The World’s Shortest F1 Visa Interview. Ever. Do you Agree?
I think this F1 Visa interview experience is likely The Best and Shortest F1 Visa Interview Experience ever published here in the Happy Schools.
This interview experience is from HSB’s Premium Member. I provided personal one on one coaching for her interview.
So, we spent over 1 hour on skype going over all possible scenario’s and preparing her mentally for the visa interview.
She was terrified. Because she applied to just one University in the U.S.A. Plus, she had a genuine reason for applying to just one university for Fall semester.
So, we went over the possible choice of words that she can use while answering visa officers questions during the student visa interview.
- Consulate: U.S. Consulate in Chennai, India
- Interview: July last week.
- University: Louisiana State University
After her interview prep was done, she was ready for the F1 Visa Interview.
80% of your U.S.A Visa interview is Confidence. 19% is Your Performance. 1% is Your Luck.
About 3 days before she was traveling to Chennai, she sends me the following checklist of documents for F1 Visa interview.
F1 Visa Documents – Checklist
Louisiana State University
- Folder A:
- Passport, Sevis fee receipt, DS 160 Confirmation, VISA fee receipt, Visa appointment letter
- I-20 and Admission letter from University
- Photographs
- Folder B
- Correspondence with the University
- Folder C
- GRE/TOFEL Score
- Resume and SOP
- Folder D
- Affidavit of Support (Sponsors)
- Form 16 (Income Tax ) Salary slips
- Folder E
- Consolidated financial statement by Chartered Accountant
- Bank Statements and Passbooks
- Loan Sanction Letter from Bank
- Folder F
- Car valuation certificate
- Folder G
- Fixed Assets Valuation Report
- Folder H
- B Tech Degree Certificate
- B Tech Transcripts
- B Tech Mark lists
- Folder I
- 10th
- Service records ID card etc.
- 12th certificates and mark lists
So, after going over the checklist, she was ready for the interview.
Then, the waiting game begins.
I was going for a walk with my wife the evening ( morning for this person on the day of interview).
I said to my wife that I helped this person for the F1 student visa interview. She will be attending the interview in next few hours. Hope, she get’s the visa.
Next day morning I got up and saw her email. This was her experience.
F1 Visa Interview in Chennai Fall
When my number was called, I walked up to the Visa Officer.
VO: * says nothing*
Me: * smiling like an idiot ( thinking ‘ I can say good morning even if he didn’t. Let it be. Too late.. Keep smiling like a fool’)VO: Pass your passport please.
Me: * still smiling, give him my passport ( praying ‘ God give me strength to open my mouth)VO: * types the number on my passport on his system. Your visa is approved.. have a nice journey
Me: *confused* 😮 .. thank you so much.
I walked out of the Interview hall, feeling confused.
That’s it. That was the interview.
Her Reaction to the Interview
- After 1 Day: I’m still confused. What happened. But by Gods grace, he said approved.
- After 2 Days: Lol. I’m so confused. I mean why, not a single question. I’m sorta scared as well.
- After 3 Days: I’m just worried if I heard it right. Mine was the shortest interview in that room. God’s grace.
So, do you think this is the shortest, F1 Visa Interview ever?
Can we give the title to of “Shortest F1 Visa Interview Ever” to this F1 Visa Experience?
no mine was shortest along with 20 other students who came for f1 interview. we were all delayed because of computer issues, hence all F1 candidates were called at once at chennai consulate around 6pm and all were issued visa with no question or meeting with VO. this was back in mid 2000’s. Other visa categories were asked to reschedule.
wow!! pray mine coul be like this by GODS grace my interview is coming up in three weeks
You have to do your best. I’m available for F1 Visa Mock Interview (or you can get F1 Visa Mastery Course).
Interestingly stumbled into this blog. I am a US Citizen now… but this was several years ago – in 1999, when I was at the American Embassy Mumbai for my F-1 visa. Paid the fees and waited for someone to call my token # for the interview. Instead my name was called and I was handed the the passport with the visa sticker in about 45 minutes by a embassy employee. No interview happened and interestingly was not asked to come later in the day to pick up the passport as was the custom then. To this day, I have no clue why that happened !
Thanks for sharing. Lot have changed since then. These days interviews are challenging.
hahaha!! Raghu you’ve put it so well… :D….
Damn she was with her 1000% luck there! Not a single question!! so lucky!
I certainly hope I’m as lucky as that!
Luck = Meeting point of your prep + passing opportunity.
Raghuram, last year this happened with my son Siddharth who is pursuing his MS from CSUEB. Visa approved without any question. VO in Chennai Consulate said enjoy your study in US. But such cases are rare. So,guys enjoy your stay in US and fulfill your dream. All the best. May God bless you.
Awesome. Your son’s visa interview would have been the shortest interview if it was shared here. But, it’s glad it happened.
Thanks Raghuram for the nice reply. I did wanted at that time to share, but could not be able to do it as we were preparing for Siddharth’s departure. After that medical emergency of my brother delayed the process. Any way thanks for your Blog helping to guide thousand of aspiring student going to US. Wish you and your Blog reader all the best.
Most Hon’ble & Most Respected Sir,
I take this opportunity to post World’s longest F1 VISA Interview ( which was posted on your Blog in 2012 ) with your kind & most Generous Permission for New Readers’ knowledge only :
Longest F1 Visa Interview in Mumbai for Fall 2012
July 4, 2012 by Raghuram Sukumar
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> Following post was shared by Prit Patel
Hi friends,,,
I read many F1- Visa articles from HSB and now its my turn to repay it… and thanks to all those who posted their experience on this site…
Date:- 8th of June, 2012
Appointment Time:- 7:45am
Mumbai consulate
I reached there at 6:50am as i was told to be there before half an hour… There was a huge crowd… The other slot was at 9:00am. Then one of the security told all of us to make a line with I-20, appointment letter and passport and at approximatly 7:20 i was taken in.
