For a B1 visa or B2 visa, you must appear in your home country for an interview with a U.S. Embassy official. Keep in mind that these two visas are different from the ESTA. For the ESTA application you can easily and simply apply online.
Interview questions for the B1 or B2 visa
Ideally, there should be a list of interview questions to prepare you perfectly. However, it is difficult to put one together because the interview questions and answers for a B1 or B2 visa can vary from case to case. And it is quite likely that the questions will be adjusted and changed regularly due to certain country rules and new regulations.
You will be asked, among other things, about the rights the visa gives you, but also about the restrictions and conditions. For example, you should know that you are not allowed to study while visiting as a tourist.
It is also possible that the officer in charge will ask you a sensitive question to make you uncomfortable. Such a question might be, for example, "What would you do if you were offered a really good job while in the U.S.??"
The regulations for the B1 and B2 visas explicitly state that you do not have the right to work in the United States.
Answer the visa questions at the embassy with common sense. The purpose of the interview is to verify whether you intend to stay illegally or permanently on U.S. soil. Therefore, you should be very careful when answering these questions. If you have looked carefully at the terms and conditions of your visa and know its restrictions, you should be able to answer all questions without any problems.
Before you apply for one of these visas, we recommend that you check if your home country is one of the 40 countries participating in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Because then you can apply for an ESTA authorization for a short stay of up to 90 days.
You can easily fill out the ESTA registration online here on our website.
To make an appointment for the USA Visa Application
The first and most important piece of advice is: plan and schedule your visa interview well in advance. The entire process can take up to a month and depends on the travel season and the schedule of the relevant consulate/embassy. Visit the U.S. Department of State website to learn more about visa deadlines and wait times.
After you have selected your preferred date and appointment, you will be asked to submit an online application for the visa before your interview. This application is mandatory. Visit the "Consular Electronic Application Center" to start the application process. The required form for this is called DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application.
Note: the entire application can take up to 3 hours to complete. Be prepared for extensive questions about your background, such as criminal record or the like. You will also be questioned about your education/work/health. It is recommended to schedule the US visa appointment at least one week before the interview. This should give you enough time to gather all the required documents.
After you have finished the application, you need to pay the application fee. This is a mandatory fee charged by the US government for the nonimmigrant visa appointment. The fee is non-refundable. Please print out your proof of payment and be sure to bring it with you to the interview appointment. The document must be presented before the interview.
Interview questions about the tourist visa for the USA
The actual US visa interview may only take a few minutes to complete. Prepare for the appointment by having the answers to the following questions ready:
- What is the purpose of your trip?
- Do you have friends or family in the U.S? If "yes," you will have a written invitation?
- How long is your planned stay?
- Can you prove that you intend to return to your home country?
- Can you prove ties to your home country (family, work, studies, etc)?.)
- Have you ever been arrested?
- Have you ever been convicted of a crime?
- Have you ever or are you currently suffering from a contagious disease?
- Have you ever been to the United States?
- Have you ever overstayed your visa?
Tips for the U.S. visa appointment for a nonimmigrant visa
Show up early for your US visa appointment. The last thing you want is a denied visa due to traffic congestion. After entering the U.S. consulate/embassy, you should be quiet and polite. Officials have been trained to recognize when someone is lying and nervous.
During the interview, behave calmly, politely and most importantly – answer all questions honestly. Take a look at the interview questions above and support your answers with the help of the relevant evidence. This could be a bank statement or a letter from your boss to prove your employment status.
Attention: do not try to manipulate or lie to the official. If you provide fraudulent or misleading information, your application will be denied. In addition, you will encounter problems in any subsequent attempts to apply for a U.S. visa.
Conduct yourself in a calm and formal manner until the end of the interview. You will be informed immediately after the interview whether your application is approved or denied. If your application is rejected, don't react angrily or nervously. The official has the right to record your reaction in your records. If you apply again in the future, this note will be available to the officer in charge at that time, which may cause complications. Be sure to leave your passport behind after the interview. Once your application is approved, the embassy or consulate will take about 5 business days to process the information, issue your visa, and return your passport to you.
B1 or B2 Visa Interview Tips
Before you go to your visa interview, you should know what B1 and B2 stand for and know the difference between them.
A B1 visa is for temporary business travel. You can apply for this visa if the reason of your trip is business activities in the United States.
B2 visa is for tourists and people who are having medical treatment. This type of visa is colloquially known as a tourist visa. Anyone applying for this visa will not be allowed to work or study while in the U.S.
It's really important that you gather the necessary documents when applying for a visa to the U.S. Look very carefully at what requirements you must meet for each visa and take all relevant documents with you to the interview.
Some visa interview questions will relate to the purpose of your trip. Remember that B1 visa interview questions and answers will not be the same as B2 visa interview questions and answers. It's best to know the details of your trip: What places will you visit, where will you stay, etc?.
The immigration officers at the United States Embassy are well-trained and experienced people who specialize in visa interviews. It's pretty likely they'll see your attitude and intentions.
Actually, appearance should not matter. However, first impressions are extremely important, especially during an interview. Wear clean clothes and look well-groomed. Hygiene has an enormous impact on how people perceive us, and a clean person already signals politeness and consideration towards others.
If you have the appointment for your USA visitor visa interview, you should definitely be on time. Because punctuality is a sign of reliability and thus you collect plus points with the first impression.
If you don't know exactly how to answer a question, it's better to say so instead of making up an answer that will ruin your chances of getting a B1 or B2 visa.