Fall 2018- F1 Student Visa Experience: (Chennai Consulate | University of Wisconsin, Madison | Computer Science- Approved)

Candidate Background:

University: University of Wisconsin, MadisonCourse: PhD in Computer Science

Chennai ConsulateDate: May 2018Status: ApprovedCounter No: 30

Visa Interview Encounter:

The visa officer was a woman in her thirties. I waited patiently for my turn while a B1 visa applicant underwent her interview. The officer asked her numerous questions. After roughly 5 minutes of questioning, she refused the application and wished her applicant well. Then it was my turn; I already held my passport and I-20 ready in my hand:

ME: Good Morning ma'am

VO: Please pass me your passport. I passed my passport along with my I-20 and she said Oh yes, and your I-20. Since, there weren't many F-1 students around my time slot, she might have forgotten to ask the I-20.

VO: Which University are you going to?ME: I'm going to University of Wisconsin, Madison

VO: Looking at my I-20, Oh, a PhD degree in Computer Science. Do you have a Masters degree already?ME: No. I'll actually be starting as a Masters student.

VO: Even I wanted to do a PhD but my Masters thesis itself was hell enough for me and she laughed. (I too laughed and didn't really know what to say.) (I was so close to asking her what did she do her Masters in, but luckily I realized she was the interviewer and not me)

VO: So, your Bachelor's too is in Computer Science?ME: Yes, ma'am.

VO: I thought so, but still wanted to ask anyway and she smiledVO: How much was your undergraduate score?ME: My undergraduate score was 9.88 out of 10.

VO: Did Madison require you to take GRE?ME: Yes, ma'am.

VO: How much did you score in GRE?ME: I scored 324 in GRE and a 5 point in Analytical Writing.

VO: Why do you want to do a PhD?ME: I want to establish my own company based on a high scale distributed database back here in India. Madison is well known for it's research in Databases.

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VO: How many Universities did you apply to?ME: I applied for a PhD at 4 Universities and for an MS at 5 Universities.

VO: How many admits did you get?ME: I got an admit for PhD at Madison and an admit for MS at Georgia Institute of Technology

VO: Oh, but you want to do a PhD anyway. (I think she answered herself a subsequent question of Why did you choose Madison over GaTech)(She started looking at the screen and typing. I was getting so nervous but still tried to keep my calm. She didn't say anything for at least 30 seconds)

VO: My next question was going to be about funding, but since it's a PhD admit, I thought it should be funded. Then she looked at the I-20 and verified whether it was funded.

VO: How long will the studies take? 4 years?ME: It'll take around 5-6 years ma'am since I'll be starting with an MS. (She took a pause again and started typing something looking at the screen. This time she took the booklet containing yellow slips and kept it near her. I was getting soooo anxious. This pause was around 30 seconds too.)

VO: Which other countries have you been to?ME: I had been to the United Arab Emirates when I was in my 5th grade and to Saudi Arabia when I was in my 4th grade. (She took a 3rd pause, I tried to convince myself since I hadn't screwed up anything yet and had prepared really well. She had no reason whatsoever to reject me. This pause as well was around 30 seconds.)

VO: Okay, I'm approving your Visa. Study hard.ME: Thank you ma'am. Collected my I-20 and ran so fast from that place.

Key takeaways based on my encounter:

• They mainly want to verify your intentions, confirm you have adequate funding, and ensure you plan to return home. As long as you clearly establish all of these points, they will not deny your visa.
• You will hear numerous interviews taking place around you while waiting for your turn. Pay no attention to any of them. Perhaps try recalling song lyrics or something similar. Just keep your mind distracted. Hearing people face rejections will only heighten your nervousness.
• Greet them with a smile, and try to maintain a cheerful expression throughout your interview. Do not let them perceive that you are under stress, even if you actually are. Treat it like an ordinary conversation and everything will proceed smoothly.
• Be clear, concise, and direct. Avoid over-exaggerating or providing too little detail.
• Prepare thoroughly before your interview. I conducted a mock interview by myself in the morning while standing in front of a mirror. The practice session covered about 40 frequently asked questions. And remarkably, it included every single question she asked! Visa interviews are no rocket science, but preparation provides a psychological advantage of knowing you are ready, thereby boosting your confidence.
• Do not arrive too early, as they only permit entry 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time. Reaching the venue 30 minutes before your appointment is the ideal timeframe, at least for the Chennai embassy.
• Wear attire you feel comfortable in. It does not need to be overly formal, but it certainly must not be too casual. There should be no external factors hindering your performance, though this is entirely my perspective.
• Do not assume in advance that your interview will last only 1-2 minutes, as it completely depends on the visa officer. Furthermore, do not become discouraged if the interview takes longer. Remain calm and maintain faith that you will hear the positive verdict.