I passed through security checks, gave token number and took finger impressions… and i saw it was raining i thought the whole 9:00am slot is wet…
I hardly got seat and that was in front row at extreme left… token numbers were given from N200 and mine was N364… I think that day was somewhat different because i had never heard such before almost all girls before me was given visa none of the girl was rejected and some of the boys were rejected but almost 80% were getting it…
My Dad is Farmer and I got F1 Visa for USA
I think God with both hands showered us with LUCK… Rejection was maximum at counter number 25… And on 24 only till my number came 1 was rejected that was also a boy and also the speaker was quite more audible than 25,,, on 25 it was hardly audible… i thought if my number comes on 24 then probability of getting visa will increase…
On screen N363 number blinked and a boy sitting next to me shaked me and told your number came( I think he was more desperate then me for my interview, i showed my number)… as my number blinked guess what its counter number 25… i stood in line for interview before me there were 2, 1 giving interview and 1 in line, the person giving interview got the visa and before me got rejected now its my turn… interviewer was a lady and with her gestures she called me…
F1 Visa Interview in Mumbai 2012
VO:blah blah( i really didn’t heard what she spoke)
Me: Good morning.
VO: Pass me your documents.
Me: I passed my I-20 and passport.( now my right ear is less than a cm from the speaker,,, none of us was interested in eye contact)
VO: What in US?
Me: To pursue MS in Electrical and Electronic Engineering specialization power system.
VO: What is power system?
Me: It deals with generating, transmitting and distributing electric power and also electric devices connected to them.
VO: Why power system?
Me: During my undergraduate i had studied number of power system subjects and also had done number of site visits so i got more interested in this.
VO: What kind of site visits?
Me: Power Generating Plant.(At this stage she looked into my eyes and i don’t know what she was typing in her computer)
VO: Why University of Texas at dallas?
Me: Because of its flexible curriculum and research is going on, which is of my interest.
VO: What kind of research?
Me: They are doing more research on Smart Grids.
VO: What is Smart Grid?
Me: It is a Digital enabled electric grid that gathers, distributes and acts on information about the behaviour of all supplier and consumer.(still i have much to speak about but i stopped i don’t know what really i spoke)
VO: Why you want to study Smart Grid?
Me: Because India has already planned to implant Smart Grid so before this Technology comes to India i want to learn this Technology.(Here i stammered at implant word and she looked but i pushed myself)
VO: How many universities did you applied?
Me: 4.
VO: Which?
Me: University of Texas at dallas, California state university – Northridge, Northeastern university, University of Texas arlington.
VO: What after 2 years of studies?
ME: I will do OPT.
VO: What if you wont get OPT? (Now this is the question something i never thought about)
Me: I will try my best or else i dont know.
VO: Why its necessary for you to do OPT?
Me: It will give me better experience in my field.
VO: Where you would like to work in future?
Me: Suzlon or Enercon.(Actually i was supposed to speak Essar but i dont know where enercon came from)
VO: What is your GRE score?
Me: 295.
VO: DO you have any siblings?
Me: Yes, 1 sister.
VO: What is she doing?
Me: she is a housewife.
VO: Where is she?
Me: UK.
VO: What is she doing?
Me: she is a housewife.(Now she looked at me and took my I-20 into her hands and was having a glance over it and stopped typing, i thought now i’m fired because she won’t be expecting me to repeat the answer, but none of the security guard nor officer told me you can’t repeat answer for the same question nor i have read before in any rule book or brochure)
VO: Who is going to fund you?
Me: My parents.
VO: What is your father doing?
Me: He is doing Business in Chemical Dyes and also has Agricultural income.
VO: What is your father’s income?
Me: XXXX. (Told)
VO: How will you fund yourself? (looking into my I-20)
Me: We have a total Bank Balance of XXXX(Told). (She was not happy with that and keeping her hand on her forehead(i thought now i’m finally finished) asked another one)
VO: Do you have anything else?
Me: Yes, we have a total assests of XXXX(Told).
VO: What is that in US dollars?
Me: 1 minite (i took out a page in which i had made all the total expenses against total assets in INR and US$) and handled her. (she looked it and spoke something)
VO: You will get your passport in 3 to 5 days.(giving back my I-20 and that page)
Me: Thank you have a nice day.
Through out my interview i was leaning toward the speaker and microphone and have to also do lip reading but whenever she looked at me i was looking directly into her eyes with confidence.
Student Visa to USA – Barbados US Consulate
I think it was the luck that helped me to get this visa or else i would have been fired quite early only because i dont find myself reasonable at some places but she might be satisfied but the thing is i got visa and now i’m going.
All you need is be confident. I was sitting there for an hour till my number came for interview and i was just thinking let me rush out( because i was not confident) but i then have to give confidence to myself just give the interview before rushing out though rejected doesn’t matters. And yes luck is the major factor in this.
I hope this might help you in preparing your interview… and before going for Visa Interview practice as much as possible,,, minimum 10 times with all the questions that you have made with answers…
Best of luck guys… Have a bright future…
BEST REGARDS,
HARESH
Unbelievable story!
I know.
I think you are beautiful 😛 🙂
I had pretty much the same interview.
VO: Pass the documents. Oh! UCLAA.. Who is sponsoring you?
Me: My fa…
VO: Your Visa is approved, Please place your fingers on the scanner.
After that,
VO: Fine, Good Luck Son.
No, you had one question 🙂
Yeah, I had one question.. Haha ! But I was not allowed to answer that question. But above interview is definitely sweet.