Visa Interviews

I have a spayshul class.  They are spayshul.  There's about 10 of them.  They are all going to an American school next year and they coughed up extra money to have spayshul classes to get ready... somehow.  (The FAO pocketed the dough and assigned me to them for the next 8 weeks.  It's kinda cool: the classes are at 7pm on my longest teaching day so I get to be cranky and sarcastic and claim it's because we're role-playing and US profs want students who are independent.)

Anyway, I asked them about their realistic goals for the class and they observed that the last hurdle for all of them is securing their student visas.  I guess we can do some of whatever is needed in a visa interview.

So, from an English language use point of view, what does a student need to do in the interview (other than turn up with a school acceptance slip and enough money)?  Anyone ever coached someone in these kids' position?

Yes I have.  Three or four classes of them.  It not only depends on them knowing the correct answers to the questions but also which or the officers they get.  The two years I did it officer #3 failed most of the students.  I know you are in a different area but be aware that it can happen.

They must be able to speak English.  They must never say they want to stay in America.  They must always say how much they love the Motherland and want to use their new education to make their motherland better.  They must know how long the course lasts, how much the tuition is in US $, how much their living expenses will be etc.

They must have enough money in the bank and have the proper bank books showing the correct amount of money.  Their father/mother must work at a company that isn't blacklisted.  They will phone the company owners to ensure the parent works there etc.  I will try and remember other things for you.

Our students had a list of 'typical' questions with the 'proper' answers to be memorized. They got this information from the 'go-between' company that was arranging the school stuff and pocketing lots of their money. The kids will be scared when they go and prone to messing up the answers.

I also taught them things like dress codes in America.  Things not to say in public.  (like the thinking word that sounds like 'niggah')  We had a class on using a knife and fork.  I brought them in typical menu's and explained about the food not being shared as everything was on one plate. 

I just did it a few days ago, my second. Interview over in 2 minutes with visa approved.Interview entirely in Chinese.

Previous one was to OZ and was harder. She was also approved.

The rest is like Lotus said.

I just finished a similar class for eight kids going to the US. I know of one so far that has been approved for the visa.

I focused primarily on getting them to understand how the process works. Plenty of US student visa interview tip sites are on the net, but the official site can be found at http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html

Convincing the official that you will return is the key. This is usually accomplished by showing amounts of assets in the homeland. Words amount to jack and proper documentation is a must.

If there's any reason that the students cannot follow the process as it's laid out, they'll likely be denied. The interview can be intimidating and the students should remember that it's just another human they're dealing with. A human with strict guidelines to follow.