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Visas
» Questions and Answers: The Visa Interview |
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How can I find out approximately how long it will take to get a visa interview appointment at a particular U.S. consulate?
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You can obtain current approximate visa processing wait times and find a link to consular Web sites by visiting http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tempvisitors_wait.php Also be sure to check the consular Web site directly for local procedures and instructions, such as how to make an interview appointment. And still apply as early as possible in case of any unforeseen delays.
Is there anything in particular that I should mention when making a visa interview appointment?
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Be sure to mention that you are applying for a student visa, as priority is given to student visa applicants—it can make a big difference in the time that you will wait. Also have your I-20 form at hand so that you can provide your expected program start date, your SEVIS number, and other background information that the consulate will need.
How long will my visa interview
last?
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The time available for
a consular officer to talk with you
will be quite brief (perhaps one to
three minutes) because of the volume
of visa cases that need to be processed
daily in most U.S. consulates. Because
of such time limits, good organization
of your materials and short, direct
answers to questions will be appreciated
by the consular officer.
Are there any dress requirements
for visa interviews?
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No, and you will see people
dressed in different ways. Businesslike
attire is suggested simply for its benefit
in making a good first impression. (The
consular officer must of course be able
to tell that you are the same person
as the person in the visa photo so making
extreme changes in your appearance after
that photograph is taken is not recommended.)
I don’t know yet what I want
to do in the future. How do I explain this
in my visa interview—or should I just
make up something that sounds good?
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It’s not uncommon
for students, especially undergraduate
students, not yet to have firm career
plans. Many U.S. undergraduates do not
decide on a major until their second
or third year of study. However, you
probably do have some thoughts as to
your most likely career options, and
you can briefly outline these. Be honest—describing
plans that, however practical, don’t
match your real interests may raise
concerns about your honesty in general.
I have family who live permanently
in the United States. Is that a problem?
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What are the consequences if I
don’t tell the truth during a visa
interview?
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Can my parents/sponsor come to
my visa interview?
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The visa officer will
want to speak directly with you, the
applicant, and you should speak for
yourself in order to make a good impression.
It is not recommended that you bring
along other people for your interview—if
you think that the officer may have
questions for a sponsor or someone else
directly involved in the visa application,
they can attend the interview, but you
should be the one answering questions
unless the officer specifically wants
to hear from them.
What if I am worried about my English
abilities? Can I bring someone along who
speaks better English to the visa interview?
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Your English level is required
to be good enough for you to participate
in your academic program. Therefore it
is a mistake to bring along someone to
interpret for you. Even if you are planning
to enter an English language program and
therefore do not need very strong English
language skills, you will not need and
should not bring your own interpreter—there
will be someone at the consulate to interpret
as necessary.
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