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F1 visa

by Viraat Harsh

From all that I had read, I was really very nervous from the day I took a date for visa interview. The fact that none of my first-hand contacts had applied for an F1 visa, nor did umartariq.com have a detail on F1 visa made me even more nervous. ;)

Ok so here it goes. F1 visa is Student’s Visa. To apply for F1 visa you should have an I-20 (SEVIS: Student and Exchange Visitor Information System form). Once you are accepted by a medical center/university for study there, if they require you to come on F1 visa, they will get you an I-20 issued and they will mail it to you by post. When you apply for F1 visa online, you will require the I-20 number (SEVIS number). Now the issuing of I-20 requires a payment to be made. Although the university that has accepted you, gets the I-20 issued, it’s you who has to pay the fees for it. So once you have the I-20 you can go to www.fmjfee.com and fill an online form (which is called I-901 and then you make the payment by a credit card) and you print out the fee receipt. This fee receipt is to be taken with you for the Visa IV.

To apply for the Visa IV date, the process is similar to the other types of visa other than you needing a I-20 (SEVIS form and SEVIS fee receipt). To remind you the steps are- fill in the DS-160 online, print the DS-160 confirmation, make a visa fee payment at an authorized HDFC bank (in India). Once you have the HDFC fee receipt, you can book you date for the visa IV.

Now comes the preparation for the interview. Make a file with all the required documents as you were directed (on the website) to keep once you booked your date for the IV. For me the list was something like this: 

  • Visa appointment letter, 
  • CEAC Barcode (DS-160),
  • HDFC fee Receipt, 
  • Affidavit of support (from my father saying he is capable of supporting me for all the payments required either for travel or study including if any unforeseen expenditure comes up), 
  • Tax return forms of my father, 
  • Original I-20, 
  • KUMC acceptance letter (email), 
  • SEVIS fee receipt (I-901), 
  • State Bank of India certifying that my dad had the enough funds to support me, 
  • Proof of SBI funds (copies of the statements), 
  • Proof of my funds in other banks, 
  • Proof of relation with sponsor (Birth certificate), 
  • Copy of my passport with Original,
  • Permission from my medical school stating that I was in the final year of graduation and was allowed to go for electives at KUMC and that I would have to return to India and complete the last year of graduation and will be given a degree certificate only after I complete my internship in India (this is a very very important document, I recommend all of you to get this made from your Dean’s office), 
  • Marksheet of Std. 10 and 12, 
  • Marksheets of MBBS exams, 
  • TOEFL scorecard,
  • Proof of accommodation at KUMC, 
  • Affidavit of non-immigrant intent (stating that I am going only for electives and intend to come back to India so that my training during electives can help me work better in my country), 
  • CV, 
  • Snaps with family members (I know it seems foolish to keep things like these but believe me you will want to cross all levels of foolishness to get things right in the visa IV), 
  • My temporary registration (we get one in India),
  • Transcripts,
  • Immunization records.

Well this is it for the paper work..

As far as differences between F1 and B1/B2 are concerned, there is no difference in the visa application process. 

1. As I have pointed it out earlier, you need an I-20 issued from the university for F1 visa and have to pay for SEVIS fee even before you can apply for the visa. Whereas for B1/2 visa no such specific document is required. In my opinion this makes it easier to get an F1 visa approved, coz you have a document from the university requiring you to come there. So unless you screw it up yourself, F1 visa is in your hands. So F1 visa has a plus point here.

2. Visa duration for F1 visa is only up to 2 months more than your desired duration of study. Like if you are going for an elective for 3 months, your visa duration will be for 4-5 months. Whereas for B1/2 visa you can get a multiple entry 10 year visa. Which is a big plus point.

