Fall 2018- F1 Student Visa Experience: (Mumbai Consulate | North Carolina State University | Computer Science- Approved)

Applicant Background:

University: North Carolina State UniversityCourse: MS in Computer Science

Mumbai ConsulateDate: May 2018Status: ApprovedCounter No: 25Visa Interview Experience:

The visa officer was a man in his late 30s. While I waited for my turn, he greeted me with a smile and motioned for me to approach his window.

VO: Good morning (smiling)ME: Very good morning sir.VO: Please give me your passport, I-20 and Sevis receiptME: Passed everything.VO: So NC State, Why NC State?ME: Answered (Keeping in mind all the factors..courses, faculty, reputation of the university, etc..I choose NCSU)(VO was looking into his system and typing something all the time I was answering)VO: Great, so what was your undergraduate in?ME: I did my Undergraduate in Information Technology.VO: Okay! Who will be sponsoring you?ME: My father is sponsoring me and I have taken a loan as well.VO: What does he do?ME: He retired from a nationalised bank...(he wasn’t looking at me so I added about my fathers savings and annual income and since he is retired I told about my mother also who is working in a nationalised bank and told her annual income as well)VO: (handing me the I-20, Sevis receipt and info leaflet) Congratulation, your visa has been approved. You will get a text message within next few days.ME: (grinning face with smiling eyes) Thank you so much sir. Have a good day!

I exited the building at 10:50. The waiting period was long and tense, but try not to let the stress overwhelm you. I paid attention to surrounding interviews out of curiosity, yet I remained composed and self-assured so that hearing rejections did not rattle me. Stay calm, maintain your confidence, and always be truthful!