|
10 Points to remember when
applying for a visa
1) TIES TO HOME COUNTRY
Under U.S. law, all
applicants for nonimmigrant visas are viewed as intending
immigrants until they can convince the consular officer that
they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have
reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger
than those for remaining in the United States. Ties to your
home country are the things that bind you to your hometown,
homeland, or current place of residence: job, family,
financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments,
and so on. If you are a prospective undergraduate, the
interviewing officer may ask about your specific intentions or
promise of future employment, family or other relationships,
educational objectives, grades, long-range plans, and career
prospects in your home country. Each person's situation is
different, of course, and there is no magic explanation or
single document, certificate, or letter, which can guarantee
visa issuance.
2) ENGLISH
Anticipate that the interview will be
conducted in English and not in your native language. One
suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native
speaker before the interview. If you are coming to the United
States solely to study intensive English, be prepared to
explain how English will be useful for you in your home
country.
3)SPEAK FOR YOURSELF
Do not bring parents or family members with
you to the interview. The consular officer wants to interview
you, not your family. A negative impression is created if you
are not prepared to speak on your own behalf. If you are a
minor applying for a high school program and need your parents
there in case there are questions, for example, about funding,
they should wait in the waiting room.
4) KNOW THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT FITS
YOUR CAREER PLANS
If you are not able to articulate the
reasons you will study in a particular program in the United
States, you may not succeed in convincing the consular officer
that you are indeed planning to study, rather than to
immigrate. You should also be able to explain how studying in
the United States relates to your future professional career
when you return home.
5) BE CONCISE
Because of the volume of applications
received, all consular officers are under considerable time
pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must
make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they
form during the first minute or two of the interview.
Consequently, what you say first and the initial impression
you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to
the officer´s questions short and to the point.
6) SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTATION
It should be clear at a glance to the
consular officer what written documents you are presenting and
what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be
quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will have 2-3
minutes of interview time, if you´re lucky.
7) NOT ALL COUNTRIES ARE EQUAL
Applicants from countries suffering
economic problems or from countries where many students have
remained in the United States as immigrants will have more
difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those
countries are more likely to be intending immigrants. They are
also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home
after their study in the United States.
8) EMPLOYMENT
Your main purpose of coming to the United
States should be to study, not for the chance to work before
or after graduation. While many students do work off-campus
during their studies, such employment is incidental to their
main purpose of completing their U.S. education. You must be
able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end
of your program. If your spouse is also applying for an
accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2 dependents cannot,
under any circumstances, be employed in the United States. If
asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do
with his or her time while in the United States. Volunteer
work and attending school part-time are permitted activities.
9) REMAINING AT HOME
If your spouse and children are remaining
behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will
support themselves in your absence. This can be an especially
tricky area if you are the primary source of income for your
family. If the consular officer gains the impression that your
family members will need you to remit money from the United
States in order to support themselves, your student visa
application will almost certainly be denied. If your family
does decide to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have
them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa.
10) MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Do not engage the consular officer in an
argument. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer
for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in
order to overcome the refusal, and try to get the reason you
were denied in writing.
This document was produced by NAFSA:
Association of International Educators. NAFSA would like to
credit Gerald A. Wunsch , Esq.,1997, then a member of the
Consular Issues Working Group, and a former U.S.Consulate
Officer in Mexico, Suriname, and the Netherlands and Martha
Wailes of Indiana University for their contributions to this
document. NAFSA also appreciates the input of the U.S.
Department of State.
Note: Sample document DO NOT print.
Get in MicrosoftTM Word Format.
International Student Services WVU Tech.
|
