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America is known as the land of opportunity and is responsible for hiring many people from abroad. The skilled professionals require an H1B Visa to work in the USA, and quite often, the hardest part about the entire process is the interview. Here are some tips and strategies that you can adopt to make sure you get the Visa interview right.
How to Nail the H1B Visa Interview
Before the Interview: Practice!
Sitting in front of a foreigner and giving one of the first interviews of your life can be scary. One hundred different emotions are going on in your body. It isn’t difficult to mess up a thing or two that might cancel your student visa. Just like the old phrase says, practice makes a man perfect. It is surely intimidating, but the interview isn’t difficult. You have to be you, and you’ll sail through.
Here are four tips to help you clear the student visa interview easily:
1. Submit Your Application Before Time
The embassy or consulate always looks for points to give you, and punctuality will surely get you many points. Be there 15 minutes before your allotted time during the interview as well. This shows that you are a very punctual person and get work done neatly and on time.
2. Don’t Forget a Single Document
There’s no backup when it comes to visa interviews. Take every document mentioned on the requirement list and some more that you feel are important too. Also, get your document file ready at least 10 days before the interview so that you don’t have to run around at the last moment.
3. Practice in Front of the Mirror
You would have heard it from your teachers and parents to practice speeches in front of a mirror. You get to know how you are delivering the speech and your expressions. Do that same way while preparing for the interview, but in a more conversational way. Keep in mind that the country nationals greet each other formally and do the same during the interview.
4. Talk About Your Home Country
Don’t sound fake and talk too much, but praise your country. Mention that you are coming only for educational purposes and will go back once done. Also, talk about your family and how they have always supported you.
Tips to Dress for your H1B Visa Interview
The H1B visa interview will determine your future career path. Everyone wants to be in America for a better life and better opportunities. So it’s important to make a good impression, and the first thing you should focus on is how you dress.
Your dress code needs to be formal, but comfort is an important factor too. The interviewer must get an impression of your seriousness and professionalism through the way you dress. So avoid any casual and laid-back clothing. Avoid sheer tops and ripped jeans as they create a bad impression. Expensive brands and clothing are not considered a good option for an interview. Avoid t-shirts with slogans and one-liners, which can be distracting.
Wear a crisp, clean, and neatly ironed outfit. Women can wear a salwar kameez or a formal pair of trousers. Even monochrome formal skirts are a good option. Be very clean and hygienic when you appear for the interview. Soiled, stained, and torn clothes can give a terrible impression. Also, trim your nails neatly or apply nail polish because chipped nail paint is a put-off.
Men should always come for an interview clean-shaven and with neatly prepared hairdos. If you have long hair, tie it into a man bun or get it trimmed. A messy hairstyle is a big red mark. Women should also have their hair neatly pinned up as tied hair looks formal.
Avoid heavy make-up and extremely bold lip shades. Any make-up which may lead to a photo mismatch is unacceptable. Your fragrance should be subtle and discreet. Always wear good, comfortable, and polished footwear. Avoid slippers and flip flops, and go for ballerinas, loafers, or formal shoes.
H1B Documents Checklist
Documentation forms the most important part of the H1B visa process. If you ask any expert or immigration lawyer about this, they will vouch for this fact. Most rejections for visa applications happen when your documents aren’t complete or are not presented properly.
And in many cases, even your visa sponsors cannot give you adequate guidance regarding your visa documents. In that case, the only option remains that of hiring an expensive immigration attorney, which would surely burn a hole in your pocket.
So what exactly to do in such a situation? Please read this guide, and probably tape it to your wall for a comprehensive guide to your H1B documents. This guide is rather a checklist for your visa application, which would save you a hell of a lot of time navigating through guidelines, regulations, and immigration attorney offices.
Xerox of all educational certificates of your bachelor’s and Masters’s degree, which should mark sheets.
- Xerox of all your Degree award certificates
- Xerox of all pages of your passport
- If your degree is obtained from the US, you need both Transcripts and degree award certificates.
- In the case mentioned above, you also need a copy of the I-20.
- If your current location is the US, you need a copy of the I-94.
- Copy of your updated Resume.
- Certificates for work experience
- If you have a previously approved H1B visa, you need a copy of the same approval notice and the I-797 form.
- If you want to transfer your H1B visa, you need a copy of your past employer’s recent 3 months payslips.
- Copy of evaluation reports from your workplace.
- If you resided in the US and paid taxes, you need a copy of your previous W2 tax forms.
- Also, a copy of your driver’s license and State ID.
- If you have lived in the US and were provided with an SSN, a copy of your Social Security Card is required.
- A Xerox of your education evaluation.
Types of Questions You’ll Be Asked in An H-1B Visa Interview
H-1B visa interviews at the embassy are tough. More than the questions being difficult, your stress can mess things up. To help you ease the stress, here are some questions that are usually asked in the interview. Remember, giving honest questions will get you selected. Be as clear as you can, and don’t fumble or fidget with your hands.
Here are some common questions asked during an H-1B visa interview:
1. General questions
– Why do you want the H-1B visa?
Answer – to find employment in the US.
– Is this the first time you’ve made a passport?
Answer – answer the truth.
– How many times have to visit the US? Do you plan on returning to your country after being in the US for a while?
Answer – answer what you have decided. There is no right or wrong answer; all you have to do is lay out your plan in front of them.
– Have you ever been out of India?
Answer – Answer if it is true or not. If you have visited, mention which countries you’ve traveled to and on what type of visa.
2. Education and qualifications
– Are you currently studying? What is your highest qualification?
Answer – if you are still studying, specify in depth what your course is about. Mention your highest qualification correctly.
– For many years, are you working in the IT industry?
Answer – tell the truth. Freelance work also counts. If you have no experience, specify so.
3. Sponsor related questions
– How did you find your employer?
Answer – don’t beat around the bush if you found the employer through a relative mention that.
– How much are you getting paid in the US?
Answer – mention the exact figures.
Keep your questions simple and to the point.
Tips to Excel in a US Work Visa Interview
The US work visa interview is a little different than the student visa interview. It is more formal and talks about your work profile and how you can contribute to the global community. Be respectful about your country and the host country, or else there is no chance you will get selected.
Here are four tips to excel in a US work visa interview:
1. Interview Language
You need to be fluent in English because that is the interview language. Don’t expect the person to converse in your mother tongue or have a translator understand what you are talking about. Fluency doesn’t mean you should have an American accent. Speak clearly, so that every word is heard properly.
2. Speak for Yourself
When the interviewer asks you to talk about yourself, do that. Please don’t bring the family into the picture because he is more interested in you than anyone else. Don’t even bring any family members or friends to the interview because that shows you cannot handle things independently.
3. Don’t Talk Too Much
Americans are curious people and love to talk, but that doesn’t mean you keep talking as well. It is a work visa interview, and you are expected to talk about how it is asked for. Don’t start a new topic based on the one you are already discussing. If you do that, you are quite immature and won’t handle work at a time.
4. Dependents Back at Home
The interviewer will ask you if you have any dependents at home and how they will survive if you go to a foreign country. Surviving here means financially, especially if you are the sole breadwinner of the family. Here, you must mention that your family, wife, and/or children will come to the US. If you don’t have any dependents, clearly reply no.
Last Updated on by riyaspeaks
