B1 Visa Interview Experience - Hyderabad US Consulate
General Visa interview is now split into two processes.
1. OFC - On a separate day
2. Consulate Interview - On a separate day
The OFC office is now moved to GAWRA GRAND building. You can easily locate this building in the GOOGLE MAPS as well. It is in the off lane on the same Consulate road. When entering from the Main road, take left and reach the dead end to get into this building.
Procedure
1. Take the following 3 documents only.
2. Reach GAWRA GRAND just 30 mins before your scheduled time. It is absolutely unnecessary to reach there hours before. At the gate the security will display the time slot being serviced for your reference.
3. No VISA interview at GAWRA GRAND. So come relaxed. Dressing could be semi-casual or formal.
4. After the security check at the gate, walk in and you will see a queue. Join the queue and one of the VFS employees will attend you to verify the documents, and help you in arranging the Passport, Appointment letter and DS160. Maintain the order till you reach the security at the door.
5. At the door, your appointment letter will be scanned and you will be asked to get inside.
6. Inside the building, co-operate for frisking and security check.
7. Once done, walk to the adjacent counter and present your Passport+DS160+Appointment letter. The VFS executive will scan the document, and attach a barcode sticker on your passport.
8. Collect the documents, get the QUEUE token from security and walk inside.
9. The QUEUE token usually has two numbers. Your Queue serial number in 3 digits, and the counter number in 1 or 2 digits. Ex. 388 2. Which means you are visitor no. 388, and assigned to counter no.2
10. Give the token to the VFS executive inside, and he will guide you to sit in a chair closer to your designated counter.
11. When your number is called, go to the counter, submit the documents, and follow the instructions to scan your fingerprints. It is quite easy, and dont be shaky. Use your other hand to press this hand firmly, if you are nervous.
12. Smile, as you will be photographed. The executive inside the counter will give you instructions to shoot a legible photo. Comply with his instructions.
13. Once photo shoot is done, he will return the documents. Collect them, verify and walk towards the exit.
Consulate Interview at Hyderabad US Consulate
Depending on your scheduled Interview time at Hyderabad US Consulate, reach there before 30 mins. (Tip. Try to get the morning time slots around 8:00am, as there will be less crowd). Depending on the crowd, you may be asked to wait in the QUEUE.
1. Once you are in QUEUE, keep your PASSPORT ready. Keep other documents inside your file.
2. A security office will verify the sticker in the passport and let you in.
3. Walk inside, and reach the chairs.
4. A VFS executive will guide you to take a chair in a particular row. Get seated.
5. After some time, the executive will announce a row of people to move into the counter queue. When your turn comes, get up walk towards the counter.
6. The executive inside the counter will ask for your name and passport. She will then stick a big sticker with the serial number on the passport. Collect the passport and walk tpwards the tray collection. The serial number usually looks like EXXX or SXXX where XXX are three digit numbers.
7. A tray will be give to you to deposit your wallet, watch, bangles, belts, documents, gold chains, files etc. Put all your item in it and walk inside the building.
8. The security people will do a frisking and scan your tray contents. Additionally there will be manual checking of documents.
9. Once done, take your belongings, walk out of the room.. and then put on your belongings.
10. Walk along the path and reach the long row of chairs. The VFS executives will guide you to sit appropriately.
11. Wait for your turn to be called. Once your number is called, walk to the counter. If required ask the VFS executive to guide to the counter.
12. During the wait inside, you can make use of the small pantry to buy some food, snacks, tea, coffee and water.
13. Once you reach the counter, join the queue and wait patiently.
14. When you are called.. reach the counter with a smiling face (should be natural and from the heart). Dont give a artificial smile.
15. Say GOOD MORNING or the appropriate time greeting. The visa officer will respond back positively. Use SIR or OFFICER to address male interviewers. Use "Ma'am" to address female interviewers.
16. Present the passport. Answer the questions. Do not answer in single words. Path2usa and immihelp websites have lots of examples of real interview questions. You can make use of those to understand what questions can be expected, and how to answer. Produce any documents that may be asked by the officer. Tagging them with sticky notes will be helpful.
17. If the officer is satisfied with your answers, he/she will approve your visa by saying "You visa is approved" or else, will handover a paper stating the rejection reason.
18. If approved, you passport will be taken inside to stamp the visa. You will be needed to collect it from the designated collection centers in your city.
Helpful tips
1. During the DS160 online form filling, you would have given a lot of details about your job, location of visit, purpose of visit etc. Make sure you read and remember all these, as the officer will be cross checking the details at the time of interview. So ensure you read your personal copy of the DS160 before you go the interview.
2. Choose NO for the PREPARER OF APPLICATION question in DS160. If you choose yes, there is a high chance that your visa application will be rejected AT THE INTERIVEW.
3. Most of the time, B1 visas gets approved if the duration of stay is less than two weeks.
4. If your employer is a big company, or part of the BEP program, the rejection rate for B1 is very very less.
5. Be confident and speak clearly. No bluffing or vague answers.
6. There is no proper relation between the rejection rates, and emotions seen in the officers faces. So dont judge your success rate by looking at their faces. Although most of the officers are generally smiling or dont show any emotions. But they never showed any arrogance or raised their eye brows as far as I have seen.
7. Your children under age 14, are not required to attend the interview. So try not to bring them unless you are sure they wont cry. Most of the kids gets scared when they enter the counter rooms. The sudden silence and general nervousness in people's faces makes many kids cry.
