When you go to a U.S. Visa interview the visa officer will probably ask you something like "What's the primary purpose of your trip to the United States?"This question does not sound hard but what you say can really affect what the officer thinks of your application.You do not need to talk a lot you just need to say something that's easy to understand and true and makes sense with everything else you are saying about your trip, to the United States.
1. Why Visa Officers Ask This Question
The visa officer asks this question to see if you are telling the truth and what you really want to do. The visa officer has to think that you want to stay in the United States for good because that's what the law says.
- The visa officer asks this question for two reasons.
- The visa officer wants to know what you say about your plans so they can check it with what you wrote on your application.
- The visa officer also wants to know if what you say makes sense and is allowed with a visa so they can decide if you should get the visa or not. The visa officer is, like a filter. This question helps them figure out if you are a good person to let into the United States with a nonimmigrant visa.
2. Keep Your Answer Clear and Direct
Do not give a story about your childhood dreams. Just be straight to the point. The officer wants you to be efficient and clear.
- The One-Sentence Rule: Your first sentence should say what you are doing. You should also say where you are doing it and for how long.
- Example (Tourist): "I am going to New York for two weeks. I want to see the sights and visit Times Square."
- Example (Business): "I am going to a digital tech conference, in Chicago. It will last four days. I want to find software tools for my company.
3. Match Your Visa Category
Your answers must match the type of visa you applied for.For example if you applied for a tourist visa do not give answers that sound like you plan to work or immigrate term.
If you applied for a student visa be prepared to explain these things:
* Why you chose that university
* What course you want to study
* What you plan to do in the future
Make sure your answers are clear, about your visa type, tourist visa or student visa and so on.
4. Do not give answers
When you give answers that are not clear it makes people suspicious. If you do not sound sure about what you want to do the officer will think you are hiding something.
- A bad answer is: "I just want to travel around the United States and see some places." This is too vague. It seems like you have not thought about what you want to do.
- A good answer is: "I am going to California for 10 days. I will spend four days in San Francisco looking at the sights and the rest of the time I will drive down the Pacific Coast Highway, in California."
5. Make Sure You Are Consistent With Your DS-160 Form
Before you even get to the window the officer has already looked at your DS-160 form on their computer screen. They already know what you have written down.
- The problem is if your DS-160 form says you are going to Los Angeles. Then you tell the officer you are actually going to Miami because your plans changed. This will cause trouble away.
- The best thing to do is be honest: if your plans have changed a lot since you filled out the DS-160 form tell the officer about it. You can say something like: "My main reason for visiting is still a vacation to Los Angeles, which's what I put on my DS-160 form but we have made a few small changes, to our daily plan and we are also going to take a short trip to San Diego."
6. Stay Honest and Confident
The people who ask you questions at the consulate are really good at noticing things about the way you talk and act. They can tell if you are just nervous or if you are trying to hide something.
- When you talk to the officer look them in the eye. This means you should look directly at the officer through the glass when you are answering their questions.
- Do not say much. Just answer the question they asked you and then stop talking. It is okay to be quiet. You do not have to keep talking to fill the silence.
- If you do not know something just say so. For example if you cannot remember the name of a hotel or a specific date do not make something up. The Consular officers want you to be honest about the visa interview so you should be honest about the visa interview. Stay honest, about the visa interview. You will be fine.
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