How to Prepare for your visa Interview

• What’s your purpose for going to the U.S.?
• Why did you choose to study in the U.S and Queensborough Community College?
• What will be your degree and major and how will it help you with your career once your return home?
• Did you go to a University in your home country?
• What is your current job?
• Why don’t you continue your studies in your home country?
• How many universities did you apply to and in which countries? Why not study in another country?
• How many acceptance letters did you receive from US Universities?
• Have you ever been to the U.S. before?
• Why did you choose QCC?
• Where is Queensborough Community College located?
• Where will you be staying while in the U.S.?
• What is your English test score? Can I see the report?
• Can I see your high school diploma/certificate?
• What is your GPA from your previous institution?
• How will you deal with the cultural differences?
• Who will support you financially while you are in the U.S.?
• What do your parents do for a living?
• What is the cost to attend Queensborough Community College?
• What are your plans after you finish with your studies at QCC?
• Do you have relatives or friends in the U.S.?
• Do you have a career that you want to pursue after you finish with your studies?
• Tell me a little bit about your family. Do you have any siblings?
• Do you have plans to return to your home country?
• What are your plans after graduation?
• Are you sure you won’t stay in the US?
• What is your sponsor’s annual income?
• How do you plan to fund your education?
• How much does your school cost?
• Who is going to sponsor your education? What is your sponsor’s occupation?
• Do you have a copy of your bank statements?

Under U.S. law, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas, such as student 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 home town, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc.

It’s common for the interviewing officer to ask about your intentions related to studying in the US, and your plans after graduation. Make sure to be prepare to discuss your plans to return home, family or other relationships, educational objectives, your grades, and career prospects in your home country. Since every interview will be different, there is no right or wrong answer, or document you can use to guarantee a student visa. Make sure to be yourself prepare with enough time.

Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with native speakers before the interview, but do NOT prepare speeches. If you are coming to QCC to study English, make sure to be ready to explain how English will be useful in your educational pursuits and how it will help you with employment in the future in your home country.

Do not bring parents or family members with you to the interview. The consular officer wants to interview you, not your family.

Make sure you have researched Queensborough Community College, where we are located, and what about QCC is interesting to you. If you are not able to articulate the reasons you will study at Queensborough, 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 at Queensborough Community College relates to your future professional career when you return home.

Because of the volume of applications 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 or second minute of the interview. Keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the point.

It should be immediately clear 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 you're lucky.

Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the U.S. as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be intending immigrants. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in the U.S.

Your main purpose in 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 U.S. education.

You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program.

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 challenging if you are the primary source of income for your family, so make sure to be prepared if you have family (spouse, children) who will stay behind while you move to the US to pursue your degree.

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.