Student Visa (F1, F2, M1, M2)

H4 to F1 Visa Conversion.
Visa Interview Date: Aug 8, Hyderabad Consulate (first attempt after H4visa)
Status: Rejected
Interview Questions:
VO is mid 30's and she is in hurry.
Me: Good morning Officer
VO: Pass your Passport
Me: Sure, (gave her)
VO: How many universities you applied?
Me: I applied to two universities, Governer state university and Trine University. I was looking into Bradley University as well.
VO: Where do attend classes?
Me: Trine University main campus is in Angola Indiana. However, they are having another campus in the south bend which is 1.30hr drive from my place. I attend class in south bend Indiana.
VO: How many classes per week?
Me: 2 per week
VO: How many classes per semester?
Me: 30 per semester
VO: How many classes per week? (again)
Me: 2 per week. I completed 2 semesters with good grades
VO: Can I see you recent transcripts?
Me: My apology officer, I am not carrying them. it's in my university portal
VO: you don't meet F1 regulation, Visa got rejected. (Gave me 214b form)
Me: Thank you Officer(Sad).

Visa Interview Date: Aug 16, Kolkata Consulate (Second attempt)
Status: Rejected
Interview Questions:
VO is early 30's. (woman)
Me: Good morning Officer
VO: Good morning. Pass you are documents
Me: Sure, (gave her)
VO: Any changes compare to the previous interview
Me: No, Last time I forgot my transcript. I am carrying the official transcript now.
VO: So, you are on H4?
Me: Yes officer.
VO: Do you have any relatives in the USA?
Me: Yes, My brother is live in Atlanta.
VO: What is the purpose of the visit?
Me: I am having a family function.
VO: Is your husband traveling with you?
Me: No, he couldn't make it
VO: Why you need F1?
Me: My university is offering a research program in my favorite subject big data. To be a part of it I need to be on the F1 visa.
She is looking at me and listening to me.
VO: Is that an academic program.
Me: No, my professor suggested me. as it is my favorite subject.
She went inside and came back in 1-2 mins
VO: Do you need f1 for CPT?
Me: No, This is for a research program which my professor suggested me.
She starting typing.
VO: Sorry your visa got rejected. you can proceed on H4 and reply later(Gave me 214b form)
Me: Thank you Officer(Sad).

Please suggest me. I am planning to go for visa interview again on Jan 2019 India.
Please guide me. open for any kind of suggestion.

Hello,

I'm a PhD student at Boston University and would like to share that my F1 visa was renewed using dropbox. I submitted my dropbox application on Tue, Oct 9 to Delhi office in Shivaji Metro Station and received an email on Tue, Oct 15 that the passport can be collected. When I checked the passport, it had a new 5 year visa stamped/attached to it and the old one had "cancelled without prejudice" written on it.

I had heard a lot of cases where for F1 renewal, people were called for interview and after interview, 221-G was given to request for more information and this led to more delays due to administrative processing. I was fortunate to avoid this and wanted to share my experience to add a data point to the cases where the visa is directly issued from dropbox.

I would like to share my Wife's F2 Visa Experience

We got married in February, Attempted for F2 Visa Thrice
1st Attempt - 28th Feb 2018
2nd Attempt - 27th Mar 2018
3rd Attempt - 4th Oct 2018

1st two attempts I was on F1 Initial OPT, so there is not much time left on my OPT so it got rejected. Both the times they gave 214(b)

[B]1st Attempt Interview:[/B]
28th Feb 2018
VO: Good Morning, What's your purpose of Visit
Wife: I got married recently, so I am going to be with my husband to support him
VO: What is he doing?
Wife: He completed his Master's and started Working in so and so company
VO: Can I see your spouse's I-94?
Wife: she gave I-94 along with Travel history, They started asking more questions on travel history which she couldn't explain.

They sent her to a different counter, there the VO asked few questions like what does your husband like and what is your dream destination, how do you know each other and refused the Visa by giving 214(b)

In this attempt I was there in India and in I-94 it reflected that I am not in USA, so that's the reason I believe they rejected.

[B]2nd attempt[/B]
Not much change in my status with OPT expiring on Aug 2nd,We never should have tried without my STEM-Extension approved
VO: Good Morning, What's your purpose
Wife: Going to support my husband in F2 Visa
VO: Can I see your Husband's OPT card?
Wife: Shown the documents
VO: Can I see your Marriage Certificate?
Wife: Shown the Document

VO: Sorry we cannot approve your visa this time, Your status did not change much after your first attempt
the interviewer gave the 214(b)
Wife: Can you say what home ties I'm missing, I have all the supporting documents. Or which Visa should I try?
VO: Sorry mam, I cannot share all those details with you, You can try next time

[B]3rd Attempt[/B]
This time we waited long, Did lot of preparation.
1)Adding spouse name in Passport
2)Waited for my OPT Extension to be approved
3)Changed to a better job.
4)Got help from an Immigration attorney called Murthy Immigration Services.

Took care in filing all the details perfectly in the DS-160, In the refusals section fill in with all the details needed - In what way your status is different from the previous attempts.
In my first two attempts DS-160 I did not fill the sponsor section properly. I left it as self sponsor which means herself sponsoring her trip,
She do not have a job and they would have decided that she can't afford for the trip

She had a couple of Mock Interviews given by the attorney which helped a lot I believe.

