Hi Guys. I finished my visa interview and it was as cool as anything!
I just thought I would give you guys a detailed account of my visa expeience (even though they hardly asked em any questions!) so that maybe it can help you guys. so here it goes and hope it is beneficial:
My visa interview was at Mumbai consulate so the few of the details I mention here might differ from one consulate to another.
I had an appointment at 8:15 a.m. so I had to raech the consulate at 8:00 a.m. still I reached there by 7:45 a.m. just to make sure I don't reach late. My advice to all those going for the interview is that don't reach there 1-2 hours before as there is really no use going early other than the fact that you will tire yourself and you don't want to be tired before one of the most important interviews of your life! Once you reach there one consulate staff will ask you to assemble in a line 15 minutes before your interview time. You will have to remove your
'Pink HDFC Slip' and
'Interview Appointment Letter'. After that you will be aske to slowly move into the consulate. Intially there will be a security check, so please make sure that you do not carry any items which are not allowed inside the consulate. In addition to the things mentioned by the consulate here are a few common things which I found most people had forgotten to leave at home:
1. Mobile.
2. Folders with Zips! Yes they are not allowed! SO make sure that your folder is one which does not have any zips.
3. Even thought metal belts are allowed it is very painful because they make you remove it and then you have to wear it again after you enter the consulate! So I would suggest that you avoid waering belts.
I would suggest that you take a friend along so that if certain things are not allowed you can ask them to hold it for you. I could see many studenst asking the parents of other students to hold their bags etc. and frankly at the last moment you should be avioding such headaches!
I owuld also suggest that you carry your folders in a good plastic bag rather than a fnacy leather bag or something as again they all have chains.
Once you are inside you will have to stand in another line. Here you will have to remove your
'Pink HDFC Slip', 'I-20' and 'Interview Appointment Letter'. You will have to submit these documents to a ldy who will put it in a Green Envelope and then pass it onto you.
After this you will have to stand in another line which is at Counter No. 1 and Counter No. 2. At these counters you will have to submit your green envelopes and then Scan you index fingers. The person at this counter after taking your envelope and scanning your fingers will give you a
'Pink Token'. This token will have a number which you will need to keep a lookout for. Every once in a while the Visa Officer (VO) at one of the counters will call a few token numbers and they have t go and stand in a line outside that counter.
The Visa Counters have a door which you need to lock once you go for your interview so now chance that you can hear what the VO is asking the person in front of you
They also have a MIC instead of the Phone which you needed to pick up for the interview. This is much better because now both your hands are free to remove documents from your file. Also there is a nice wooden platform in front of you where you can keep your file so that you can remove your documents easily.
Anyways I waited patiently for my token number to be called and once it was called I went to the counter. You do not necessarily enter the counter in the same order in which the VO had called your token numbers. So for example if 5 token numbers were called by the VO at counter X any one of those 5 people can go in for the interview.
After by number was called I went to the counter and being the first guy there I asked for permission and entered in. As soon as you enter the VO will ask you to give him/her the
'Pink Token'. This is how my interview went.
Me: Good Morning Sir. How are you?
VO: Good thanks. Can I have your pink Token?
Me: Yes Sir.
VO: So whats you GMAT score?
Me: Sir, X
VO: Wow I must say you are very intelligent.
Me. Thanks.
VO: SO whats you undrgraduate score?
Me: Sir I have scored X% in my undergarduate which is equivalent to X GPA (I knew my GPA as I had got then converted by WES which is US firm for one of my application).
VO: WOW! I must say again that you are very intelligent!
Me: Thanks a lot.
VO: (looking at my I-20) So you have a full scholarship! Wow thats great! I am issuing you a visa. Son you should have been in the US a longggggg time ago!
Me. Thanks!
So this was basically it. I know the interview was easier for me as I had great academics and full scholarship, but what I have seen is that most people who are genuinely interested in studies have got their visa. We always here about freak stories of how someone with no finances got a visa and someone with crores got rejected. I think the diffirence is CONFIDENE. Can't emphasize how important this is during your interview. Most Students who are able to answer the initial few questions like Why MBA? What are you Career Plans? How MBA will help you? Why will you come back? etc. are never asked about any documents. It is when they see that you are not confident ad are fumbling will they ask you for all documents.
Visa Officers are very objective. So don't get carried away by the stories fo rejection you hear from diffirent pepople as most often they are exaggerated tales! Be confient and show a genuine intent to study. We all have to understand that Visa Officers hae about 1-2 minutres to interview each person and the last thing they want to do is investigate the big bundle to documents each person carries! If they see you yourself are convinced then they will also feel like beleving you. Last thing that they want is to see your file and so dont give them a reason to ask for your documents.
Be confident and keep smiling!
P.S.: Even though I have said that most important thing is cnfidence and not the documents, I want to reiterate that you need to carry all the relevant documents. A VO will almost never give you a visa if he/she askes you for a doucment and you don't have it. Also I know many of you must bethinking (especially the ones who have been for a visa interview before) that I have explained the interview in great detail (like the wooden platform to keep your files!) but it was only for people who have never been for visa interview in the past.
Hope this post helps. Also if anyone needs any help regarding documentation or any preparation regarding the visa interviwe please feel free to contact me!
All the best to everyone
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