Tips for H4 visa interview
January 24th, 2010 | by Ridhima Suri |Recently I was at the New Delhi Embassy of the United States for my visa extension. As expected the process was very systematic and streamlined but I’d like to share my observations. I observed that there was almost a 2 out of 3 refusal rate in the H visa category! Green slips were being given to many around us like peanuts. I am writing these tips to help people who are preparing to give H1/H4/B1/B2 visa interviews in the near future.
1. Use a new photograph for each interview
Please do not use old photographs for visa extension interviews. If you have used a photograph in your previous interview, please do not give the same photo. The U.S. Embassy looks for recently clicked photographs.
2. Follow the rules
The goal of the consular officer is to determine that you do not intend to immigrate permanently to the U.S. and/or work in the United States (if you are applying for the H4 visa). Be straightforward in answering the officer’s questions. Carry all the necessary documents to provide additional insight about your professional and personal life.
3. It may be your first interview but not the consular officer’s!
Remember it may be your first visa interview. Certainly it is the not the first interview of the consular officer. Usually the consular officers in the Embassy are trained to interview applicants and determine their eligibility for the visa within minutes. Hence it is better to carry all documents and be prepared to answer work related questions. I’d like to reiterate that your answers in the interview are crucial for acceptance/refusal of your visa application. Documents only support what you are saying.
4. Burden of Proof is on you
Many folks argue that the consular officer was not convinced during the visa interview. Remember, if the officer was not convinced, it was your fault not his! The officer is merely listening to a story that you tell. If he refuses the visa to you it may be due to some mistake at your end. You must remember that the burden of proof is on you to show that you will abide by the rules as a non immigrant and that you do not want to immigrate to the U.S. The consular officer uses the technique of oral interview to determine your intentions as a visa applicant. Hence it is always good to be prepared.
5.Section 214(b)
You have to show ties to your country. This proves that you have intention to return and not settle in the United States. As the principal visa applicant, you have to prove this. The consular officer works with the assumption that you intend to settle in the U.S. Prove that this is not your intention.
Section 214(b) is part of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). It states:
every alien … shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for a visa … that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status
6. Please do not carry cellphones
It is better not to carry any cellphones at all. You will be required to deposit your cellphones at a seperate counter. At times, the distance between such counters and the security check for interviews is a lot (I am refering to the Delhi Embassy). You will save time by not carrying one or leaving it with someone else waiting outside the embassy.
For more information on H4 visa please visit the section ‘H4 visa related’ on this blog. It is also useful to go through the comments section for each post.
Tags: h4 visa interview, H4 visa refusal, H4 Visa Related, tips for H4 visa
