The application process typically includes an interview with a consular official to determine the applicant’s purpose of travel to the U.S. Most visa interviews are short (one to two minutes) and are conducted in English, so it is important to prepare well before the interview. Be sure to remain calm and answer all questions honestly.
Information pertaining to visas and travel can be found on the following websites:
- Speak for yourself – You should answer all questions for yourself. The consular officer wants to hear your answers to the questions, not your family or friends’ answers.
- Be prepared– The interview will be conducted primarily in English, not your native language. Practice in advance, in English, with a native speaker before the interview.
- Be concise– Because of the high number of visa applications, all consular officials are under pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. The interview typically lasts only a few minutes and the official must be able to make a decision quickly.
- Prove “ties” to your home country– Demonstrate convincing reasons that you intend to return home after studies in the United States. 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.
- Dependents remaining at home– If you have a spouse and/or children remaining behind in your home country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves financially. This can be tricky if you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular official thinks that your family members will need you to send money from the United States to support them, your student visa will almost surely be denied. Remember that as an F-1 student visa applicant, your main purpose of coming to the United States is to study, not work.
- Dependents applying to travel with you– If your spouse and/or child are applying for an accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2 dependents cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the United States. You will be asked to show proof of financial support for the F-2 dependent as well as yourself. 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.
- Be prepared to prove financial abilityto pay for your education and living expenses. The officer should be able to read your supporting documents quickly and easily.
- Be clear about your study plans– what you are studying, where, and why. You should be able to explain how the degree you intend to get will relate to your future profession in your home country.
- 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 overturn the refusal, and try to get the reason you were denied in writing.
- Applicants from countries suffering economic problems, or from countries where many students have remained in the United States as immigrants, may have more difficulty getting visas.
Additional Tips from NAFSA: 10 Points to Remember When Applying For a Student Visa
- If you are issued a visa: Congratulations! Contact your Designated School Official (DSO) at BMCC to confirm your travel plans.
- If you are denied a visa: Most BMCC students will be successful in obtaining their student visas, however, a small number of students may have their visa applications denied.
The most common reasons for visa denial are:
- Failure to prove sufficient ties to your home country, or
- Failure to provide sufficient evidence of financial support
The visa officer is required to verbally inform you of the reason for the visa denial. If your visa is denied, please send an email to your International Student Specialist with the date and location of your visa interview, and details regarding the reason given by the visa officer for the denial.