This is going to be a long article with some interesting side events at the embassy described by Jon (fictionalized name.) He went for his first U.S visa interview for a B1 visa/ US tourist visa through us. I hope his experience narrated gives you more insight regarding the U.S visa interview.
21st June 2019, Qatar.
People had scared the hell out of me with the recent hype of rejections. I was going through different websites, Quora, many interview threads. The more I was searching I was only able to find more rejection threads, it was more than enough to give me the “jitters”
Anyways, I was so confident that I’d be rejected, I couldn’t stop smiling.
I was practising all night looking in the mirror, role-playing with my neighbour about what sort of questions they would be asking and how I’d answer them. I was applying for a B1 visa (Tourist visa)
Finally, the day arrived, I went through security checks before being in the final line that led into the interview rooms. I saw person after person walking away with passports in hand, disappointed. I thought this was normal. There was a counter each on either side, with one person being interviewed and two waiting behind them.
Starting from the right, an old cute couple were going to visit their daughter and they were smiling and communicating in the local language and I had a strong feeling that the officer was also speaking in their same language instead of being translated by someone and their visa was approved. I was like,” Yay! Good for them, mine will be too… “
While on the left side, there was a kid finishing his interview. The officer asked him, “Do you have any property here or your father?” He replied, “yes, a couple.”
“Can I see the property documents?”
“Yeah,” he opens his file and pulls out a couple of papers in a moment.
“Thank you, I may have to keep your file for more investigation and study (I think that’s what I heard), this does not guarantee you a visa, we will inform you of a decision when it’s ready. The time could range from N days to NN weeks, you can check…”
I couldn’t hear the conversation anymore. I thought to myself, “what the heck, I’m not carrying any possession documents.” The kid left with a disappointed face.
I was smiling, probably the only one in the room smiling, not thinking this might happen to me too.
So at the other counter, where there was a new candidate now, a man in his mid-30s, fancy clothes and shoes, gold chain and whatnot. That’s when I looked around and observed everyone was dressed to impress. I then looked at myself and I was so simply dressed in a blue plaid shirt sleeves folded, chinos and casual shoes.
Back to the interview,
The officer asked, “So what’s your purpose of visiting the United States?”
“I’m attending a Talk.”
“I see. How were you invited to the Talk?”
“I got an email from a club that I’m a member of.” That answer seemed super vague to me.
She then asked him “Do own any property here?”
Instead of answering a simple yes, he goes about saying “ Yes, I have two flats in the city, and Xyz acres (don’t remember the actual number) of property, I own a cafeteria here from which I get a yearly turnover of XXXX QAR, I have the papers here if you want to see..” and proceed with opening a huge file and going through it.
She looked at him for a few seconds and I knew what was going on in her head. “Did I ask you how much property? Did I ask you where you had property? Did I ask you for any property-related document…?
But she simply told him “I don’t need to see the documents, I’m sorry, but your visa cannot be processed this time” and hands him his passport. He couldn’t believe it. Miserably, he took the passport and walked out. I guess his talkative nature got him!!!