Dos and Don’ts of the student visa interview

Did you know that according to the Bureau of Immigration (BoI), 1,33,135 Indian students have departed the country for academic pursuits, by 20^th March 2022. If you are planning to study overseas, too, you will have to appear for an interview for a student visa. So, after getting through the college admission process, you can apply for a visa. A visa interview is part of the process, and once you clear it, you can fly abroad with a valid visa. If you want to know some tips to pass the student visa interview effectively, we are here to help you!

Key Highlights

• What are common F-1 visa interview questions?
• Dos of student visa interview questions

ü  Practice the English language

ü  Keep paperwork ready

ü  Proofs of financial documents

ü  Keep answers precise

ü  First impression counts

ü  Be calm and maintain a positive attitude

• Don’ts of visa interview

What are common F-1 visa interview questions?

The visa officers will ask F1 visa questions about your study plans, university choice, academic qualification, financial status and career plans. Kindly note that authorities want to understand if you are genuinely interested in studying overseas.

Dos of the student visa interview

Practice the English language – Speaking fluently during the interview is the best way to convince the visa officers that you can communicate and understand the academic lectures in English. This is why many universities have made English language proficiency tests such as IELTS and TOEFL mandatory. Hence, devote time to polish your grammar and vocabulary so that you can clearly understand the questions and answer them confidently.

Keep paperwork ready – Organise the relevant documents in one folder so that you can show them to visa officers as and when asked by them without wasting time. The list of relevant documents includes a passport, passport-sized photographs, academic transcripts, standardised test scores, university acceptance letter, and health insurance, to name a few.

Financial documents – The officers specifically check for financial documents during the visa interview to ensure that you have the necessary funds to pay for tuition fees, accommodation, living expenses, etc., in a foreign land. If you are facing a financial crunch, you can avail an education loan for study abroad purpose. Applying for the loan and obtaining a proof of funds certificate beforehand will help in convincing the authorities that you can finance your education independently.

Keep answers precise – The visa officers have to interview scores of applicants in a day. So, you have a limited time to impress them. Hence, give concise and to-the-point answers. Giving short answers conveys clarity of thoughts and saves time also.

First impression counts – “First impression is the last impression” is an adage that still holds importance today. Thus, create a positive impression on the visa officers by following these tips:

• Be punctual and try to arrive at the embassy 30 minutes before the interview.
• Wear well-ironed formal clothes on the day of the interview.
• Speak slowly and clearly. Do not hesitate to ask a question again if you are unable to understand it.
• Maintain an eye-contact with the interviewer.
• Prepare yourself well by gathering information about your college, course duration, commencement and end date, etc.

Be calm and maintain a positive attitude – The final tip to clear visa interview questions for students is to maintain a positive attitude throughout the interview. Wear a smile while entering the interview room, maintain a confident posture and do not forget to say “thank you” after the interview gets over. Keep yourself calm and composed while answering the questions.

Don’ts of visa interview

• Don’t make silly mistakes while filling out the visa application form. To ensure an error-free application process, double-check all the information before submission.
• Sharing false information leads to visa rejection. Therefore, do not lie during your visa interview.  
• Do not sound like a potential immigrant. State clearly that you are moving abroad for educational and not residential purposes and are willing to return to your home country after completing the course.
• Avoid mugging up questions and answers for the student visa interview. If you chant the scripted replies, the authorities may lose interest which can prove to be super risky.
• Avoid rambling and sharing personal stories or too much information.

So, these are some of the tips and tricks that will help you to crack a student visa interview. If a lack of finances is bothering you, contact Avanse Financial Services to obtain customised education loans. We are happy to help in your academic journey today and always!