HI ALL!
I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE EXPERIENCE I HAD WHILE ATTENDING THE F1 VISA INTERVIEWS.
BEFORE I START LET ME TELL YOU THAT I AM DOING A TWINNING PROGRAM(FOR THOSE WHO DONT KNOW - ITS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS YOUR COLLEGE TO HAVE A TIE UP WITH A FOREIGN COLLEGE AND HELPS STUDENTS TO EARN AN INTERNATIONAL DEGREE BY DOING FINAL YEAR/YEARS OF STUDY IN THAT COLLEGE) IN MBA.I CHOOSE WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN US.
SO I HAD TO DO MY SECCOND YEAR IN WMU INORDER TO EARN MY DEGREE.AND AS MOST OF YOU MIGHT BE AWARE ONE NEEDS TO CLEAR GMAT AND TOEFL BEFORE APPLYING FOR THE I20 FORM THAT IS PROVIDED BY US UNIVERSITIES CONFIRMING SELECTION FOR THE PROGRAM .
ANYWAYS I CLEARED IT AND I THOUGHT AT THAT TIME THAT IT WAS A BIG DEAL!BUT AFTER ATTENDING THE INTERVIEW AT THE CHENNAI US COUNSULATE I WAS CONVINCED THAT THE EXAMS WERE NOTHING.
MY FIRST INTERVIEW WAS IN MID AUGUST 2011.CLASSES WERE SCHEDULED TO START ON SEPTEMBER 6TH 2011.I WAS REALLY NERVOUS AND BELIEVE ME IF YOUR INTERVIEW IS SCHEDULED AT 10AM BE THERE BY 9AM AT LEAST.AFTER COMPLETING SECURITY CHECKS AND ALL I WAS WAITING TO BE INTERVIEWED.BY THE TIME I REACHED THE VO IT WAS 40 MINS PAST MY SCHEDULED TIME .HOWEVER THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM CONSIDERING THE LONG WAITING TIME.
AT THE DESK:
ME :GOOD MORNING SIR
VO:MORNING
(I PASS HIM THE FILE THT COTAINS MY PASSPORT ,VISA FEE RECEIPT,GMAT AND TOEFL SCORES.)
HE RUNS THROUGH MY PASSPORT.
VO:WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE US.
ME:I AM DOING A TWINNING PROGRAM IN MBA AND NEED TO COMPLETE MY SECCOND YEAR IN US INORDER TO EARN MY DEGREE.
VO:DO YOU HAVE THE CERTIFICATES FOR FIRST YEAR OF STUDY.
ME:I HAVE MY 1ST SEMESTER CERTIFICATES BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY 2ND SEMESTER CERTIFICATES YET.
VO:OK LET ME SEE THOSE.
I PASS IT UNDER THE PANE.
VO:WHAT WAS YOUR UG COURSE.
ME:MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
VO:DO U HV THOSE CERTIFICATES
ME:YES (AND I PASS THOSE)
VO:(HE GOES THROUGH THEM)SORRY I DONT THINK ILL BE ABLE TO ISSUE THE VISA TODAY.
I WAS DUMBSTRUCK.WENT HOME REALLY SAD THT DAY.
HOWEVER DID NT GIVE UP HOPE AND THOUGHT TO TRY A SECCOND TIME DEFENITELY.APPLIED FOR THE SECCOND SEMESTER MARKS SHEETS FROM COLLEGE IN INDIA AND GOT IT ON THE SECCOND DAY.PRAYED AND APPLIED FOR A 2ND INTERVIEW NEXT DAY ITSELF.AND GOT A SLOT THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
MY SECCOND INTERVIEW-
WAS MUCH MORE CONFIDENT BECAUSE I WAS THROUGH THIS ONCE.
ME:VERY GOOD MORNING MAAM(LOUD AND CLEAR)
VO:GOOD MORNIN
ME:I PASS ALL THE FILES.
VO:SO, WHY DO U WANT TO GO TO THE US.
ME :(SAME REASON AS ABV)
VO:HOW LONG WILL THAT BE
ME:ONE YEAR
VO:SO DO YOU HAVE THE CERTIFICATES FOR YOUR FIRST YEAR
ME:YES(AND I HAND HER BOTH SEMESTER MARK SHEETS)
VO:(SHE GOES THROUGH THEM AND ASKS ME MARKS OF A FEW SUBJECTS AND I ANSWER THEM CORRECTLY)
VO:WHO IS SPONSORING YOU?
ME :MY FATHER
VO:WHAT DOES HE DO?
ME:WORKING AS GM FOR A SAUDI BASED COMPANY.
VO:WHATS HIS ANNUAL SALARY.
ME:(I GIVE HER THE DETAILS)
VO:SO YOU WERE REJECTED ONCE ,DO YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS THAT COULD PROVE YOUR ELIGIBILITY?
