A Detailed Guide to H1B Visa Interview

Looking to work in the United States with your degree? The H1B visa interview is a major test in getting what you want for work, family relocation, or university education.

However, now that the USCIS has approved your H-1B petition, you have to do an interview, and then you get your visa. In this interview, you will be provided with H1B visa interview questions that try to examine your qualifications, general information about you, your contact address, and the services you may be offering.

Looks simple, right? Well, not entirely; your interview and the answer you provided are where the real work starts and ends, too, fortunately. For a company founded by an American and needs to get H1B visa for its current company employees, it has to provide supporting documents that shows how many employees it has, contact details of these people, family life, university education and other general information.

This post will take you through the basics of an H1B visa interview and prepare you for everything you would face up until the end of your interview, including how to give the right answers to questions and details to get from your employer. We’ve dug out some useful tips and common questions asked during the H1B visa interview to get you through the experience.

What is an H-1B Visa and How Many Rounds Are Available?

Before getting into details, let’s brush up on our knowledge of U.S. visas. The most popular is the H-1B and the H-2B visas. The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant visa granted by the United States of America, allowing companies to hire foreign workers with a degree based on how many employees it needs to function effectively. It is an opportunity for sponsoring employer to bring in new individuals outside those who make up their family members.

How many rounds of this type of visa that will be made available is always at the discretion of the government. The annual turnover varies every year depending on the demands by every new employer who wants to get a quota for employees’ work. Many times, it is the duty of the new employer to guide applicants on the right step to attain the highest degree required to ace the interview.

The need for technical expertise in architecture, engineering, medicine, science, and mathematics necessitates the issuance of an H-1B visa. A potential visa holder must possess a bachelor’s degree or an alternative equivalent to apply for this visa type. An employer who is seeking to improve the business workforce can also apply for this visa.

However, such an employer must show cause to the regulatory body. Failure of an employer to provide details regarding employees seeking H1B visas, it can result in the application of such employer being turned down.

Is There Any Interview for an H-1B Visa?

Yes, there is an interview for an H-1B visa that differs based on whether it is for an individual or corporate body that wants to expand its current company size. The screening process can be quite comprehensive for the foreign professionals who apply for an H-1B visa. This fact holds even more ground for those who enter or choose to apply through consular processing.

This route entails a physical interview with an immigration officer, and you usually have to be very prepared to go for one to answer appropriately. The process is the final aspect of the visa application before issuance. An applicant must successfully convince the immigration officials that they are fit and qualified to get an H-1B visa.

Where is the H-1B Interview Held and How Many Employees Are Qualified?

The H-1B interview is held at the U.S. embassy of a foreign international’s country. After the visa petitions have been approved and an interview process forthcoming, the embassy will schedule an appropriate period for each visa holder to take an interview. The same applies for a company whose employer is seeking to take in new foreign applicants for better growth of the business.

As an applicant for H1B visas, you must be sure to attend it at the scheduled time. If you cannot attend and must reschedule or re enter another date, you must inform the embassy in your home country beforehand. Fortunately, the embassy can reschedule, but this ends up increasing your visa processing time.

Sometimes, the US consulate website or officer may reschedule the interview after a few days. However, if visa applications are in large numbers or the embassy is busy with other responsibilities, your interview may not be rescheduled until after a few weeks. It would be best to attend your interview on the initial date.

What Happens After an H-1B Visa Interview?

After your H-1B visa interview, about three scenarios are possible;

First, the immigration officials could tell you your application is approved and explain any other thing you should know to you. If this is the case, you will be given when and how to get your travel documents. You will be stamped with a visa that allows you to enter the United States inside your passport.

Second, you might be informed by the immigration officer that your visa application has been denied and, if so, they will explain why. You would then be presented with a piece of paper that contains reasons for the denial.

Lastly, the immigration officer may inform you that you have a pending visa case. This is because there is an issue with your H-1B visa application, and a direct decision cannot be made on your situation until they are satisfied with the answers provided to the H1B visa interview questions. The officer will then provide you with a document that holds instructions on monitoring the status of your pending case.

Do You Get a Nonimmigrant Visa Appointment Immediately After the Interview?

Suppose you had a good interview with all your documents checked out. The consular officer holds your documents to finalize the application process. When the embassy approves the immigrant visa application, you will get your passport and other valid documents within 7 to 10 days.

Generally, you can receive your approved travel documents through two methods. You may be sent instructions on when and where to pick it up, or it could be sent by mail. Usually, the regulatory body always tries to use the best possible medium for applicants.

How Tough is an H-1B Visa Interview?

For most, the H-1B visa interview is a worrying and nail-biting experience; this is even more true for the first-timers. There are multiple stories of visa denials and rejection; hence being prepared is vital.

As an H-1B visa applicant, you must not come late or fail to reach the interview destination under any circumstances. If you do, it often sends a clear message to the immigration officials that you aren’t a serious visa applicant. Naturally, this will decrease your chances of landing a visa and going to the United States.

