Appearing for US F-1 study visa interview? Indian Yale graduate's five tips to be successful

(The Free Press Journal publishes articles by study abroad consultants, Consulates, foreign universities, international students, and much more every Saturday to give its readers a glimpse of the world of overseas education.)

Mumbai: To cut down on the country's visa processing time, the United States state department has added a new clause that will allow students to obtain an i-20 form for F-1 or M-1 visas, up to 365 days before their University programme starts in the US.

In light of this change, it is significant to understand how students planning to study in the US on a non-immigrant visa such as an F-1 visa need to prepare for their interviews just in case they are nervous about losing a golden opportunity to study in the country. Here are five tips you need to know:

• NEVER tell the consular officer that you intend to stay in the United States after graduating: the F-1 is a non-immigrant Visa, and a US visa officer will most likely deny your application if s/he thinks you are going to the US with the intention of immigrating. Clearly declare that you intend on coming back to India.

• NEVER memorise scripted answers: visa officers are extremely adept at figuring out whether you're delivering a rote answer; make sure it's conversational.

• NEVER sound unprepared about why your course is important to your long-term career trajectory, how that fits with what you've done in the past, and why that specific college in the US is ideal for you. The officer may also ask why you don't want to study in India - have a good reason for why the US is an ideal educational destination for you.

• NEVER be underconfident - if an officer senses that you are too nervous or underconfident, they may get suspicious about ulterior motives.

• NEVER let consular authorities believe that you do not have the financial resources to complete your program. Their thinking is that if you do not have enough financial resources, you are more likely to find a job to support yourself in the US, and stay longer.

(The author is a Yale graduate and is currently working as Research Analyst at IMF in Washington DC, USA.)