10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa
  1) TIES TO HOME COUNTRY.
Under U.S. law, all 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.
"Ties" to your home country are the things that bind you to your hometown,
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.
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. 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 in
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 United States relates to your future professional
career when you return home.
5) BE CONCISE.
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 or two 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) SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTATION.
It should be clear at a
glance 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 United States 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 United States
8) EMPLOYMENT.
Your main purpose of 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 United States.
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.
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 members 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.
© This document was
produced by NAFSA: Association
of International Educators. 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.
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