An H-1B visa interview can feel difficult if you are not properly prepared. You need to understand what is required of you beforehand and some ideas of the H1B visa interview questions you will be asked. Once you have all the necessary documents and promptly get to your interview destination, you have to stay calm and answer the questions as clearly as possible.

Generally, An H-1B visa interview isn’t so tough when you take your time to prepare. However, it can be quite difficult for those who don’t.

How Long is an H-1B Visa Interview?

There is no standard or required duration for your interview. However, H-1B visa interviews can last 20 to 40 minutes. When several interviews are scheduled for the same day, some can go for just 15 minutes. It is better not to worry about the duration and focus more on being prepared.

H-1B Visa Interview Questions

When you enter the interview space, you will be asked to provide some documents and asked some questions. The H-1B visa interview questions are meant to determine your eligibility and true intentions for requesting the visa.

H-1B Visa Interview Questions and Answers

An important step in acquiring an H-1B visa is attending a personal interview. Through the interview, various applicants are assessed and may or may not receive the H-1B visa upon completion.

During the interview, applicants are often asked basic information about their traveling history, then questions about their reasons for visa application. In addition, they will be asked about the job they wish to undertake in the U.S. and what responsibilities it entails.

Generally, interview questions are spread around job qualifications, current salary expectations, education, travel history, and personal intentions.

H-1B Visa Interview: How to Prepare for It

To get an H-1B visa, there are several things you need to do and documents you need to prepare. First, you must find a U.S. employer who sponsors positions for individuals in any other country that require your bachelor’s degree.

After this, your potential or current employer will obtain a labor condition application from the Department of Labour (DOL). Then, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service randomly determines which applications will proceed.

Also, you will have to prepare some documents and the right answer to support their contents. You would need a valid passport, a printed application form, your original interview appointment letter, and copies of your approval form. In addition, you will require a receipt for your visa fees and a clear passport-sized photograph of your person. All of these should be ready as you will provide answer to questions on them.

H-1B Interview Sample Questions & Answers

Below, we will give a brief example of some commonly asked interview questions along with how to answer appropriately.

Question 1: Why do you wish to visit the United States?

Answer: I wish to visit because of employment and the possible salary I can get from such a job. (Then state the company you plan to work with)

Question 2: What is your job at the company mentioned above?

Answer: Here, you mention your position at the company and some of your responsibilities.

Question 3: Have you visited the United States before?

Answer: Applicants must answer honestly, and if the answer is yes, state when and how long they stayed in the country.

When going for an interview, it is not enough to know about your job, research projects, current employer, or have international exposure; you need to provide answer appropriately to questions asked. Sometimes, these questions may be about your plans for permanent residence, what your current salary projection is, your view on any other country offering similar employment. Regardless of the question, answer appropriately and do so confidently.

The H-1B Visa Interview Experience

The H-1B visa application comes with a unique interview experience. You will be required to go to a specific U.S. embassy to perform your interview. This U.S. consulate or embassy is often closest to the city of your foreign residence. You can visit the U.S. embassy website to find the nearest consulate in your country and go through their duties briefly.

When you reach the consulate in your country, You will be provided with a number and called when it’s your turn or when an interview date has been set. There are often multiple visa applicants at a U.S. Consulate. Be sure to have prepared extensively for the interview and come with all the required documents.

Depending on embassy rules, you may be only allowed to bring in your documents, experience letters, and client letter with you or any other information about the previous company or previous employers you worked with. Personal belongings like cell phones may not be permitted in the interview room.

Remember to be professional and relaxed during the interview with consular officers. Answer questions to the best of your knowledge and avoid providing false information (information that cannot be verified by your sponsoring employer) when scared of giving an incorrect answer. Always say “I don’t know” when you do not have the information, as lying will get your visa application denied.

Endeavor to be well educated on the current job you would be taking and you can do this by talking to your sponsoring employer. With that you can answer appropriately any question you are asked during the process. The immigration officer or anyone offering immigration services will likely ask specifics about your job from basic day-to-day tasks and salary information. Don’t forget to dress professionally as immigration officers take everything into account when assessing candidates for the H-1B visa.

How Can We Be of Help?

It is clear that to scale the hurdles of the interview process for H1B visas, you need the help of an experienced immigration attorney that can help you write experience letters, guide you through the process while ensuring all the necessary tax returns have been filed. Richard Herman is that professional immigration attorney and a realistic figure that can help you get everything done.

You don’t have to fret because you are trying to apply for the H-1B visa; all you need is to book an online consultation with us through Skype, ZOOM, or WhatsApp. You also have the option of calling us via +1-216-696-6170 or filling the online form to set up a direct consultation with Richard Herman.

Conclusion

The H-1B visa interview conducted is a regular process of the visa application with no definite peg of how many rounds it goes yearly. Your interview should go well as long as you meet the requirements for a sponsoring employer, with the correct documents, capable of providing appropriate answers to questions regarding the current job, and no fraudulent or ulterior motives. However, lack of preparation or negligence can also get your visa application denied. But rest assured, the information provided here will surely get you through your H-1B visa process unscathed.

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