Preparing For A Visa Interview

You may have already been accepted by an American college or university and you may already be imagining what life will be like in an American college, but being accepted by an American college does not guarantee that you will receive a visa. You must also convince a consular official that you are a serious, legitimate student who wishes to demonstrate eligibility for a student visa. Please remember that the most important key to getting approved for a student visa is the promise that you make to return to your home country after you complete your studies, but it is also very important to demonstrate that you are a serious and genuine student who has given a good deal of thought to such matters as the selection of a major and the selection of an American school. Prospective students who seem poorly informed or who seem to lack confidence are very often denied visas. So. . .are you really prepared to go to the U.S. Embassy for a visa interview? Perhaps you are, but here is some advice compiled from scores of comments by students who were successful in obtaining F-1 Student Visas. We hope that this page will improve your chances of getting the visa that you need to join a U.S. college or university. If you are a genuine student who sincerely intends to study in the U.S. and then return home, then you may be successful in obtaining a U.S. student visa. If the official conducting your interview suspects that you intend to abandon your home country and try to become a permanent resident of the U.S., then you very well may be denied a student visa. Also, if any of your papers are out of order, you will be seriously delayed in receiving a visa or perhaps denied a visa altogether. So consider the information on this page very carefully. It is a sad thing to be denied a visa after you have spent so many months getting accepted by a U.S. college. When you go the U.S. Embassy for a visa interview, the two most important documents are (1) a valid form I-20 and (2) an admissions letter from the college which issued the I-20. These documents are issued by the International Student Advisor at the college you are hoping to join and you must read these documents carefully before you go to the embassy, especially page 2 of the I-20 -- "Instructions to Students." Also, if the I-20 and the admission letter are not correct and consistent with one another or if the I-20 has expired, then you will have to request new and corrected versions of these documents before going to your visa interview. I have talked to many students who say that it is difficult in their countries to obtain the I-20 and admissions letter. Here are some tips on how many students have overcome these difficulties. Students outside the U.S. obtain I-20's in the following ways: (1) Using ordinary mail, fax, or e-mail, contact the international advisor of a college you would like to attend and ask for an admissions packet; (2) visit a college while you are in the U.S. on a visitor's visa and get an interview with international student advisor; (3) have a friend or relative who lives in the U.S. visit the college on your behalf and have that friend or relative mail you an admission packet; and (4) if you know someone who is going to the U.S. as a student or as a visitor, ask that person to visit the international advisor at a college and obtain an admissions packet to mail to you. You should also be prepared to show copies of the documents you presented to the U.S. college in order to obtain the I-20 and admissions letter: * Copies of your affidavit of financial support (or a certified check for your first year's school fees made out payable jointly to you and to the school) supporting bank statements other documents showing sponsor's ability to support you in America * Copies of all your educational credentials certified copies of marks slips, school leaving certificates, certificates of secondary education, or other proof of completion of twelve years of formal education certified copies of any university level credentials such as diplomas, test results, transcripts, and the like * Copy of your TOEFL score results most schools require a score of 500 or higher on the old "paper and pencil" TOEFL most schools require a score of 173 or higher on the new "computer" TOEFL The purpose of the visa interview is to give the consular official a chance to determine if you are a legitimate college student who will return to your home country when your American studies are completed. You should therefore be prepared to answer such questions as: * How did you learn about the U.S. college? * Exactly where is the college? * How will you find a place to live in the U.S.? * Why did you select your chosen major field of study? * What is the highest degree you will attempt to earn in the U.S.? * How will you apply your American degree to a career in your home country? * Why do you feel the need to study in the U.S.? * Are your financial resources able to support your sojourn in the U.S.? You probably should try to think through your answers to such questions ahead of time; and, as you anticipate your responses to such questions, remember that the main purpose of the questions is to make sure you are a legitimate student who plans to return home when your studies are completed. At some U.S. embassies you may be asked to show proof that you have prepaid your school fees for at least one year. Unfortunately, not all colleges permit prepayment of school fees. If you are requested to show proof of payment, then what I suggest is that you have a certified check made out jointly to the school and to you for the approximate amount of the first year's fees. Take that check with you to your visa interview. Also request the international student advisor at the school which issues you an I-20 also issue you a letter of explanation about the amount and method of payment of school fees.