Profile Details:

University: Illinois Institute of Technology
Course: MS in Industrial engineering
 

First Attempt
Chennai Consulate
Date: June 2017
Status: Approved
Counter No: 27
 

Visa interview Experience:

Reached the consulate gate at 7:30 am and was allowed in immediately. The queue went through a security check and sent into the main building. A lady asked for my I-20 and sevis fee receipt along with my passport, and she instructed me to keep them in hand. Proceeded into another building and stood in a small queue. The first counter they asked me to go to checked my passport and told me to move to the next one where they verified my fingerprints. Then, I was instructed to stand in the larger queue, for the visa interview. Took about 30 minutes for my turn to come.

VO was a man in his 30s, good looking, had a comforting smile.

VO: Good morning, how are you doing today?
Me: I'm doing alright, how about you?

VO: I'm great! *Takes my I-20, passport and sevis fee receipt*
VO: so, University of Illinois at Chicago, huh?
Me: Yes!

VO: ..and what are you going to study?
Me: Industrial engineering.

VO: Alright, *typing* and what are your areas of interest?
Me: Manufacturing and production planning.

VO: What's your GRE score?
Me: 309 in GRE and 110 in TOEFL.

VO: Good, and who's going to be funding you?
Me: My parents, and I've applied for an education loan as well.

VO: Okay, and what do you plan on doing after your studies?
Me: My uncle runs an industry here in Chennai, an aluminum foundry. I plan on coming here and working for him.

VO: Okay *typing*
VO: Alright, your Visa has been approved, good luck with your studies and have a nice stay in the US.
ME: Thank you very much, have a great day.

Keep your answers short and to the point. When asked about funding, I feel it's better to just say who's funding you, no need to go into the details of who is giving you how much money, unless they ask you to elaborate. Be as confident as you can, and as much as I tell you to be calm, when you reach the window, your heart is going to be pounding out of your chest. How you handle that is on you.

Dress normally, and if you're a guy with long hair, don't worry about it. I'm talking about this cause I have long hair and I thought that would be a problem. I just tied it up.

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