Participation in an interview is an essential part of the pre-visa process. However, applicants for A, G, and NATO visas and persons under 14 or over 80 years of age will not be interviewed. If you are not in the category of these people, questions will probably come to your mind: What should you prepare before the interview? What documents should you bring with you on the day of the interview and how to answer the US visa interview questions? In the following, we have prepared a set of tips that will answer these questions.
Interview day preparations
In the interview day, you must go to the Embassy or Consulate no earlier than 15 minutes before your appointment time. Please do not bring any bag and briefcases with you when you come to the Embassy, as you will not be allowed to bring them into the building during the interview. Only applicants are allowed into the consular section, according to their appointment time.
In the consular, there are different windows for the initial examination of your application documents, fingerprinting, and interview. When you enter the Consular Section, you are given a number. You are likely asked to have a seat between some steps of the process. Once your number is called for your interview, a Consular Officer will speak with you about your purpose of journey and review any additional documents that the officer requests.
The documents you must bring with you on the day of the interview for nonimmigrant visas are:
- Confirmation Page of the Form DS-160
- Appointment letter
- A valid passport
- Previous passport(s) if any.
- A color photo (taken less than six months, 5 X 5 cm, against a white background)
- Receipt of payments
- Proof of finances (for example bank statements)
- Additional document based on your visa category
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US Interview Common Questions
US Visa Interview Questions
In general, the questions asked in visa interviews can vary depending on the type of visa. The most important thing to note is that for most nonimmigrant visas, you must show that you intend to return to your home country. During the interview, the consular officer will probably ask some questions in the following areas:
- Purpose of your journey: The consular officer will ask you some questions regarding your trip.
- Your job: The interviewer asks about your job, what you do in general, how long have you been working there, your workplace, its name, and other details. Tell them about the income you obtain from this particular job. If you have other types of income, such as rent or freelancing, explain how much you earn monthly or annually.
- Your tie to your home country: You need to show that you are traveling to the US for a specific and temporary purpose. Some of these goals can be studying, attending a conference, and visiting family members. Strong family bonds, possession of the property, compelling work or legal commitments, and continuous profession in your home country are examples of ties that prove affinities to your home country.
- Source of financial support:Â During the interview, you need to prove your financial situation to meet the expenses of your stay in the US. If you can not afford your travel expenditure, another person, such as your family member living in the US, can show evidence in this regard.
You will also be asked to present evidence during the interview to prove your claim. These documents include:
- Civil Documents (birth or marriage certificates)
- Family photographs
- Invitation letter
- Bank statement, income tax records,
- Property documents
- Employment Contract
Not all of these documents are required for all visas. Depending on the type of visa you are applying for, the type of documents you must provide is different. Strictly avoid providing forged documents, as this will not help you and will even jeopardize your visa application.
Don’t hide the negative aspects of your work or immigration because these will lead to adverse impacts on your visa in the next steps. You will receive a permit based on the response you give to the interviewer. You need to know that there is no single magic answer that can help you. The consular officer wants to know if the applicant’s story is convincing and sensible. So the best strategy is to be clear and straightforward. Besides, you need to know the requirements of your visa correctly. For example, if you apply for a petition-based visa, you should know how it was proved in the petition that you met the visa requirements. Therefore, in short, be calm during the interview and answer the US visa interview questions honestly.
Some general questions in a visa interview
Keep in mind that you need to answer very clear and shortly because the time you have with the consular officer is little. In the following, we will list some general questions that are likely asked in your interview:
Why do you intend to travel to the United States?
To answer this question, you can tell the interviewer about your reasons to travel to this country, for instance, tourism, medical treatment, or participation in an event. Your reasons must comply with the conditions defined in your visa.
Have you been traveled to the US before?
If you have been traveled to the US in the past, explain your reasons clearly. Even if you violated your previous visa conditions, such as staying beyond the validity of your visa, you must honestly speak about them. If you have never been to the United States, you can easily answer this question.
Are you traveling alone, or will someone accompany you?
If you are going to travel with your family members and they are considered as your dependents, you need to explain your relationship with them. In this case, it may be necessary to provide documents such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or family photo album.
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Are you married? Do you have children? Do you have a pet? Who will take care of them in your absence?
The consular officer asks if there is anyone in your country to whom you are committed and you need to go back.
Have you booked your flight ticket?
Do you know how much it costs to stay in the United States?
Prepare a travel plan for your trip, including all types of expenses. Provide this itinerary to the consular officer when asked this question. In this way, you show the interviewer that you know what you are doing and that you are aware of the cost of traveling to the United States.
Do you have family members or a friend in the US?
If you have a friend or a family member in the US, tell them to the consular officer, even if you have seen them once or twice in your lifespan. If your answer to this question is yes, the consular officer will ask you other questions. For example, how long have they been living in the United States? What are their address and job? It’s a rational idea to gather information about your friends who live in the United States before the interview day.
Where will you stay in the US?
If you have booked accommodation or a hotel, you should explain to the interviewer why you chose it. If you want to stay with friends or family members, you need to show your invitation letter.
How long will be staying in the US?
Tell your interviewer how long you are going to stay in the United States. The consulate officer will know the answer to these questions based on the information in your application, but these questions will help make the conversion process more realistic.
How do you cover your travel expenses? Do you have a sponsor?
In answer to this question, you can provide a bank statement and other documents that prove your finances to cover the expenses. If you have a sponsor, you need to explain your relationship with his/her as well as the income and prove that your sponsor can cover the cost of your stay. You need to show that there are strong reasons why this person is supporting you financially on this trip.
Do you intend to remain in the US permanently?
In answering this question, you need to provide compelling reasons to show that you will undoubtedly return to your home country. If you have a girlfriend, fiancé, spouse, child, or parent in your country, you can indicate that you will return to them. Submitting documents related to the assets you have in your country, employment contract or legal obligations are essential documents that you can provide in response to this question.
Let’s sum up…
In this article, we have covered the tips on the US visa interview questions that will help you in the visa application process. On the Visa Library website, In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences in comments is a great help for applicants.
FAQs
Yes, it is an essential step & you must be calm, relax and give true and hornets answer.
Follow the instructions in this article and give true and honest answers.
You don’t have to but you would better not be too informal.
Answer the questions in front of a mirror loudly with confidence
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- Max-B.
