3 Things Visa Officers Are Looking in F1 Applicants

Visa Interview Officers are looking for 3 things.

1. Academically Qualified: Are you a qualified student ( Academics,
2. Immigrant: Are you a potential Immigrant?
3. Finance: Can you afford education in the USA?

How do we know they are looking for these three things?

The Guide followed by Visa Officers is called as Foreign Affairs Manual.

All the questions will be focused on getting answers to the above three categories.

Core Concept: Know what is the “Question Behind the Question”.

Why are they asking this specific question to me?

What answers are they expecting from me?

If you can give the answer they are expecting, and then you are sure to get your visa.

Again, you have to speak the truth.

I don’t advocate to “ever lie” during the visa.

1. Academically Qualified:

Look at the questions and think for yourself.

Set 1:

• What is your GRE Score?
• What is your TOEFL Score?
• Do you have any backlogs?
• What is your academic percentage?

What are they trying to find here?

If you have academic skills to complete the rigorous education in America.

Set 2:

Next set of Questions will be:

• Why do you want to study in America?
• Why this university?
• Why this course?

As you can see this is how the typical interview goes.

These set 2 questions are still about academics. They want to know if you are interested to study in the USA or potential immigrant using student visa to move to the USA.

Let’s say you got admit by some fake documents and consultant, and then you can’t give genuine answers. They will then suspect your answers and reject your visa.

Example:

I had my F1 Visa interview today. VO asked me about the universities I applied to and I saidNova Southeastern University and University of Connecticut. I have been admitted into Novasoutheastern Univesity and was rejected in Uconn.

But when she asked me which all universities admitted me, I said both (it went in a fluke) and I knew at that time that this lie is gonna make me loose.

Next thing she asked me was I-20 of Uconn and she said she cant understand why would I choose Nova over Uconn when Uconn comes in top 30.

I tried to give her a few reasons but she rejected me. I know I screwed it and feeling really sad/depressed about it. I am planning to re apply and wanted to know if I speak the truth this time that I was only accepted inNova. Will they reject me again saying that I lied the 1st time?

Feeling really bad about what happened!

2. Potential Immigrant

The reason above student was rejected, is because VO thought this person is a Potential Immigrant.

He is using F1 visa as a means to migrate to the USA and not a genuine student.

Logic right?

If you understand the “Question Behind the Question” you can ace the interview.

It’s tough to prove you have “ties” back to home as a student, but don’t make it obvious for the VO to think you are a potential immigrant.

So, your answers have to crafted and to the point.

Set 1:

• What do you plan to do after your degree?
• Would you work in the USA?
• How would I know you will come back to your country?

3. Financially Prepared

If you don’t have money, you can’t study in the USA. Simple.

They want to make sure you have enough money to study in the USA

Set 1:

1. Who is your sponsor?
2. How are you going to pay for your college expense
3. Why is your brother sponsoring you (not your parents)
4. I don’t think you can afford your college fees based on your bank documents?

Questions like this should be answered with facts.

“My parents are working as so and so. They have savings of XXX lakhs, and they will pay for my education.’

“I have X savings; parents have Y savings and University gave funding for Z, and that’s how we will pay for the education.”

If you are Funded by the university

If you are funded, then you satisfy

• #1 – Academics ( University certified your skills and offered money, they don’t give funding for unqualified students right?)
• #3 – Finance ( funding = less burden for you to show proof of funds, but you still have to take the bank statements, just in case)

You just have to provide #2.