The tips below are intended to help you prepare for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate in your home country.
Under United States law, all applicants for non-immigrant visas are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger than those for remaining in the United States.
“Ties” to your home country are the things that bind you to your hometown, homeland, or current place of residence (i.e., job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc).
If you are a prospective student, the interviewing officer may ask about your specific intentions or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-long range plans, and career prospects in your home country. Each persons situation is different, of course, and there is no magic explanation or single document, certificate, or letter, which can guarantee visa issuance.
Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview. If you are coming to the United States solely to study intensive English, be prepared to explain how English will be useful for you in your home country.
Do not bring parents or family members with you to your interview. The consular officer wants to interview you, not your family. A negative impression is created if you are not prepared to speak on your own behalf. If you are a minor applying for a high school program and need your parents there in case there are questions, for example, about funding, they should wait in the waiting room.
If you are not able to articulate the reasons you will study in a particular program in the United States, you may not succeed in convincing the consular officer that you are indeed planning to study, rather than to immigrate. You should also be able to explain how studying in the United States relates to your future professional career in your home country.
Because of the volume of applications that are received, all consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the first minute or two of the interview. Consequently, what you say first and the initial impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to the officers questions short and to the point.
It should be clear at a glance to the consular officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will have 2-3 minutes of interview time, if youre lucky.
Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the United States as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in the United States.
Your main purpose of coming to the United States should be to study, not for the chance to work before or after graduation. While many students do work off-campus during their studies, such employment is incidental to their main purpose of completing their US education.
You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program. If your spouse is also applying for an accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2 dependents cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the United States. If asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do with his or her time while in the United States. Volunteer work and attending school part-time are permitted activities.
If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence. This can be an especially tricky area if you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular officer gains the impression that your family members will need you to remit money from the United States in order to support themselves, your student visa application will almost certainly be denied. If your family does decide to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa
Do not engage the consular officer in an argument. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal, and try to get the reason you were denied in writing.
This list was compiled by NAFSA: Association of International Educators. NAFSA would like to credit Gerald A. Wunsch, Esq., 1997, then a member of the Consular Issues Working Group, and a former U.S. Consular Officer in Mexico, Suriname, and the Netherlands, and Martha Wailes of Indiana University for their contributions to this document. NAFSA also appreciates the input of the U.S. Department of State.
Three Main Questions for an R1 Religious Visa
What is an R-1 visa?
The R-1 Religious Worker and Minister visa allows religious workers and qualified ministers to enter the United States in order to perform religious duties for a qualified religious organization or congregation.
The R-1 visa does not apply to secular members of a church or lay-persons (janitors, cooks, fundraisers, electricians, accountants, etc.) who work for a religious institution.
Do I qualify for an R-1 Visa?
If you are a minister or clergyperson or if you are a religious worker, you may qualify for an R-1. However, the best way to answer this question is by calling our offices to discuss your circumstances with an R-1 Visa attorney. The following is a brief list of requirements that all R-1 religious work visa applicants must meet:
How to apply for the R-1 visa?
To apply for the R-1 visa, you as the applicant and your employer must follow several steps. First of all, the applicant cannot start the application process, but the employer must do that. This can be done by petitioning the US Citizenships and Immigration Services (USCIS) to allow the employee (applicant for R-1 visa) to work in the US
What are the requirements for the R-1 visa?
There are various requirements for those who want to get the R-1 visa as religious workers. This is due to the fact that there are various religions in the world and not all of them could be widespread and established in the US. Because of that, there are requirements both for the person applying for the R-1 visa, as well as for the organization that hires the applicant.
The person who is applying for the R-1 visa must fulfill the following conditions:
As for the non-profit organization, it must be either one of the registered organizations in the US.
If both the applicant and the organization hiring the person fulfill the criteria, then the application process can begin. However, since there are many religions in the world, the US institutions have seen it fit to define what it means to be in a religion and be eligible to apply for the R-1 visa.
A religion, or religious denomination is formed by a community of people who believe and are governed by rules of an ecclesiastical government. They also have these characteristics:
FAQ
What questions will be asked in visa interview?
- What is the purpose of your visit to the US? …
- Have you been to the US before? …
- Do you have relatives or friends currently in the US? …
- Details on your friends / relatives in the US. …
- Where will you be residing in the United States?
How long does an R-1 visa take to process?
What documents are needed for R-1 visa?
So, you’ll need a photograph, passports (a current one as well as the old ones), and the appointment letter, both in original and a copied form. An I-123 Petition Receipt Number will be needed, and the confirmation page that you submit for Form DS-160, together with the CEAC barcode.
Can spouse of R-1 visa work?