3. When you get an F1 visa, on your visa is clearly mentioned which university you will be going to and it is taken for granted that you are going for that purpose only. For B1/2 visa there is no such restriction. I mean you might have earlier to decided to go to university A and applied for visa and later you get acceptance from university B so you can change your mind and decide to go for university B, there are no legal problems. (I myself faced a similar problem, I got my F1 visa for KUMC and later got acceptance from NWU also, for one month in the same period that I was going to KUMC for, but I had too much in mind and did not want to fall into the tedious process of status change etc. etc. so I had to turn down NWU)

This is all I could make out as difference between B1/2 visa and F1 visa. If anyone finds anymore differences please add the details here. So basically both the visa types have their own pros and cons. As long as you are getting a visa approved and going for electives, it does not matter on which visa you are going.

After the paperwork, came the preparation for the real interview, the thing which gives jitters to everyone. I have to say here that it has been exaggerated when people say getting a visa is tough and difficult, or purely luck. I agree, there might be exceptions but speaking in general, if your papers are right and you seem like a decent genuine guy, there is nothing to worry. But since nobody had told me it would be so easy I was trying to get prepared in every way I could.

I had made a set of questionnaire for the interview and I am pasting it here:

1. Why do you want to go to the US?

    I am going for elective rotation at Kansas University Medical Center.

2. What do you mean by elective rotation?

    Elective rotation is a short period of training in the US which medical students can apply for when in the final year of their graduation.

3. Where are you going?

    KUMC, Kansas City. KS

4. How did u get to know about KUMC?

    I heard about it from my friends and then I searched more about it on the internet. I mailed the International Programs Coordinator who then detailed me on rest of the things.

5. What do you know about KUMC?

    It is a University Medical Center, with a school of medicine. KUMC is the largest hospital for the people of Kansas State. Students get an opportunity to work in the clinics as well as in the labs. They make for a good center for research too. Every year they take a number of international students for elective rotations. They even have a separate house ‘International house’ for the students.

6. Where else did you apply?

    University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio

    Northwestern University, Chicago

    I applied to these universities, and UTHSCSA said they did not have a vacancy during the period I was interested in. And NWU said they would be able to confirm me only in May end because before that they accommodate their own students first.

7. Where will you stay?

    I will stay at the International House which is in KUMC campus and esp. meant for international students who go there for elective rotations. Later I will be staying at YMCA hostel or any hotels. (say if asked)

8. How will training at KUMC help you here?

    It will give me an exposure to the working pattern at a good center in the US, and will add to my experience of working in surgical branches. It will also give me an opportunity to see operative procedures using the latest instruments and techniques.If I am lucky, I might get an opportunity to get attached to a short term research during my stay at KUMC.

9. Mention names of some of the professors there.

    Dr. John Grant, an expert in endoscopic surgeries, Dr. Ania Pollack, oncologic neurosurgeon, gamma knife surgery

10. Why not elective in India?

    I wanted is to expose myself to the latest technologies and trends in US.

11. What exactly will you be doing in the elective?

    My job will be like that of a final year American Medical Student. I will be attending rounds, presenting cases, attending the outpatient department, observing various procedures in the operation theatres and if lucky, assisting in the procedures too.

12. Who is sponsoring you?

    My father

13. What is your annual income? (then how do you have funds in your account?)

    I am still a student, not yet earning. The funds in my accounts are mostly gifts from my grandparents and parents over the last few years. Also my savings from pocket money.

14. Have you ever visited any other country?.. (recall the dates of when you went)

    Yes I have been to Singapore and Malaysia for a pleasure trip.

15. Do you have leave granted?

    Yes I have permission from the Principal if my college. Do you want to see the papers?

16. Can I see you Business/visiting card?

    I am sorry I don’t have one.

17. Do you have a credit card?

    Yes.

18. Do you have any relatives in the US?

    No

19. How long will you be staying in USA?

    About 80-85 days

20. Will you work there?

    No

21. Will you come back?

    Yes of course, I am yet to graduate. I will be yet to complete 4 months of my graduate course before I can get the graduation certificate.

