What exactly is a Nonimmigrant U.S. Visa -
- A nonimmigrant visa is used by foreign nationals (tourists, business people, students, or specialty workers) who wish to stay (only) for a particular period of time in the United States to accomplish specific purpose(s). Whereas an Immigrant Visa (or green card), allows a foreign national to stay in the U.S. indefinitely and work for any employer.
- According to U.S. visa laws and regulations, most nonimmigrant visa applicants must demonstrate to the U.S. consular officer that they have strong ties to their country of residence and must show that they intend to depart the United States after their temporary stay. You shall need to demonstrate economic, personal, social, and cultural ties to your home country.
- Determine your visa type by reading Common Nonimmigrant Visas. Nonimmigrant visa applicants are encouraged to apply at least three months in advance of the intended date of travel. Remember: Apply early!
- Each visa type explains the qualifications and application items. Choose the visa type that applies to your situation. Be sure to also review the Visa Waiver Program.
1. Ties to Your Home Country
Under U.S. law, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas, such as student visas, are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger than those for remaining in the United States. "Ties" to your home country are the things that bind you to your home town, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc. If you are a prospective undergraduate, the interviewing officer may ask about your specific intentions or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans and career prospects in your home country.Each person's situation is different, of course, and there is no magic explanation or single document, certificate, or letter which can guarantee visa issuance. If you have applied for the U.S. Green Card Lottery, you may be asked if you are intending to immigrate. A simple answer would be that you applied for the lottery since it was available but not with a specific intent to immigrate. If you overstayed your authorized stay in the United States previously, be prepared to explain what happened clearly and concisely, with documentation, if available.
Provide a list of the names, addresses, ages, and occupations of close family members who remain in the home country. Provide documentation of financial ties to the home country, such as ownership of real estate.
2. English
Anticipate that the interview will
be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion
is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the
interview, but do NOT prepare speeches! If you are coming to the United
States solely to study intensive English, be prepared to explain how
English will be useful for you in your home country.
3. Speak for Yourself
Do
not bring parents or family members with you to the interview. The
consular officer wants to interview you, not your family. A negative
impression is created if you are not prepared to speak on your own
behalf. If you are a minor applying for a high school program and need
your parents there is case there are questions, for example about
funding, they should wait in the waiting room.
4. Know the Program and How It Fits Your Career Plans
If
you are not able to articulate the reasons you will study in a
particular program in the United States, you may not succeed in
convincing the consular officer that you are indeed planning to study,
rather than to immigrate. You should also be able to explain how
studying in the United States relates to your future professional career
when you return home.Provide an explanation of why equivalent educational training is not available in your home country or as suitable.
5. Be Brief
Because of the volume
of applications received, all consular officers are under considerable
time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must make
a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the
first minute of the interview. Consequently, what you say first and the
initial impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your
answers to the officer's questions short and to the point.
6. Additional Documentation
It
should be immediately clear to the consular officer what written
documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written
explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will
have 2-3 minutes of interview time, if you are lucky.
7. Not All Countries are Equal
Applicants
from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many
students have remained in the United States as immigrants will have
more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those
countries are more likely to be intending immigrants. They are also more
likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in
the United States.
8. Employment
Your main purpose in
coming to the United States should be to study, not for the chance to
work before or after graduation. While many students do work off-campus
during their studies, such employment is incidental to their main
purpose of completing their U.S. education. You must be able to clearly
articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program. If your
spouse is also applying for an accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2
dependents cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the United
States. If asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do
with his or her time while in the United States. Volunteer work and
attending school part-time are permitted activities.Provide evidence of job prospects in the home country, such as a letter from a potential employer.
9. Family at Home or Abroad
If
your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be
prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence.
This can be an especially tricky area if you are the primary source of
income for your family. If the consular officer gains the impression
that your family will need you to remit money from the United States in
order to support themselves, your student visa application will almost
certainly be denied. If your family does decide to join you at a later
time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where you
applied for your visa.Also, if you have close relatives or financial interests in the United States, you may have difficulty getting a visa. If a consular officer believes that you intend to immigrate to the US, the officer must, as a matter of law, deny the visa.