Fall 2018- F1 Student Visa Experience: (Hyderabad Consulate | University of Cincinnati | Public Health- Approved)

Applicant Information:

University: University of CincinnatiProgram: MS in Public Health

Hyderabad ConsulateDate: May 2018Result: ApprovedCounter No: 14

Visa Interview Encounter:

I arrived at the consulate by 9:30 and gained entry. I had to store my cell phone in an external paid locker for 100/- while my wallet was permitted inside. Upon entering the consulate, your items are placed in a plastic bin for X-ray scanning and manual inspection. Typically, you are not subjected to a physical pat-down. Afterward, you are guided to the seating zone where your fingerprints are captured once more. Following another brief wait, you are assigned specific windows to conduct the actual visa discussion. The official assigned to me was a white male in his 40s wearing a suit. While the individuals near me felt nervous about the meeting, my primary concern was my stomach rumbling because I felt extremely hungry. A volunteer collected my passport and handed it over to the visa officer.

ME: Good morningVO: Please pass me your I20*slid it through the slot*VO: What was your GRE score?ME: 313 sir*VO typed continuously for a moment*VO: When did you finish your studies?ME: August of 2016.VO: What have you done since then?ME: I completed my house surgeon internship from November of 2016 to November of 2017 and volunteered alongside Colgate, the Lion's Club, and Dente Nova to organize oral health screening camps across the city.VO: What was your undergraduate major?ME: Bachelor of Dental Surgery sir.VO: How did your interest in public health develop?ME: During my internship, we served a one-month posting in public health dentistry where we organized oral health camps and taught people about the value of dental hygiene. I realized that while clinical fields allow me to treat patients individually, public health enables me to educate entire communities on a broad scale.VO: Which financial resources will you utilize for your education?ME: My father is sponsoring my studies and holds liquid funds totaling 1.1 crores.*VO types*

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VO: What is your father's profession?ME: He is a doctor.*VO types*VO: How do you intend to apply your master's degree moving forward?ME: I plan to join the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India to help minimize the burden of communicable and non-communicable illnesses nationwide.*VO types*VO: Congratulations, your visa is approved.ME: Thank you very much.Throughout the discussion, I likely smiled twice: once during my initial greeting and again after expressing gratitude. Keeping a permanent smile on my face felt unnatural, yet I appeared neither irritable nor annoyed. I simply maintained focus on the officer. If maintaining a smile feels natural to you, by all means do so. Simply try to remain as at ease as possible during those few minutes.