22. How can you assure me that you will come back?

    I am still in the final year of graduation. I will be completing my graduation after I come back. Would you like to see my Dean’s NOC which states the same? Moreover I am the only child to my parents.

23. What do your parents do?

    My dad is a doctor and my mom is a teacher.

24. What is your father’s annual income?

25. Does your father have any loans?

     No

26. Will anyone be accompanying you?

    No

27. When do you plan to travel?

    1st July and Around 25th Sept. return

28. Why do you want to return late after your rotation?

    Since I am going to the US for the first time, I want to visit a couple of places. I have a family friend in the US, Mr. XYZ, I would like to meet him and stay with his family for a couple of weeks. I would like to look around in the great country and learn from my stay.

29. Have you taken USMLE exams?

    No, not yet.

30. Are you preparing for USMLE exams?

    No, not yet. In the last year of graduation we are required to work in the hospital, and is quite taxing. I have to devote much time in the clinics.

31. Have you blocked your tickets?

    Yes

32. Do you have medical insurance?

    Not yet. I will be working on it after my visa gets improved.

33. What will be your total expense?

    Around 3000-3500 dollars

34. What places will you be going to while in the US?

    I will be staying for 2 months at Kansas City, KS. Then I am planning to visit New Jersey.

35. Do you have a scholarship?

    No

36. What will you do if your visa gets rejected?

    I will inform KUMC student coordinator and then reapply.


All this for the preparation, but the actual interview with a young Visa IV Officer (VO) went something like this:

VO: Hi

Me: Hello (smile on my face), How are you?

VO: I am good, and you? (smiling back)

Me: I am fine, thank you.

VO: F1? Where are you going?

Me: I am going to Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas State.

VO: No tuition fees? Just $500 for the accommodation? Its basically a free ride. (Smiling)

Me: Yeah almost. I guess I was lucky.

VO: What are you going for?

Me: I am going for elective rotations.

VO: (confused look) Is it something like an observership?

Me: Yeah only partly different, coz in an elective you get to examine the patients and perform procedures, in an observership you can only watch the procedures being done. Moreover an elective you can go for only during the last year of your graduation while observership is after you have graduated.

VO: That’s impressive, but does it mean that you are not a doctor yet?

Me: Right, I am only a student in the last year of graduation. Only after I return and complete my rotations here in India can I graduate and become a doctor.

VO: I see. So when do you plan to leave?

Me: 1st of July

VO: Ok sir you visa has been approved, have a good day.

Me: Wow, that’s great!! Thank you, thank you so much. (And I was so happy and almost jumping with joy, so much so that the VO found it amusing to enjoy the luxury of a small laughter).

I had been asked to deposit only the I-20, photographs, TOEFL scorecard, and university acceptance letter before my name was called for the interview. That’s it. I was not asked to show any proof of funds or anything of that sort. Well may be I was just lucky, but being prepared with all the documents sure made me lot more confident. And so I believe, and you will agree that if you put in a bit, you can get electives too, coz you might be dumb and novice at all this but ‘I was once young and foolish like you’ ;) (I hope you can recognize the punch line ;) )

You can follow me on twitter- https://twitter.com/viraatharsh

hi viraat

Nice contribution.... even I liked your article... there was some new stuff even for me... I really enjoyed two sentences... 

  1. And I was so happy and almost jumping with joy, so much so that the VO found it amusing to enjoy the luxury of a small laughter.
  2. I was once young and foolish like you.

Anyhow, can you please mention differences in the application procedure of F1 and B1/B2 separately, if any?

Well very best of luck for future, God bless you!

Thank you for the appreciation Umar Bhai..

As far as differences between F1 and B1/B2 are concerned, there is no difference in the visa application process.                                                               1.      As I have pointed it out earlier, you need an I-20 issued from the university for F1 visa and have to pay for SEVIS fee even before you can apply for the visa. Whereas for B1/2 visa no such specific document is required. In my opinion this makes it easier to get an F1 visa approved, coz you have a document from the university requiring you to come there. So unless you screw it up yourself, F1 visa is in your hands. So F1 visa has a plus point here.


