Here are some of the myths about the US Student Visa.

The chances of securing a visa are higher on Mondays and Fridays because the visa officers are happier on these days.
Well it doesn’t matter which day of the week you go for your visa interview. All days are the same. Your chances of getting your visa are solely dependent on how well prepared you are for the interview and not on the visa officer’s happiness index.

July 3 and July 5 are the best days for getting a visa. Since the consulate has a holiday on July 4 (US Independence Day) the visa officers are in a very good mood a day prior and after the holiday
Again this is just another myth. All days are the same.

Greeting the Visa Officer in traditional Indian style by joining hands and saying ‘Namaste’ would make a good impression and indicate that I have strong ties with my tradition and homeland
I don’t think that would help. So just stick to the regular ‘Good Morning’ or ‘Good Afternoon’

Speaking in an American Accent would help?
Again – ‘Not Recommended’. Speak the way you normally speak. You don’t need to put on an accent.

Even if you have full funding from the university, you still need to show funds from your parents/sponsor side for the 2nd and later years of your education because the I-20 only shows the funding amount for the first year.
If you have full funding from the university you do NOT have to show any funds from your parent’s/sponsor’s side. Although the funds shown on the I-20 are only for the first year, it is understood that the funding is renewable every year. So you don’t need to show funds for the remaining years.

Showing a ‘Bank Loan’ as funding reduces the chances of getting a visa as the visa officer then assumes that you would work in the US to payoff this loan
This is again nothing but a Myth. Visa officers are not bothered about the repayment part as much as they are bothered about ‘does the student have funds available to pay for the education’. A bank loan is guaranteed money available to you for your education (your sponsor can back out, but a bank wont). So a bank loan only strengthens your financial credentials.

Having a brother/sister in the US will reduce my chances of securing a visa
No it won’t.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to write to us

Jothsna Rege - jothsna[at]academyone.net
Jay Rege - jayrege[at]academyone.net

Before I get into details about the whole visa application procedures, here’s the first thing I want you to understand about the visa. ‘Obtaining the US F1 (Student) Visa is a very simple and straightforward procedure’. So please don’t get paranoid about it and don’t go overboard preparing for it.

To begin with, read this document ‘Things to do for your US F1 Visa’

Now lets talk of the most frequently questions that bog student’s minds:

What are visa officers looking for?
Visa officers are looking at two main aspects. First, is the student genuinely interested in education and second, does the student have sufficient financial resources available to pay for his/her education.

Do I need all the funds in my sponsor’s savings account?
No, you do not need all your funds in your savings accounts. It could be spread over various investments. The point is that these funds should be accessible to you and your sponsor without any restrictions.

Will showing an educational loan affect my chances of getting a visa?An educational loan will NOT affect your chances of getting a visa. So if you are planning to take a loan for your education, do not hesitate to disclose it to the visa officer. In fact an educational loan will only make your financial situation stronger.

Can I show my property as source of funding?
If the property is a house where your family is currently staying, then avoid showing it as source of funding. Showing your current home would mean that you are planning to sell it (and render your family homeless) to pay for your education. However If you have investments in real estate, you may show it but you might then require proper valuation such investments.

Can I show my family jewelry, car as source of funding?
Avoid doing so.

What if my brother, sister, father, mother is in the US?I don’t think that’s something you need to worry about. Feel free to openly disclose about any immediate family members being in the US.

My parents are retired. Will this affect my chances of getting a visa?No it won’t affect your chances at all. As long as your family’s financial condition is stable enough to pay for your education and support them too, that’s perfectly fine.

I am sure you have many more questions. Feel free to email us and we will be glad to answer them for you.

Jay Rege jayrege[at]academyone.net
Jothsna Rege jothsna[at]academyone.net