ME:I WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE MY SECCOND SEMESTER CERTIFICATES THAT DAY BUT IT IS WITH YOU NOW.
VO:O, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.
ME:YES THATS RIGHT.
VO:OK......I CAN FIND U ELIGIBLE FOR A VISA TODAY.
ME:THAK YOU
VO:HOWEVER YOU WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSING (AND SHE HAND ME A PINK SLIP AND DIRECTS ME TO A DIFFERENT COUNTER )
ME:THANK YOU
(I WALK AWAY TO THE NEW COUNTER )
HERE A MAN ASKS ME FOR MORE DETAILS LIKE HOW MANY SIBLINGS I HAVE AND WHAT DO THEY DO ETC.DETAILS OF MY COLLEGE IN INDIA AND ASKS FOR ALL MY OLD PASSPORTS.I HAND HIM ALL THE STUFF AND HE ENTER DETAILS FROM THESE INTO THE COMPUTER AND HANDS ME ALL THE DOCUMENTS BACK EXCEPT MY NEW PASSPORT.AND ON THE PINK SLIP HE WRITES A NO.AND ASK ME TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE INORDER TO CHECK IF MY VISA HAS BEEN ISSUED.I THANK HIM AND LEAVE THE PLACE .
THEY HAD TOLD ME IT MIGHT TAKE UPTO TWELVE WEEKS TO GET THE VISA ;WHICH MEANT THAT I WONT BE ABLE TO GO IN SEPTEMBER.SO MY COLLEGE CALLED UP THE UNIVERSITY IN US AND WE POSTPONE THE INTAKE TO JANUARY.
BUT GUESS WHAT I GOT IHE VISA ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER MUCH EARLIER THAN EXPECTED.BUT I DECIDED TO GO IN JANUARY CAUSE I WOULD MISS A FEW CLASSES AND THE WHOLE ORIENTATION PROGRAM IF I WENT IN SEPTEMBER.
TODAY I HAVE BOOKED MY TICKETS AND ALL SET TO FLY IN JAN 2012!!!
SO THATS IT FOLKS FOR MY EXPERIENCE WITH F1 VISA.
MORAL TO TAKE AWAY IS " NEVER LOOSE HOPE".
WILL ADD IN MORE ONCE I GET TO US .
UNTIL THEN TAKE CARE.
HAVE A GOOD DAY!
I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE EXPERIENCE I HAD WHILE ATTENDING THE F1 VISA INTERVIEWS.
BEFORE I START LET ME TELL YOU THAT I AM DOING A TWINNING PROGRAM(FOR THOSE WHO DONT KNOW - ITS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS YOUR COLLEGE TO HAVE A TIE UP WITH A FOREIGN COLLEGE AND HELPS STUDENTS TO EARN AN INTERNATIONAL DEGREE BY DOING FINAL YEAR/YEARS OF STUDY IN THAT COLLEGE) IN MBA.I CHOOSE WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN US.
SO I HAD TO DO MY SECCOND YEAR IN WMU INORDER TO EARN MY DEGREE.AND AS MOST OF YOU MIGHT BE AWARE ONE NEEDS TO CLEAR GMAT AND TOEFL BEFORE APPLYING FOR THE I20 FORM THAT IS PROVIDED BY US UNIVERSITIES CONFIRMING SELECTION FOR THE PROGRAM .
ANYWAYS I CLEARED IT AND I THOUGHT AT THAT TIME THAT IT WAS A BIG DEAL!BUT AFTER ATTENDING THE INTERVIEW AT THE CHENNAI US COUNSULATE I WAS CONVINCED THAT THE EXAMS WERE NOTHING.
MY FIRST INTERVIEW WAS IN MID AUGUST 2011.CLASSES WERE SCHEDULED TO START ON SEPTEMBER 6TH 2011.I WAS REALLY NERVOUS AND BELIEVE ME IF YOUR INTERVIEW IS SCHEDULED AT 10AM BE THERE BY 9AM AT LEAST.AFTER COMPLETING SECURITY CHECKS AND ALL I WAS WAITING TO BE INTERVIEWED.BY THE TIME I REACHED THE VO IT WAS 40 MINS PAST MY SCHEDULED TIME .HOWEVER THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM CONSIDERING THE LONG WAITING TIME.
AT THE DESK:
ME :GOOD MORNING SIR
VO:MORNING
(I PASS HIM THE FILE THT COTAINS MY PASSPORT ,VISA FEE RECEIPT,GMAT AND TOEFL SCORES.)
HE RUNS THROUGH MY PASSPORT.
VO:WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE US.
ME:I AM DOING A TWINNING PROGRAM IN MBA AND NEED TO COMPLETE MY SECCOND YEAR IN US INORDER TO EARN MY DEGREE.