2. Visa duration for F1 visa is only up to 2 months more than your desired duration of study. Like if you are going for an elective for 3 months, your visa duration will be for 4-5 months. Whereas for B1/2 visa you can get a multiple entry 10 year visa. Which is a big plus point.

3. When you get an F1 visa, on your visa is clearly mentioned which university you will be going to and it is taken for granted that you are going for that purpose only. For B1/2 visa there is no such restriction. I mean you might have earlier to decided to go to university A and applied for visa and later you get acceptance from university B so you can change your mind and decide to go for university B, there are no legal problems. (I myself faced a similar problem, I got my F1 visa for KUMC and later got acceptance from NWU also, for one month in the same period that I was going to KUMC for, but I had too much in mind and did not want to fall into the tedious process of status change etc. etc. so I had to turn down NWU)

This is all I could make out as difference between B1/2 visa and F1 visa. If anyone finds anymore differences please add the details here. So basically both the visa types have their own pros and cons. As long as you are getting a visa approved and going for electives, it does not matter on which visa you are going.

first of all, viraat u deserve kudos for putting up such a great n enlightening article. :-)

wanted to kno 1 thing... suppose i get accepted for an elective for which B-1 visa is compulsory...and next month I get accepted in another institution for which F-1 is mandatory.. CAN I APPLY FOR BOTH VISAS BEFORE HAND AND GO TO US?? or r v given only 1 visa at a time?

plz help!!

Hey dr_andy

Thank you for the appreciation. :)

I am not 100% sure about this but you can go for both the electives. I think if you have time you should email the US consulate where you have to go for visa and explain them the whole situation and ask them what to do. They are very good people and will surely help you out. You can even call them up. So I dont know how to go about it but you can definitely go for both the electives. Either you can get two visa stamped or you can go for one visa and later apply for a status change. For details on both, I am sorry I am not wise/knowledgeable enough to guide you. But you should definitely try. And once you have done it, please post your experience here.

One thing I would like to say is never lie to the VO or to the consulate people. We might be smart but they are smarter, and they surely dont want us to oversmart them...

pp231286 (not verified)

Thu, 06/17/2010 - 16:57


Hi Dr Viraat
This is the most extensive article on visa I/V ever posted in recent times. Good luck for your electives and do post your experience of  electives once you are back home.

upa (not verified)

Tue, 09/14/2010 - 11:35

hii.....i completed my 12th board exams in 2004 & got admitted in a medical college in 2006.

in 2005 i got into 1st year BDS but could not take the university exams because i got admitted in a medical college in 2006 june.

do u think this 2years gap will be of any problem during my visa interview???? will i b rejected F1 visa???

thank u

Tavankit (not verified)

Fri, 02/04/2011 - 04:53

i have been accepted by MSSM for elective for a month..on the application, i had requested for an elective of 2 months...many people have told me that if u request them after going to US,they'll extend ur elective by another month. will there be any problem with the visa if i get an additional 1 month elective after going there???i also plan to prepare for CS for 15-20 days after finishing the elective and then come back after giving the CS...

Tavankit (not verified)

Mon, 02/07/2011 - 18:37

i am going for my interview next week.i got an acceptance from mssm for march. i want to extend my elective for another month,and the uni might give me an elective for april too. is it possible to extend my visa for another month at a later stage?

Hi Tavankit

It is not possible to get your visa extended. And your stay actually does not depend on the visa period, rather on the duration of stay allowed to you at the port of entry in the US. For example you could be entering US like 10 days before the expiry date of your visa but at the port of entry you get a 3 month stay-allowance period then you can stay in the US for 3 months. I hope you understood what I meant to say.

Also, at the port of entry, you get 1-2 months more than your period of study in the US (in which you are expected to be packing up before leaving US) but if your uni allows you to do an elective then, why not??

I hope that answered the question..!!

