US Visa Interview Questions

Research specific faculty members and cite their work. Connect the program to your previous coursework or projects.

Know your university's ranking in your specific field. Research unique labs, research centers, or industry ties.

Read your I-20 and university website thoroughly before the interview.

Know: tuition per year, estimated living costs, health insurance (~$2,000/year), books, and miscellaneous. Total should match or slightly exceed your I-20 estimate.

Your I-20 has exact dates. Know them by heart: 'Program starts August 26, 2025. It's a 2-year program, so I'll graduate in May 2027.'

Research faculty before interview. 'Dr. Smith works on machine learning applications in healthcare. I've read her paper on medical imaging and hope to work in her lab.'

Check university website for actual course catalog. Example: 'I plan to take Advanced Algorithms, Machine Learning Fundamentals, and Database Systems—these build on my undergraduate work in data structures.'

Know your exact scores by heart—GRE verbal, quant, AWA and TOEFL/IELTS total.

Show you did independent research and made an informed decision.

Always start with your parents' savings, then mention loans—order matters! Ensure bank statements show steady balance.

Repayment should be tied to family income in India, not your future US earnings.

The number should match your bank statements and tax returns (ITR).

Example: 'After 4 years at TCS, I've hit a ceiling. An MS in Data Science will help me transition to AI leadership roles. I'll return to India where companies like Flipkart and Amazon India actively hire such specialists.'

Example: 'I took a year off after undergrad to care for my father during his illness. During that time, I also completed AWS certifications online, which reinforced my interest in cloud computing.'

For CS students, you MUST know at least 2-3 languages. Example: 'I'm proficient in Python and Java, which I used extensively in my undergraduate projects and internship at Infosys.'

Example: 'I've applied for on-campus housing at Graduate Residence Hall. If that's unavailable, I've researched apartments near campus in the $800-1000/month range.'

Research India's job market in your field. Cite specific companies like Flipkart, Zerodha, TCS that hire your specialty.

Be specific: 'My father's business needs me' or 'I have a job offer waiting' or 'I'm getting married in 2027.'

If you have relatives, acknowledge them but emphasize your independence. 'I may visit during holidays for social reasons.'

Keep it simple and confident: 'No, I plan to return to India after my studies to pursue my career there.'

Example: 'While US salaries may be nominally higher, cost of living is also significantly higher. In India, I can earn a comfortable salary at companies like Google India or Flipkart while having better quality of life and proximity to family.'

Cite data: 'NASSCOM projects India's IT industry to reach $350 billion by 2026. With my MS degree, I'll have competitive advantage.'

Example: 'I would review my application, understand the reasons, strengthen my case, and reapply. I'm also prepared to explore programs in Germany or UK as alternatives.'

Best practice: maintain steady balance for 6+ months. If you must liquidate assets, do it 3+ months before interview with full documentation.

Show you know the rules but your focus is academics, not employment.

Keep it under 30 seconds. Focus only on what's relevant to your visa application.

If they're business owners, mention the type of business and how long they've run it.

Being married with spouse/children staying in India is seen as a strong tie.

Owning property strengthens your ties to India. Mention property value if significant.

Bring property documents as supporting evidence of ties.

Your answer must match your I-129 petition. Practice explaining your role in simple terms.

Know your company's annual revenue, employee count, and major clients before the interview.

If working at client site, explain: 'My employer assigns projects, conducts reviews, and determines my salary. The client engagement is for X months.'

Prepare: Client letter, Statement of Work (SOW), Master Service Agreement (MSA), purchase orders, recent paystubs and W-2s.

Bring recent paystubs showing consistent work. 'I've been working on the ABC project since [date].'

Example: 'Designing scalable distributed systems requires advanced algorithms and data structures—core subjects in my CS degree.'

Your salary must match or exceed prevailing wage for your role and location. Know this number exactly.

Be specific: '2-week vacation to visit New York, Grand Canyon, and Disney World' or 'Attending KubeCon conference in Seattle, March 15-18.'

If parents asking for 6 months, prepare for 'Why so long?' Good answer: 'There's a lot to see and at our age we cannot do it all in a hurry.'

Young unmarried applicants with siblings in US face highest scrutiny. Prepare extra-strong ties to India.

Stable long-term employment is a strong tie. 'I've been with TCS for 15 years and lead a team of 20 people.'

Prepare bank statements (3-6 months), ITR (2-3 years), property documents, and sponsor's employment letter.

Be specific: 'I have my pension, house worth ₹2 crore, and agricultural land here. My life is established in India.'

'I haven't seen my son in 3 years, and I want to be there for my grandson's first birthday. Video calls cannot replace that.'

'I have my career, property worth ₹X crore, and my entire family here. My life is established in India. This is just a visit.'

'I'll conduct research on ML applications in drug discovery at Stanford AI Lab, building on my PhD work at IIT Bombay on computational chemistry.'

With Dec 2024 update, India removed from Skills List—but government funding (UGC, ICCR, Fulbright) still triggers 212(e).

'According to my DS-7002, I'll be trained in cloud architecture at Microsoft for 12 months, rotating through Azure engineering, security, and DevOps.'

Research your sponsor's cultural programming. Show genuine interest in American culture beyond just your program.

'Yes, with Dec 2024 update India was removed from Skills List. But I'm aware 212(e) still applies with government funding. My plan is to complete the program and return.'

'My focus is on the exchange program and returning with new skills to apply in my career in India. J-1 doesn't permit unauthorized employment.'

Keep it simple: 'No, I plan to complete my J-1 program and return to India as required.'

If you've never traveled internationally, that's okay—just be honest. Previous compliant travel helps but isn't required.

Bring 6-month statements showing CONSISTENT balance, not recent large deposits. Officers flag sudden inflows.