1. OFC - On a separate day
2. Consulate Interview - On a separate day
OFC
This is where you visit the VFS office to scan your fingerprints, confirm your identity to take photos.The OFC office is now moved to GAWRA GRAND building. You can easily locate this building in the GOOGLE MAPS as well. It is in the off lane on the same Consulate road. When entering from the Main road, take left and reach the dead end to get into this building.
Procedure
1. Take the following 3 documents only.
- The DS-160 printout
- Your Passport
- Appointment letter.
2. Reach GAWRA GRAND just 30 mins before your scheduled time. It is absolutely unnecessary to reach there hours before. At the gate the security will display the time slot being serviced for your reference.
3. No VISA interview at GAWRA GRAND. So come relaxed. Dressing could be semi-casual or formal.
4. After the security check at the gate, walk in and you will see a queue. Join the queue and one of the VFS employees will attend you to verify the documents, and help you in arranging the Passport, Appointment letter and DS160. Maintain the order till you reach the security at the door.
5. At the door, your appointment letter will be scanned and you will be asked to get inside.
6. Inside the building, co-operate for frisking and security check.
7. Once done, walk to the adjacent counter and present your Passport+DS160+Appointment letter. The VFS executive will scan the document, and attach a barcode sticker on your passport.
8. Collect the documents, get the QUEUE token from security and walk inside.
9. The QUEUE token usually has two numbers. Your Queue serial number in 3 digits, and the counter number in 1 or 2 digits. Ex. 388 2. Which means you are visitor no. 388, and assigned to counter no.2
10. Give the token to the VFS executive inside, and he will guide you to sit in a chair closer to your designated counter.
11. When your number is called, go to the counter, submit the documents, and follow the instructions to scan your fingerprints. It is quite easy, and dont be shaky. Use your other hand to press this hand firmly, if you are nervous.
12. Smile, as you will be photographed. The executive inside the counter will give you instructions to shoot a legible photo. Comply with his instructions.
13. Once photo shoot is done, he will return the documents. Collect them, verify and walk towards the exit.
Consulate Interview at Hyderabad US Consulate
Depending on your scheduled Interview time at Hyderabad US Consulate, reach there before 30 mins. (Tip. Try to get the morning time slots around 8:00am, as there will be less crowd). Depending on the crowd, you may be asked to wait in the QUEUE.
1. Once you are in QUEUE, keep your PASSPORT ready. Keep other documents inside your file.
2. A security office will verify the sticker in the passport and let you in.
3. Walk inside, and reach the chairs.
4. A VFS executive will guide you to take a chair in a particular row. Get seated.
5. After some time, the executive will announce a row of people to move into the counter queue. When your turn comes, get up walk towards the counter.
6. The executive inside the counter will ask for your name and passport. She will then stick a big sticker with the serial number on the passport. Collect the passport and walk tpwards the tray collection. The serial number usually looks like EXXX or SXXX where XXX are three digit numbers.
7. A tray will be give to you to deposit your wallet, watch, bangles, belts, documents, gold chains, files etc. Put all your item in it and walk inside the building.
8. The security people will do a frisking and scan your tray contents. Additionally there will be manual checking of documents.
9. Once done, take your belongings, walk out of the room.. and then put on your belongings.
10. Walk along the path and reach the long row of chairs. The VFS executives will guide you to sit appropriately.
11. Wait for your turn to be called. Once your number is called, walk to the counter. If required ask the VFS executive to guide to the counter.
12. During the wait inside, you can make use of the small pantry to buy some food, snacks, tea, coffee and water.
13. Once you reach the counter, join the queue and wait patiently.
14. When you are called.. reach the counter with a smiling face (should be natural and from the heart). Dont give a artificial smile.
15. Say GOOD MORNING or the appropriate time greeting. The visa officer will respond back positively. Use SIR or OFFICER to address male interviewers. Use "Ma'am" to address female interviewers.
16. Present the passport. Answer the questions. Do not answer in single words. Path2usa and immihelp websites have lots of examples of real interview questions. You can make use of those to understand what questions can be expected, and how to answer. Produce any documents that may be asked by the officer. Tagging them with sticky notes will be helpful.
17. If the officer is satisfied with your answers, he/she will approve your visa by saying "You visa is approved" or else, will handover a paper stating the rejection reason.
18. If approved, you passport will be taken inside to stamp the visa. You will be needed to collect it from the designated collection centers in your city.
Helpful tips
1. During the DS160 online form filling, you would have given a lot of details about your job, location of visit, purpose of visit etc. Make sure you read and remember all these, as the officer will be cross checking the details at the time of interview. So ensure you read your personal copy of the DS160 before you go the interview.
2. Choose NO for the PREPARER OF APPLICATION question in DS160. If you choose yes, there is a high chance that your visa application will be rejected AT THE INTERIVEW.
3. Most of the time, B1 visas gets approved if the duration of stay is less than two weeks.
4. If your employer is a big company, or part of the BEP program, the rejection rate for B1 is very very less.
5. Be confident and speak clearly. No bluffing or vague answers.
6. There is no proper relation between the rejection rates, and emotions seen in the officers faces. So dont judge your success rate by looking at their faces. Although most of the officers are generally smiling or dont show any emotions. But they never showed any arrogance or raised their eye brows as far as I have seen.
7. Your children under age 14, are not required to attend the interview. So try not to bring them unless you are sure they wont cry. Most of the kids gets scared when they enter the counter rooms. The sudden silence and general nervousness in people's faces makes many kids cry.
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