Immigration Interview Tips for Students
• Former immigration counselor officer, IAT Bunel, provides advice on answering visa interview questions.
• Common questions include:
– How to address drastically changing your field?
– Why you’re going for a certificate program in analytics, not a master’s degree in analytics?
– Why did you take a course after Hospitality?
– How did you go from Hospitality to analytics?
– How can you go from Hospitality to analytics?
– How did you connect your previous field with analytics?
• If your sponsor’s money is in accounts not directly in their name, is it a problem?
– Bunel suggests that for government employees or the private sector, this is generally positive.
– If the accounts are in different funds, make it as simple as possible at the visa interview.
– Be willing to explain further if more documentation or further questioning happens.
If you start with your doubts, that’s all the counsel officer will see.
Professionals want to have a successful career in America, and the first step is to obtain a formidable F1 Visa.
A former immigration counselor officer provided some tips regarding how to answer visa interview questions.
Some of the most often asked questions by students seeking visas to study abroad; many other students may also have similar inquiries.
IAT Bunel. I am a former councilor officer. Between 2018 and 2022, she served for the State Department in the Embassy of New Delhi and the Consulate General in Mumbai.
Then she founded Udti, which means “to rise and overcome” in Sanskrit, to help visa applicants prepare for their interviews. According to her, she saw numerous errors on the Visa window.
How do I address drastically changing my field?
For example, if I completed a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and am now pursuing a career in data science or analytics, what should I tell Visa officers regarding the change?
Bunel: the question is if you drastically change your field say you have a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and now you’re going for a certificate in analytics.
In that example, there are a couple of things that I see, one is that you’re going for a certificate in analytics, and not a master’s degree in analytics.
So you will be able to explain not only why you’re changing your field, but also why you’re just going for a certificate program.
Did you take a course after Hospitality?
Did you work in the analytics field?
What prompted the shift from Hospitality to analytics?
If it’s just you realize that maybe Hospitality wasn’t for you, because you worked in the hospitality sector that may not be enough. Because you need to be able to explain Why analytics.
How can you go from Hospitality to analytics?
Did you do some freelance work? Something has to create that bridge.
another example is if you were in the medical field and then you were going for analytics and you wanted to create dashboards and you connected it back to the medical field,
in this scenario, it makes perfect sense because you’re not ditching your previous field, you’re adding to it.
If My Sponsor’s Money Is In Accounts That Aren’t In Their Name, Is That A Problem?
If the students’ sponsor’s funds are in accounts that are not directly in their name, for example, if the funds that are supposed to be used for my education are in my mother’s or my grandmother’s name, is this positive or negative if my sponsor is also a government employee?
Bunel: For government employees or the private sector, that tends to be more positive, especially for government employees, because your parents will eventually receive a pension, even if it is not directly related to your ties. Government employees and civil servants have a good reputation for stability and ties to their country in general.
So, again, this is my opinion as a counselor officer; other counselor officers may have different perspectives on particular subjects.
Then the other question is if the accounts are in different funds, I would make it as simple as possible at the visa interview, and just say my family funds or the savings for my education is Y amount, but in terms of your paperwork have your mother’s, grandmother’s and father’s funds, paperclip together and be willing to explain further if more documentation or further questioning happens, but I
I wouldn’t necessarily say Let Me Explain how everything is divided into accounts.
Even Though I Am Currently Employed By Them, Should I Still Disclose My Internship On My DS-160?
Bunel: if you have your current company as your current employer, and the internship with different duties and a different title as your past employer, it looks like you have some career progression.
How Do We Approach VO To Start A Conversation?
Should I start with ” Good afternoon ma’am or Good morning Sir, How are you doing or How’s it going” What should be the opening punchline to the conversation?
Bunel: I wouldn’t say, Ma’am, I wouldn’t open up like that, I would walk up to the Visa window with confidence, put the i20 inside the passport, and wait for that first question, and the opening pitch is the best one that displays a strength of you and communicates strong and impressive, personal things, any of those things or a combination of them is going to make that perfect pitch.
Not a one-word answer, not something rehearsed and generic but something meaty and interesting.
Leaving The Job Before The Appointment For The Visa
I quit my work because I want to travel to the United States, but I haven’t received approval for my visa yet, why did he quit even though he didn’t have a visa yet?
Bunel: The counselor officer is human, and telling them “I was working for three years and wanted to pursue my master’s, and before doing so, I needed a break to enjoy myself, recuperate, apply to different universities, and recalibrate” is an excellent response. if you’re telling the truth.
Many students are either resigning or not resigning, which is a red flag. What’s more important is the way you explain your situation.
My Siblings Are On OPT/H-1B In The United States. Does It Impact The Approval Of My Visa?
For example, a close blood relative may be employed in the US under OPT or H1B authorization. How can I demonstrate my domestic ties to his officer, and how will this affect my visa interview similar to my F1 visa interview?
