building. You have 2 more months to apply and you don't have to worry about the time if you have enough documents to support your visit. Also the main question will be about your benefit that you are getting by presenting this paper by spending this much of money from your own pocket.

[gouthamsarang]

Thank you for responding...

Even though I can keep one of the parents' name in the column "person paying for trip", during interview, can I produce the bank statements and asset details of both?? Will it be helpful??
And what all are the documents required?? Whether any affidavit is required??