I aspire to study in the U.S. I have received admission to a reputed university. I applied for a visa and got rejected as a potential immigrant under 214(b) without showing any of my documents. I am a genuine student and definitely not a potential immigrant as I have ties to my home country and don’t even have any relatives in the U.S. I am planning to reapply for the visa. Kindly give suggestions for my next interview about how to convince the officer that I am not a potential immigrant.
Yes, all non-immigrant visa applicants can apply again, but know that unless you can show a change of circumstances, your new application is likely to be refused again. We recommend that students do not reapply until they can show a significant improvement in qualifications.
Since you have had a refusal already, it seems pretty clear that you should take some additional steps to bolster your credentials. You should know that officers can see what information has changed since your previous interviews, which brings up two important points:
1. Make sure you never provide false information to a visa officer, as it could come back to haunt you! Misrepresentation that is material to a decision can result in a lifetime ban on travel to the United States.
2. Always be able to tell the officer something that has changed since your previous application. Why are you a better candidate now? What have you done since the previous interview? Have you got some good work experience? Have you been working on projects? Have you retaken the GRE? Prepared a better financial plan?
If you have spent the last month just playing cricket, you are unlikely to get a different result. All officers are trained to make similar decisions.
I haven’t received my I-20 yet. I am waiting for the university to issue it. Does scheduling a visa interview close to the start of the fall term decrease the chances of receiving a visa?
Applying later will not decrease your chances of receiving a visa. The officers will determine your eligibility the same way as you apply early. The only issue is that if your case requires additional processing, it might be difficult to schedule your flights, so apply for your visa interview as soon as you get that I-20.
My visa got rejected recently. The visa officer only asked me about my academics and I cannot change them to improve my profile now. Can I apply again for a visa?
Aren’t academics the most important part of a student’s profile? If you have low grades, how can you prove to the officer that you will be a highly successful student in the U.S.?
Applicants can apply again if they have been previously rejected, but since all officers are trained to adjudicate visas the same way, if nothing has changed in your profile, don’t expect the outcome of another visa interview to change.
This is regarding the Port of Entry (PoE). I am going to UT Arlington for the fall 2012 term, and my visa has been approved. Is it compulsory that my PoE is Dallas or can I land in Houston and take a connecting flight to Dallas?
You should be fine either way.
I attended an interview for an F1 visa and was given a 221(g) white slip by the visa officer. I submitted my bank statements, passbook and GRE score card at the VO counter. When will the final decision be made?
We verify documents when we have doubts. It is important that people submit only true and accurate documents; otherwise there can be stern consequences. You will receive all legitimate documents back after we have concluded the processing.
There is no way to estimate when the processing will be completed because it is different for every case. You can check the status of your case online.
Most people are nervous and tense at the time of interview. They fumble once or twice. Is this ok or will it have an effect on the final outcome? Can you give some suggestions for students?
The officers understand that people are nervous for their interviews – we’ve done thousands of them! Just try to relax, breathe normally and, most importantly, listen to the officer’s questions and answer them clearly and honestly.
Sometimes students get distracted by their papers and miss important questions. The best thing to do is to pay close attention to the officer and again, be honest.
A few students I have interacted with have told me that they were asked just 3-4 questions and were rejected even when their profiles were good. Does this really happen? Do you have information about students in advance and have you made a decision beforehand?
Visa decisions are never made before the interview. However, the officer does have a great deal of information on your case available before your appointment, including all the information you provided in your visa application.
During the interview, the officer will base a decision on both the questions asked and the information already available. The officers have had extensive training and have each done thousands of interviews, so they will not need to ask many questions. With 500 or more visa applicants every day, it is necessary that the interview move quickly. The officers consider your replies during the interview to make their final decision. Another thing to note is that there are no seasonal quotas on how many visas can be issued.
Any student who is eligible for a student visa will be issued one!
I have lost my original bachelor’s degree mark sheets. I have requested for duplicate mark sheets and they look like photo copies of the original with a stamp (which mentions the documents as duplicate) on it from the registrar. Will this be a problem for my F1 visa interview?
It’s generally best to bring original mark sheets, but if they have been lost you should bring copies and be prepared to explain what happened to your original marks.
I want to ask about Ph.D. opportunities in the U.S. I completed my Master’s in Biotechnology, and I have been working for the past year-and-a-half in a biotech company as a research officer. Can you please let me know how to receive admission into a U.S. university for a Ph.D. programme and what are the requirements? Is it possible to receive admission without a GRE score?
Take a look at websites like USIEF.org.in and www.educationusa.info to find out more information about specific Ph.D. requirements, programmes, and opportunities in the U.S. Then check the U.S. Consulate Hyderabad webpage for visa regulations. As for the GRE, each school has different requirements. The majority of schools do require the GRE for MS and Ph.D. programmes, but not all of them do.
You do look like a more credible student if you have put in the time and effort to study for the GRE and get a great score.