The interview went like this
VO: Good Morning, Mam
Wife: Good Morning Nice to meet you
VO: Whats the purpose of your visit
Wife: <This time she elaborated the answer> I going on F2 visa to support my husband who is pursuing his OPT in SO and so Company, He got two more years left on the OPT which ends on Aug 2020
VO: What is his salary?
WIfe: Told the salary
VO: Oh that's nice, Can I see your Husband's EAD copies
Wife: Yes Sure, <Gave the both EAD copies?
VO: Can I see the Employer verification Letter?
Wife: Gave the document
VO: Fine, When did you get married?
Wife: told the date
VO: How many guests attended your marriage?
Wife: Told the approximate count
VO: So what are your plans after your husband's OPT expire, are you planning to stay in US?
Wife: We will come back to India and plan our family because apart from us no one is in USA.
VO: So you have some properties in your name?
Wife: No, we don't have properties on our name but my father-in-law have many properties, I can show the documents if you need to see
VO: No that's fine, I am approving your Visa enjoy your stay, We will mail your passport in 2 days. <She ran out happy from the place after collecting the I20>

So that's our experience guys. Hope it will help someone

Hello All,

I am from India, I did my Masters in US and graduated in the year 2017 May. Current status is F1 and work authorization is EAD-OPT(Stem Extension). Unfortunately my F1-visa and passport is damaged. I re-applied for passport here at Chicago Indian Embassy. I got a new passport. I would need to go to INDIA for stamping.

Could some one please help me on this situation. What should I do now?

If I go to India, what are the chances on Visa getting Approved?

I am currently working as a full time employee for an American company, and my EAD-OPT is valid until 2020 May. .

Thanks,
vsj100.

Hi,

My wife applied for F2 visa.

Interview date: 23 Aug

Visa status : Administrative processing
Passport tracker status: There is no status update available for the passport number submitted
Status in site: https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/: Your passport is still with US embassy
Status while email at [email protected] : Delivered to post

Why the status are completely different in each place? I don't know what does that mean. Please help

Hi,

I'm currently on F1 STEM OPT and expires in May 2020. My wifi has an F2 visa interview in Dec 2018. What are the chances of getting the visa? I read through a couple of posts and got to know that the visa officer straight away rejects visa if the F1 candidate is on STEM OPT. So there is no way to get a spouse on F2 while I am on STEM OPT?

Hello,

Currently I'm in OPT status(valid till 02/02/2019). My H1B got approved and it wont take effect until 10/01/2018. But I want to remain in OPT status because I got a job offer from one of the company and I'll get my Marriage based EAD with in 2-3 months.

My current employer agreed to cancel my H1B. If I cancel my H1B will I go back to my OPT status?

Please help

Good day Sir/ma
Please I intend to apply for M1 Visa, I need your help and advice on what I need to do and what documents I would need to put together...

Hope to read from you soonest, thanks.

Hi,
I applied for the F1 visa and had my visa interview on 5th July and the consulate didn't ask for any documents and said that the visa is approved.
However, its 30 July today and the site still says that it is under administrative processing and the last updated date also remains the same as that of the interview i.e 5th July.
I have booked my flight tickets for 8th August and have tried every means to get in touch with them but nothing positive is coming out of it.
Please let me know if any of you have faced a similar issue and in case there is any possible way to do something

Hi all, I recently attended F1 visa interview at chennai consulate by travelling back to India. I am currently in H4 status and applied for COS to change to F1 in US but unfortunately decided to abandon it due to slow processing times.

I went to the consulate expecting many questions on why F1, Why did you abandon COS, Plans post graduation etc etc. I was very very nervous when I saw the VO in the counter I was sent to just rejected a guy for F1 and called the applicant before me to the counter. After a very long 15 minute interview she rejected ever her. At this point I was literally super nervous and all I could do was to pray that it will go through fine for me.

VO: Good morning ma'am.
Me: Hi, Very Good morning ma'am.
VO: Pass me the passport and documents
Me: Here is my I20 SEVIS and passport
VO: Just the I20 would do with passport please
Me: Okay
VO: So you are going to XX college??
Me: Yes Ma'am. that is correct
VO: Why this college??
Me: Maam , this college has provided me a good GRA funding which will cover significant portion of my tution fees. Also I completed my undergrad from a very reputed college in India and wanted to pursue masters from equally reputed university US. Thats why.
VO: okay. So how are you funding the rest of the fees
Me: Ma'am my husband will sponsor for rest of the tution fees
VO: Your scores ma'am
Me: XX,YY
VO: Plans post MBA??
Me: Ma'am , ,my husbands visa is expiring around the same time of my graduation so we are both coming back to India once I complete my course.
VO: Sounds good! I'm keeping your passport ma'am, your visa is approved!!!

I was like thats all?? Yayyy!!!! I ran out of the consulate with a huge smile on my face. I was very surprised that she had no questions on my COS, why F1, or anything else. Its important to apply to a good reputed college and also score well in your entrance exams. Beyond this unless you have filed for PERM or GC or have been out of status anytime in US, It should generally go fine.