VO:DO YOU HAVE THE CERTIFICATES FOR FIRST YEAR OF STUDY.
ME:I HAVE MY 1ST SEMESTER CERTIFICATES BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY 2ND SEMESTER CERTIFICATES YET.
VO:OK LET ME SEE THOSE.
I PASS IT UNDER THE PANE.
VO:WHAT WAS YOUR UG COURSE.
ME:MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
VO:DO U HV THOSE CERTIFICATES
ME:YES (AND I PASS THOSE)
VO:(HE GOES THROUGH THEM)SORRY I DONT THINK ILL BE ABLE TO ISSUE THE VISA TODAY.
I WAS DUMBSTRUCK.WENT HOME REALLY SAD THT DAY.
HOWEVER DID NT GIVE UP HOPE AND THOUGHT TO TRY A SECCOND TIME DEFENITELY.APPLIED FOR THE SECCOND SEMESTER MARKS SHEETS FROM COLLEGE IN INDIA AND GOT IT ON THE SECCOND DAY.PRAYED AND APPLIED FOR A 2ND INTERVIEW NEXT DAY ITSELF.AND GOT A SLOT THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
MY SECCOND INTERVIEW-
WAS MUCH MORE CONFIDENT BECAUSE I WAS THROUGH THIS ONCE.
ME:VERY GOOD MORNING MAAM(LOUD AND CLEAR)
VO:GOOD MORNIN
ME:I PASS ALL THE FILES.
VO:SO, WHY DO U WANT TO GO TO THE US.
ME :(SAME REASON AS ABV)
VO:HOW LONG WILL THAT BE
ME:ONE YEAR
VO:SO DO YOU HAVE THE CERTIFICATES FOR YOUR FIRST YEAR
ME:YES(AND I HAND HER BOTH SEMESTER MARK SHEETS)
VO:(SHE GOES THROUGH THEM AND ASKS ME MARKS OF A FEW SUBJECTS AND I ANSWER THEM CORRECTLY)
VO:WHO IS SPONSORING YOU?
ME :MY FATHER
VO:WHAT DOES HE DO?
ME:WORKING AS GM FOR A SAUDI BASED COMPANY.
VO:WHATS HIS ANNUAL SALARY.
ME:(I GIVE HER THE DETAILS)
VO:SO YOU WERE REJECTED ONCE ,DO YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS THAT COULD PROVE YOUR ELIGIBILITY?
ME:I WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE MY SECCOND SEMESTER CERTIFICATES THAT DAY BUT IT IS WITH YOU NOW.
VO:O, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.
ME:YES THATS RIGHT.
VO:OK......I CAN FIND U ELIGIBLE FOR A VISA TODAY.
ME:THAK YOU
VO:HOWEVER YOU WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSING (AND SHE HAND ME A PINK SLIP AND DIRECTS ME TO A DIFFERENT COUNTER )
ME:THANK YOU
(I WALK AWAY TO THE NEW COUNTER )
HERE A MAN ASKS ME FOR MORE DETAILS LIKE HOW MANY SIBLINGS I HAVE AND WHAT DO THEY DO ETC.DETAILS OF MY COLLEGE IN INDIA AND ASKS FOR ALL MY OLD PASSPORTS.I HAND HIM ALL THE STUFF AND HE ENTER DETAILS FROM THESE INTO THE COMPUTER AND HANDS ME ALL THE DOCUMENTS BACK EXCEPT MY NEW PASSPORT.AND ON THE PINK SLIP HE WRITES A NO.AND ASK ME TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE INORDER TO CHECK IF MY VISA HAS BEEN ISSUED.I THANK HIM AND LEAVE THE PLACE .
THEY HAD TOLD ME IT MIGHT TAKE UPTO TWELVE WEEKS TO GET THE VISA ;WHICH MEANT THAT I WONT BE ABLE TO GO IN SEPTEMBER.SO MY COLLEGE CALLED UP THE UNIVERSITY IN US AND WE POSTPONE THE INTAKE TO JANUARY.
BUT GUESS WHAT I GOT IHE VISA ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER MUCH EARLIER THAN EXPECTED.BUT I DECIDED TO GO IN JANUARY CAUSE I WOULD MISS A FEW CLASSES AND THE WHOLE ORIENTATION PROGRAM IF I WENT IN SEPTEMBER.
TODAY I HAVE BOOKED MY TICKETS AND ALL SET TO FLY IN JAN 2012!!!
SO THATS IT FOLKS FOR MY EXPERIENCE WITH F1 VISA.
MORAL TO TAKE AWAY IS " NEVER LOOSE HOPE".
WILL ADD IN MORE ONCE I GET TO US .
UNTIL THEN TAKE CARE.
HAVE A GOOD DAY!