Bunel: It truly relies on their relationship and their activities in the US. In particular, having a sibling on OPT indicates that they have made good use of their visa and are no longer enrolling in classes, so generally speaking, that shouldn’t be negative for you. Perhaps it is a neutral point rather than a negative one.
You must once more demonstrate your intent as a student but don’t worry about having a sibling on OPT in the US.
I Visited The United States With A B1/B2 Visa. Will It Affect Obtaining An F1 Visa?
Bunel: In general, having a B1 B2 visa is a very positive sign and could help your chances of getting an F1 Visa because it means you’ve held a US Visa. However, if you’ve had a B1/B2 visa and used it well—for example, you went for graduation and ended up going for two weeks and coming back, versus you saying you wanted to go for graduation and staying four months—those two may have different outcomes for you. Always be consistent when answering questions from officials.
Therefore, it is likely that you will also use your F1 Visa properly.
Applied To Just One University. What Can I Say To Explain This?
Bunel: Applying to only one university is a little unusual, but if you have a good reason—for instance, a particular course you wanted to take—you can explain why that university was a good fit for you. For example, you could mention that you have a research interest for a graduate assistantship or that you have connections at that university that you would like to discuss, but it can’t be at a low level.
You can only enroll if there is a valid connection and this university is one of your only options.
Can I Talk About A Marriage-Based Scholarship?
Bunel: Scholarships awarded based on merit do count toward your educational expenses.
You can draw attention to it if you wish to bring it up in the interview as part of your finances because it will be listed on your I-20.
We Need To Present 1.5X Amount Of The I-20 Amount As Your Fund. Is This True?
Bunel: I will ask you how you’re going to fund subsequent years, If you can demonstrate on your I-20 that you can pay for your tuition and living expenses as per the I-20 and you were able to explain through savings, which can be you having Investments and other types of liquid savings, family funds alone and you were able to explain to me convincingly that you’re able to cover the next year or three years of your education, that should generally be sufficient.
Does It Have A Negative Impact If Someone Chooses To Enroll In A Brand-New Program At That University For Whatever Reason?
Bunel: If a student is pursuing an analytics degree at Stony Brook and they have a new pilot program, you don’t need to worry about the visa officer knowing that it’s a brand-new program; you can simply discuss Stony Brook, the program, and your excitement for it. It’s not necessary to ever bring up the fact that it’s a pilot program.
My Sponsor Has Retired.
What if my father is listed as the sponsor and I am using his loan to pay for my education?
Bunel: It is acceptable if your father is retired. You can bring up his family savings and pension.
Additionally, if you are using a loan, make sure that you have already taken it out; this is a debt that you currently have, not one that you intend to obtain.
During your conversation with the counselor, you can discuss how you plan to pay for your school using both loan money and your father’s savings.
Many students still receive sponsorship and support from their parents, who are retired.
Should I State The Amount In USD Or Local Currency?
Should students state the amount in local currency?
Since it may be unknown to the visa officer.
Bunel: If you are traveling to another nation for your visa interview and they are unfamiliar with the local currency of your home country, I would mention your sums in local currency; otherwise, I would say sure.
Applying In Several Countries.
Do officials know that a student applied to other countries, and should the student disclose that they applied to countries other than the United States?
Bunel: They might or might not be aware that you have applied to other countries; it depends on the country. In any case, it’s a good thing, especially if you were accepted into the other universities. Even if you weren’t, you could still say that you’ve thought about other universities and a course in Canada.
However, the reason I chose this university is that it seems to be less reliant on the US, which is the attitude the counselor officer is looking for.
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Plans Following The Study. In What Way May A Student Defend Paying Back The Loan?
How does the student defend paying back a sizable debt that they will most likely take out, such as $50,000, $100,000, or more, without taking OPT into account?
Bunel: Talk about how OPT and CPT are not to be used as a way to pay for your school since they can disappear, and that you cannot rely on them or the rules and laws. The counselor officer does not want you to depend on them or talk to them about loan repayment because of this.
You must have a good backup plan in place for paying back your student loans. Beyond OPT, you may be relying on OPT in theory and practice, and hopefully, it will work out for you. However, your backup plan should sound more like this: after I finish my master’s degree, I’ll be earning top dollar at my dad’s business, a multinational corporation, and other places.
How To Display Funding Sources Most Effectively
What is the most effective method of proving the sources of funding—are they parental sponsorships, education loans, or personal loans? Similar to a sibling in the US funding it. Which one is best?
Bunel: The one that makes the most sense given the conditions and circumstances of your family is the best. If your family has the money and your father makes a good living, then, by all means, use that. Do not hesitate to take out a loan if you require one to make up the gap. If you don’t have recurring family funds and you have a sibling in the United States who is earning a good living, then get a letter from them saying that they’re willing to help you. That’s better than having no money coming in to help you through the next few years. Whatever works for you is the best answer.
Credits: Yudi