Interviews

#1: In person

1. What countries have you lived in?

"India and the US"

2. What type of visas have you had (and in which countries)?

"B1, B2, and H-1B" in the United States

3. How informed on immigration were you before you applied for a visa?

I "Googled detailed information on the immigration process, to know about the questions" that will be asked at the interview.

4. What kind of assistance did you receive in your application process?

I received "information from the sponsoring company" as well as "information from people who already had the visa" both online and through connections.

5. Do you think that the process was generally easy or difficult?

There is a "timeline you have to follow, which is not easy". The experience is "more positive when the company helps you". My H-1B took "almost a year".

6. How would you describe the visa experience? Did you have to go on an interview?

"The most important" aspect of the process "was the interview and you have to prepare yourself because it is intimidating when other visas are being rejected". Also, "if you don't understand a question its better to ask" for clarification "rather than come up with an answer". A question they asked me was "'What is your I-797? and then I asked for clarification" and then they explained they were asking who the sponsoring company was.

7. What advice would you give to someone in your same immigration situation?

"Be cool, confident, and at peace" and at the interview "be clear in your responses" because "you only have a one time opportunity".

#2: Over Email

1. What countries have you lived in?

Japan and the US

2. What type of visas have you had (and in which countries)?

E2 visa in the US

3. How informed on immigration were you before you applied for a visa?

On the American Embassy website. Also I got information from an agent of Visa assistance.

4. What kind of assistance did you receive in your application process?

I used an agent of American Visa assistance. (They applied for my visa).

5. Do you think that the process was generally easy or difficult?

I think the process is easy, if people don’t have any legal problems.

6. How would you describe the visa experience? Did you have to go on an interview?

I had to go interview at the American Embassy with some documents. First, I went to the Embassy at 1-2 hours before interview because I needed to [wait in] line for security. It was like TSA. Then the officer checked my documents. I waited about an hour, and finally I went to interview. She checked my documents again, she asked nothing. I expected interviewer asked me about “why would you like to go to US?” “Where will you live?” [or questions] like that. But she didn’t ask anything because my father already got E-2 Visa and stayed in US. My visa depended on my father’s visa. Probably that’s why. When she received my documents with my passport, it finished. I just waited [for the] mail that [included] passport with [the] visa.

7. What advice would you give to someone in your same immigration situation?

You have to talk in English at Embassy. You should prepare for answering questions. In addition, it takes [a] long time [to receive the] visa after interview. So you should try to make reservation for interview as early as possible.