Student Visa (F1, F2, M1, M2)

OFC: Jan 28th, 2022; New Delhi
Consular appointment: Feb 1st, 2022; New Delhi.

Background:
1. F-1 visa holder is on his post completion OPT after MS degree.
2. Initial OPT expires August 2022.
3. Spouse is a dentist in India
4. F-1 visa holder is primary sponsor for F-2

Questions asked
1. Can you pass me your passport and both the I-20s?
2. When did you get married?
3. Where is your husband living in US currently?
4. Where is he working and what is his role?
5. Pass me his EAD card
6. Pass me any one document you might have which proves his employment. (Showed offer letter)

I don't think posting answers for these questions are necessary as those are quite straightforward and hence not posting.
I would really encourage people to post there F-2 visa experience as there are not many. It would help future applicants.

Thanks!

First time getting an F1 visa:
Year: 2018. Consulate: Mumbai

Gloomy day. Guy before me is being grilled for what seemed like 15 mins. I go next.
VO: What college are you going to?
Me: *Tells the name of my university*
VO: Why this course?
Me: *Gives a befitting answer in one line*
VO: How much is your scholarship?
Me: *Gives the amount*
VO: What do your parents do?
ME: *States occupation in one firm sentence.

VO looks at me suspiciously. Approves visa.

Reasons I believe got me accepted: Conciseness of the answers.

Second F1 attempt:
I had flown back to India during the pandemic (big mistake).
Year: 2021. Consulate: Mumbai

VO has already rejected 2 applicants before me. I am nervous by this point.

VO: (Very sternly) Hello, ma'am. Can I have your passport and I20 please?
Me: Good morning. Sure! (Not sure he greeted me back)
VO: *Same generic questions he asked the previous 2 guys* - Where did you hear of your college?
Me: I did my research.
VO: Why an MBA?
Me: *I try my best to give him a convincing link between my old degree and the MBA, although i fumble. (I did not rehearse answers too well because I did not want to come across as bookish*
VO: Hmm.
VO: You did a *insert name of previous degree* before?
Me: Yes.
VO: Who is sponsoring you? Your mother? What does she do?
Me: *States her occupation exactly as had stated in old interview.*
VO: *Types in intensively*
By this time I am praying to God he receives His grace.
VO: *Asks me to provide fingerprints and returns my passport back to me saying 'Sorry, you do not qualify for a visa today'.*
Me: Oh. Thank you. (Dejected)

Reasons I believe I got denied:
- Applied to college, not a university (often a huge red flag)
- Fumbled through my answers.
- Second degree seen as an immigrant intent.
- Didn't believe sponsor could actually sponsor me (VOs don't like to look at docs as they can be easily ***d. I had proper proof of funds)
- Lack of employment in India as stated in DS 160.

I started studying on H4 and I have completed 4 semesters and currently doing the 5th one. I wanted get my stamping done. I applied for Canada visitor visa. Since I cannot go to India in the middle of my academic year, I opted for Vancouver, Canada for my visa interview. Thanks to the experiences posted here, I was well prepared for the standard H4 to F1 visa status questions.

Day 1: Interview

Documents:
Passport
Appointment confirmation email
I20 (old and new)
Most recent photograph
DS160 confirmation page
SEVIS payment receipt
Masters official transcripts from college
Bachelors original transcripts
College admission letter
Bank statements showing the funds

Additional Documents:
Payslips
Tax return statements
Husbands Employment letter
His passport copy
Resume

Counter 1:
Verified passport, photograph, I20 and DS 160 confirmation

Counter 2:
Took finger prints

Then was sent upstairs for the visa interview

VO: Good Morning, How are you
Me: I am good, Thanks you. How are you?
VO: Good Thank you!!

VO: Pass me your documents
Me: Gave Passport, I20, DS160

Verified all the documents and asked for the photograph. Asked if the photograph was most recent one or not (This question was asked at every counter).

VO: Where is you college located?
Me: Answered the question

VO: Is this your first F1 visa interview?
Me: Yes

VO: Have you started your Masters already?
Me: Yes

VO: Who is sponsoring for your education?
Me: My husband is sponsoring for my education

VO: Do you have any supporting documents like a letter or anything?
Me: Gave his bank statement showing more than enough funds

VO: Have applied for US before?
Me: yes I am on H4 visa

VO: Can you show me the visa?
Me: Its in my passport

Verified and saw my H4 was expired so stamped on it.

VO: Thanks for getting all these documents for me. I am keeping your passport and approving your visa. You will receive your passport within 7 days. All the best for your rest of your course. You have a very good day.

Me: Thank you so much. Happy Holidays!
VO: Happy Holidays!!

Passport status went to administration processing immediately post interview.

Day 2: Received email that passport has been released to the courier service and picked up.