Ut-Houston requires F1 as does Uthscsa.....i have applied for june electives in ut-Houston and july,august in Uthscsa.......could pls tell me that if goin on F1 visa for houston, can I continue in Uthscsa?

thanking you

Hello Nitish

As far as I know its a NO. The F1 that you get while applying for electives at UT- Houston will have mentioned the time period of your elective rotation and also that that visa is being given to you for your elective rotation at UT-Houston, so I think it will not work for UTHSCSA but then I think it will be important if you talk to the Visa people beforehand and explain to them that this is the problem and query I think they will definitely tell you of something helpful and bright. Like they may approve the Visa for two places and let the whole duration of study be the aggregate of those of the mentioned places. I hope this will help.

sadia ikram (not verified)

Thu, 03/17/2011 - 14:14

Dear umar bhai,

As I have told my whole story in the previous post, that I have my visa interview date on the 30th for mount sinai and i have posted my application for F1 visa, and so im very very much worried what to do and what not......plz plz guide me in this regards.please reply soon.


very very appreciated.

Dear Virat,

 im having my interview for the F1 visa on 30th of this month, for electives at mount sinai. i have been reading the posts which said that the embassy people in islamabad are giving B1 to those who have applied in mount sinai. My electives are starting from 04 april and i was sceduled for 18th march, but due to raymond davis release and protests etc, the embassy was closed and i was informed that i have been resceduled to 30th march.

now my questions are:

mount sinai has been very clear in saying that students must come on F1 visa, if the embassy is giving b1, what should I do??

secondly i have requested the office  to give me interview date as early as possible, but they have put down my request saying they cant do any thing as these dates have been given by the embassy itself.

now my electives are starting from 04th april and im very stressd out, not knowing what to do...

Hello Ms. Ikram

Apologies for a delayed reply. Its a difficult scene I must say. May be you can talk to Mt. Sinai people (call them not email) and talk to the international programs coordinator that some people who had applied for F1 visa for Mt. Sinai, got B1/2 visa and that your IV dates have been postponed for XYZ reason. Also ask them what you must do if for any unforeseen reason you are given B1/2 visa even though you applied for F1.

In the IV try to genuinely request them that Mt. Sinai will not accept you if you get B1/2. You need F1. Get a letter from Mt. Sinai saying that you need F1 only and not B1/2. Explain to them that you are going on a visitor student exchange program, which means you are a student yourself and hence must go on F1, which seems obvious.

Please do not get hurried or worried, stay calm, prepare well for the IV. Take the necessary documentation. Be in touch with Mt. Sinai regularly, they should be able to understand that there is a problem and that its nothing you can do, as you applied for F1 and still got a B1/2. May be thay will accept you on B1/2 then.

Also, do you have electives elsewhere? Your B1/2 might work at those places. If you dont have electives anywhere else, apply for other places also, coz in the worst scenario that you are not allowed to rotate in Mt. Sinai, you will still have scores of options where students are accepted on B1/2 and you never know, your B1/2 visa may turn out to be a boon in disguise. Keep us informed.

muhammad ali (not verified)

Thu, 03/17/2011 - 18:02


hello sir

   few days back i had my interview at u.s embassy but unfortunately they refused to give me visa.my electives are starting from 4th april 2011.kindly guide me that should i reapply for the visa or do some thing else.

thnx

Hello Ali

I am sorry to know that your visa was not approved. I would say definitely you should apply again. Try to analyze what could have caused the denial of the visa. Try to correct the flaws. Try to prepare well this time. But yes do not say anything which will oppose what you said in the previous interview. The consulate people have it on record all your details, and also what you told them. Be honest. Keep your fingers crossed.

Arif (not verified)

Wed, 03/23/2011 - 12:24

Virat Bhai i really appreciate your help to all the visa aspirant, i got accepted in mount sinai but the visa officer at islamabad embassy rejected my visa application twice stating that you have average grades in your medical school and you are not outstanding student, kindly help me as is this a genuine reason for visa refusal or he just made that up?

