How to pass the American visa interview

By Jonathan Ifegunni

27 November 2015

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The American visa is a document which allows you access into any part of the United States of America for the duration specified in the interview. However, simply because the United States is a country founded by immigrants does not mean that anyone can simply sail over and join in. That stopped a while ago. In order to get a visa into the “Land of the free”, you must pass the visa interview. This post details a few tips on just how to pass the American visa interview with as little hassle as possible.

Be punctual

Getting there late could mean being too late for the interview. To avoid this, especially with the notorious Lagos and Abuja traffic, make sure you leave your home as early as possible. There are hotels close to the embassy in Lagos you can lodge in in case you don't live in the city and are only coming in for the interview. There are good hotels in Abuja as well, in case you aren't resident in the city. You can contact a hotel booking website to help book you a room ahead of time to ease you of the stress and give you ample time to focus on your interview preparation.

Dress well

You can check out our post – How to dress for an American visa interview – for the best kind of dressing for an American interview. You should know that American visa interviewers are usually concerned about the kind of dressing you put on. Dressing well and neat would earn you plus marks on the interview.

Be confident

Being overly nervous can cost you an American visa. You should be confident, meet the interviewing officer straight in the eye without being haughty and smile. Avoid nervous tics such as flickering eyes, darting to the sides and trembling fingers.

Be polite

Answer all the questions that are put to you earnestly and politely. It would not hurt you to add a “sir” or “ma’am” at the end of your statements. It would help you in fact. Also be sure to speak loudly and clearly, do not be shy that others there might overhear you.

Be concise in your answers

While your answers are polite and confident, do not however ramble. Avoid giving long winded replies where you inadvertently give information which could lead to your rejection.

Look like who you are

If you are a student, dress, look and act like one. And if you are a company exec, do the same. Interviewers tend to look out for those things.

Some things to note

Consular officers are not bothered by your documents. You may be surprised that even with all the documents you put out the consular officer may not even look at them. This is because they are trained to tell if your documents are false or real. And that’s a lot more than even gazing at them.

If you eventually get the visa, do not simply be overjoyed. Go over all the details on the visa, check if your name, passport number, date or birth and other information is correct as stated on the visa. If there is an error, you should correct it as soon as possible. A simple error like this could deny you entry into the US eventually.

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