Status changed to 'Issued'.

Overall it was a very smooth experience.

I am wondering who is in the same situation as me. I am in Canada applying for a F-1 renewal visa. I was required for a follow-up interview after sending documents, but there are no available interview in the system. It simply reads, "there are no available appointment at this time. Please try again later." I tried 5 times a day for a month, but nothing happened.

 I have emailed visa services, they just said they had no control over how the appointments become available, so I contacted consulate and embassy. No one replied me. How can you ask for interview but don't let people make an appointment? That is so frustrating. I am just wondering who have this same situation with me?

Hi
I am Italian
I applied for an F1 visa in London
I want to share this because I have been reading this forum frantically in the last couple days
I was not asked to have an interview, only to send in documents
Documents sent: 6 december 2021
CEAC Status updated to received: 7 December 2021
CEAC Status updated to administrative processing: 8 December 2021 (in the morning)
Note that I did not receive any other notice (such as 221g) and/or request for additional documents via standard mail or email or phone call
CEAC status updated to issued: 9 December 2021

I might provide an update once I receive the passport, but I wanted to post this to help those that may get a bit stressed when reading about "administrative processing"

I have 10 years B1/B2 visa and went to the US as an aupair under the J1 visa since the last time I entered in the US.
Both of these 2 visa I got it easily.

VO asked me when did I back to China I said 7/11/2021, but she said my last day was 9/24/2020, and I answer yes, because the pandemic I Couldn’t back to China, and my ds2019 date is until 11/26/2020.
she asked me to show her DS2019 to prove it.
Unfortunately I didn’t bring it. And she asked me 3rd times during the interview, I was pissed off told her nobody tell me need to bring it here, and asked her to find my records in her computer.
And I told her I have no idea i need to bring it here, then she started to ask questions about school stuff, At the end, she asked again, did I ever receive those form, and where is it now.
I said yes, it’s at my home.
Then she said she can’t give me visa today…….

My situation: my DS 2019 expired on 11/26/2020, I filed I539 on 12/22/2020 to change my status into B2 since no flight for me back to China, and left the US when the case still pending.

Do you guys think if I bring my ds2019 and I539 and related emails and documents then I’ll be fine?
Or I have more need to explain here?

Any ideas?

Hello,

My friend has currently been accepted in a program that allows her to come to United States on J1 visa from Jan 2022 to May 2022. The program is neither funded by any government department nor the program is related to any medical training. She is planning to apply for L1 visa in September 2022.

Before accepting the offer for the J1 program, she wants to make sure if Two-year Home-Country Physical Presence Requirement applies in this case and if accepting the offer for this J1 visa program affects her chances to apply for L1 visa.

Hello,

I am moving to US on L1 visa in Jan 2022. My son is planning to accompany me on L2 in April. He will be 21 years old in 3 months after he reaches US on L2. He plans to apply for COS to F1 visa as soon as he reaches there. Would it be a good decision Or it is better to get F1 visa from India and then travel instead of L2. How much time it takes for I539 approval. If it gets approved, can he stays and study while F1 processing is going on?

Hi! I am Korean and I applied to F2 and interviewed on 22nd. I live in the States currently and went to Toronto just for the interview thinking that I will certianly be approved and will be able to return home in few days. However, the officer said Im approved but needs further exploration that i may need to waith 10-12 days, without further explanation why.
It became Issued on 29th, and still no emails. I am continually extending my stay at Toronto by booking new hotels and airbnb few days at a time. It is quite frustrating and worrying.

Can anyone share their wild guess of when I should expect to have my passport back?
Fyi, Due to lack of stable address, I requested to pickup at Toronto.

Hello Everyone. I'm having a very hard time right now and wanted to hear any advice/solutions regarding my weird case.

I came to United states with my parents on April 2018 on an L-2 Dependent visa (Dependent of my Dad's L1 visa). I am enrolled in CSUEB and will graduate in December 2021. On May 2020, I applied for a Change of status I-539 from L-2 to F1 since after turning 21 you cannot be on a dependent L2 visa as a child. My parents at that time also applied for their own Green Cards but our lawyer said that they cannot apply for me since by the time it will come I will already be 21. I turned 21 in October 2020 and my parents got their GC in September 2021. Since May 2020 my USCIS application has been delayed and delayed and it's September 2021 and I still don't have the F1 visa. Now the issue is that if my F1 doesn't come by December 11, 2021, My university will cancel the I-20 and I will have to withdraw I-539 from USCIS. Since I won't have any status in United states I will have to return to India.

Now I want to know if there is any way I can live here with my family and not go back. I also wanted to know how many days will I have in United states before I absolutely have to go back. Can I still apply for GC even though I'm 21 because my parents have GC. Is there any way the I-539 can be expedited since it's been more than a year pending at USCIS?