Hey Arif

Its really sad that the consulate rejected your visa on those grounds. If Mt. Sinai selected you, with whatever scores and academic background you had I dont think it was the VO's call to call off your trip. But then this is technical and I am not sure if the VO can reject your visa on that ground. May be you should contact the consulate, email them and see what they have to say.

Hey Arif, would you mind letting us know a bit about  your grades, so we can know what the visa officers consider to be below average scores and try to proceed accordingly. What were your TOEFL scores? What year of medical school are you in and it would be of much help if you could let us know about the visa officers questions and your answers, if you dont mind.

Gurpartap (not verified)

Mon, 03/28/2011 - 21:33

hey anyone who is done electives at Kansas..i got mine in cardiology..i ran into a bit of a problem... i have a four week rotation ..but the attending changes every week ..so i what according to you guys would be the best way to get a letter of recommendation...kindly guide me on this ..appreciate it a lot.

sadia ikram (not verified)

Thu, 03/31/2011 - 10:06

Dear Viraat,

Thank you for ur guidance, that was really very very helpful.

 I just wanted to ask is it important for the Visa officer to see the SEVIS reciept before approving F1?

I know a person who applied for F1 and during his whole interview the visa officer did not even ask for the SEVIS fee nor see the receipt, so the question is, is it essential or even necessary for the officer to see the receipt Before issuing or approving a F1 visa?

 Thank you.

Sidra

Hello Ms. Ikram

Apologies for a delayed reply. The thing is you will be able to apply for F1 visa only after you pay the sevis fee. And if you pay the fee, there is no reason why you should not have a receipt. You friend might not have been asked for the receipt but since the requirements say that you should have the sevis fee receipt, if she/he was asked for it and it wasnt available, she/he could have been in trouble. So better have it with you, it does not take much to get a print out.

rajkundra (not verified)

Wed, 05/11/2011 - 17:08

hey viraat

i gave my visa interview today at new delhi for f1..the counsellor asked me many questions and then forwarded my documents to another document without telling me anything..the lady at the other counter said my visa is approved but needs additional processing for minimum of 2weeks and maximum no limit..'i wanted to know i have my rotation starting in 3 weeks and i am very nervous whether its approved or not,though i asked that lady again if its really approved or not she said yes.. do u have any idea of other similar cases and can u provide me any additional information regarding it??

Hey Rajkundra I have they take about 2-3 weeks when its sent for additional processing. I do not know the exact reasons for it. This is the reason everyone suggests that you should apply for the visa much in advance. But not that its gone for additional processing, all you can do is keep your fingers crossed. Mostly I have heard the passport returns in about 3 weeks time. So it might be possible that you get your passport just day prior to when you are leaving. I would suggest you to inform the elective coordinator where you are going that your passport has gone for additional processing. Also, try and buy an open ticket, i.e. without dates fixed and confirm the dates once you have the passport in hand. That might allow you to vary your itinerary if passport is delayed by a day or two. Keep us informed.

ved05 (not verified)

Thu, 05/12/2011 - 13:18

Hey, Viraat,

Thank you very much for providing the guidance to many students like me..

I have multiple entry B1/B2 visa for 10 years till 2017.

If I opt for some electives offering F1, then will my previous visa get expired?

Also if not can I change my status within US from F1 to B1 or I will have to return back to India or visit other country like Canada?

Will appreciate your help.. 

Hello Ved05

1- You can have 2 visa stamps on your passport.

