1.TIES TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY. Under U.S. law, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas, such as student 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 havereasons 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 home town,
homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will
inherit, investments, etc. 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. If you have applied for the
U.S. Green Card Lottery, you may be asked if you are intending to immigrate. A simple answer
would be that you applied for the lottery since it was available but not with a specific intent to
immigrate. If you overstayed your authorized stay in the U.S. previously, be prepared to explain
what happened clearly and concisely, with documentation if available.
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, but do NOT prepare speeches! 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 is 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 U.S.
relates to your future professional career when you return home.
5.BE BRIEF. 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 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.ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION. It should be immediately clear 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 US 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 U.S.
8.EMPLOYMENT. Your main purpose in 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 U.S. If
asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do with his or her time while in the
U.S. Volunteer work and attending school part-time are permitted activities.
9.DEPENDENTS 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 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.
NAFSA would like to credit Gerald A. Wunsch, Esq., 1997, then a member of the
Consular Issues Working Group, and a former U.S. Consular 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.