2- I have heard one can apply for a status change within US but I am not sure, you can surely enter US on a different visa from India or Canada. The US consulate can detail you on this with clarity and they respond well so you better get these things clarified directly from them as the rules about these technical info keep changing.

meds (not verified)

Sun, 06/12/2011 - 06:06


hi..

thanx for the priceless guidance already posted..i wanna know if it s possible to extend one s stay for a month almost for the cs exam when a uni has already described the tenure for the elective period at F1 visa..looking forward for a quick reply..

viraatharsh

Wed, 06/15/2011 - 09:12

In reply to by meds (not verified)

Hi Meds

The duration of your study in a university will be mentioned on your I-20, which will be issued by the office of international programs of the university. The visa that you will be given on that basis will be for about 1 month more than that period. Thats the period you are given to stay in US and pack up from the university. You can use that period to appear for CS.

:-)

Dhawal Raghuvanshi (not verified)

Tue, 06/14/2011 - 18:16

my VISA is on 27th june..firstly  wud like to know as i graduated in june 2010 and gave my GRE n TOEFL by nov 2010,and has no work experaince since then,so is there any possibility of my VISA being rejected by this reason,and how do i convince VO if he ask me regarding this gap till may 2011.

secondly,since i am applying for phD in unv of oklahoma (GRE-1370,TOEFL-91)  for fall,2011,have seen saveral blogs where phd students are given 221g pink slip coz of incomplete information regarding research work,so since i have workd on research article but none have been published so far,so what all information do i need to mention in the research section.plz someone do reply me sooner for this..

Hello Mr. Dhawal Raghuvanshi

I think if they ask you what you were doing after your graduation, I think its in your best interest not to lie. Tell them you were taking GRE and other exams and you were applying for research programs. If you lie to them and say you were working somewhere they might ask contact details of the person under whom you were working. So best thing is to say the truth.

If you have worked on a research paper and it has not been published, you can always mention it on your CV, after the paper within parenthesis, like if the research is still going on mention- (ONGOING), if it has been submitted for publication, write that. If it has been accepted for publication give the name of the journal it has been accepted to and also the month when it was accepted, like that.

I hope that answers your questions.

Muhammad Khan (not verified)

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 17:54

Dear Virat,

i got b1/b2 five years multiple visa  for electives at mount sinnai.but due to some unfavourable circumstances i couldnt attend that elective.now i am planning to visit usa for visit purpose and also for prep of cs2 n also planning to give cs over there.plz let me know do i face any problem on the jfk airport?.there is not mentioned anywhere on my visa that i got it for elective purpose.

please reply soon.

thanks

pavan (not verified)

Sat, 07/02/2011 - 19:21

hai virat     

  plz help me out regarding my questions

 i have been accepted for the neurology in UT southwestern for the month of march which require f1 visa and jefferson for months of january and february which require b1 visa can u help me how to apply for visa status 

hello viraatharsh! I am accepted at unm for 1 month elective which requires me to come on b1b2 visa ,i am also accepted at UTHSC houston which needs f1 visa. i have contacted embassy they asked me that you can apply for both visa simultaneously. please tell me what should i do ? i should apply for both visas or 1st for b1b2 and then for f1 ? is it possible that i would be accepted for one and rejected for other?

Hasini (not verified)

Wed, 07/13/2011 - 11:41

Hello viraat,

My visa got rejected due to over explanation for a simple question...
Here is the detailed conversation b/w me n the visa officer... (8th july 2011)


VO: File please.
Me: Given.
VO:Why UTC?
Me: It is highly reputed for chem engg. It is a national model for metropolitan universities.
VO: Applied to any other Universities?
Me: Yes, 2, KSU & MSU.
VO: Any admits?
Me: No.
VO: When did u complete Ur bachelors degree?
Me: April-2010.
VO: What is Ur percentage?
Me: 59 percent.
VO: Any Backlogs?
Me: Yes, 4.
VO: Give me Ur individual mark sheets?
Me: Given.
VO: So wat were u doing since 2010?
Me: After my Under Graduation I felt the need to study further. If I go for a job right now, I think I will be distracted from my studies and I don’t want to do that. There will be many more responsibilities & I will not be able to focus on something am passionate about.
Me: Took a break. (Hes still checking my mark sheets. but was nodding his head saying aha.. okay...)
Me: So I added up. It took almost 4 months for GRE preparation, 2 months for TOEFL n shortlisting the universities. Actually thought of applying for spring 2011. As it is a small intake n many chem engg universities don't accept admission. I dint take any chances, So applied for fall 2011.
VO: Okay, Returned my stuff and gave a white sheet. Said am sorry i cant give u a visa at this time. If u have any queries ask the XYZ person.
Me: I dint say anything but was seriously reading the given sheet...:( :(

Its my fault.. i was not well prepared... was nervous too.... forgot to greet him even.. :(

Hey could pls tell me a good answer for this 1yr gap ques...???

Actually, i worked for a BPO for 3.5 months... as i have met with an accident i resigned the job... But i dint mention my job exp in the DS-160 form.. So what can i do now?? pls help me out.... i have ma visa interview again this month end...

viraatharsh

Wed, 07/13/2011 - 20:49

In reply to by Hasini (not verified)

Hello Hasini

I am sorry your visa got rejected and right you should have been more prepared. Its never a wise idea to lie to the VO. If you were ill you can say that, if you worked for a small duration you can say that.. But do not lie. I would say a good answer for a 1 year gap would have been you telling them that you worked for 3.5 months then got busy with preparations for the exam, and if you worked elsewhere you can show that. I think if you change your statements again and again it will have a bad effect on your visa IV. I think you should seek help from a visa consultation firm. I am not sure which one. May be they can help you prepare better, but if you think you can do good without it you know what's best for you. :-)

Zaid (not verified)

Fri, 07/29/2011 - 16:02

VO: Good Morning, how are you ?

Me: Fine, how are you sir ?

VO:Why this university ?

Me: They have one of the lowest tution fees and number of student per class is also about 15, Housing and living cost is also around 5000$ every 2 semester.

cut me off and asked another question

VO: What other universities did u apply to ?

Me: Dickinson State University, New Mexico (Sorry), Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

VO: What will u do after graduation ?

Me: Probably i will spend my opt 1 year working for US company if i got hired then i will return back to my country. I want to start my own company

VO: Sorry, i can issue you VISA right now. Good luck for your future.

Me: thank you. :(


Where i went wrong ?? Please guide me. I am going for interview on 12th August. Will i get a VISA ?
and what will i answer if they say u got rejected last time.

DR EX (not verified)

Mon, 03/05/2012 - 11:42

I passed my cs on an f1 visa during eletives..so now i  dont hv a cs letter to get a b1/b2 multiple entry visa if I want to go for unpaid research after usmle steps...wht to do in tht case? im really bothered abt ths ...coz now i recetly graduated and going fr a b1/b2 without cs letter after grad even if i hav a volantry research accep...wil i get a visa? ur advice and do u know any one whus dun the same and then gotten a b1/b2????

Dear Dr. EX

I think you need to apply for a J1 research scholar visa. I don't think you can go to US with a B1/B2 for research. Do you have an acceptance letter from a university saying they want you to come for research on a B1/B2? I have a couple of friends who are on unpaid and voluntary research positions and all of them are on J1 research scholar category and you will have to do the same I guess. Also if you want a B1/B2 try to get an acceptance for observership. Then you can apply with that letter for a B1/B2.

I hope that helps

Dear Viraat! Thanks for the reply!

But I got an acceptance from NIH for research which they allow on a B1 visa.now would it be safe to apply for the same wth thier acceptance letter! i know a couple who are volunteerng thr on the same visa but they got it during thier electives as UGs.however i have to have a new visa since my f1 is exp and tht too now i m a grad!! can  u suggest what the best alternativ wud be??!!

hitesh (not verified)

Mon, 05/21/2012 - 19:29

hello.

i m doing ms clinical research.its a global education programme so i did my 1st year in singapore and now going to usa for 2nd year.i did btech and 2 year work experience in same feild.so pls suggest me how to prepare for f1 visa.what they usually ask.

thanks

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