B1 B2 Visa Interview Questions

Citizens of any foreign nation who wish to visit the United States need to get a US visa. These visas are generally categorised as nonimmigrant visas (for temporary stay) and immigrant visas (for permanent stay).

The nonimmigrant visa is known as the B1 B2 visa, and to get this visa, the applicant needs to give an interview at the US Embassy/Consulate in India.

B1 Visa Type Interview: The B1 US visa type permits non-US nationals to enter the country for a short duration.

This visa is issued to individuals who want to enter the country for short-term business-related purposes such as attending business conventions, consultation meetings with business associates, contract negotiation, etc. The US visa interview questions for this visa would be related to your purpose of business and get in-depth information about it.

B2 Visa Type Interview: The B2 visa grants permission to nonimmigrant individuals who want to visit the US for tourism purposes, such as travelling, visiting a friend or family member or getting medical treatment. The interview questions asked for this visa type will be related to the purpose of the visit.

**Some General Interview **Questions for US B1 B2 Visa Interview Questions

Q1. What is your purpose for visiting the United States?

It is **Quite a basic warm-up **Question; you can keep your answer short and straightforward, stating your purpose for visiting the US. There is no need to over-explain or babble, as the interviewer will ask you other related **Questions.

For example, simply state: I am visiting the US for business purposes- attending a business convention.

I am visiting my brother, who lives in the US and whom I have not met in a long time.

I want to visit the US to get treatment for my disease.

Q2. Have you ever been to the US before?

Answer this **Question honestly. If you have been to the US before, then say Yes, and state your purpose of visit before, i.e. travelling. This **Question is asked just to verify your credibility, as the interviewer already has the information if you have ever visited the US or not.

In case you had been detained or stayed longer than your visa permit before, then mention it too; to avoid any misunderstanding from your end.

Q3. Do you have any relatives or friends in the United States currently?

If you have any relatives or friends living in the US right now, then mention their names and your relationship with them. The interviewer asks this **Question to know if you are planning to stay for a long duration and have anyone you know in the country.

**Q4. Tell us about your relatives or friends in detail.

In this **Question, the interviewer might ask you to be thorough about the details of your relatives or friends. They might ask about details like the address of your relatives/friends, their occupation, how many years they have lived in the US, and how they entered the country (their visa type).

Give all the details clearly and confidently; if you need clarification on anything, confirm it with your relatives/friends. If you hesitated in front of the interviewer while providing these details, then you might come across as suspicious.

Q5. Where are you going to reside in the US during your stay?

Tell the interviewer of your hotel details and why you chose to stay in that particular hotel. If you are staying at your relative/friend's residence you need to show your invitation letter received from them. This **Question is asked to know whether or not you have confirmed accommodation for your US visit.

Q6. Will your spouse go with you to the US visit?

Give a straightforward Yes or No as the answer. This **Question is asked to married people and to know whether or not they are going together for this visit.

Q7. Why is your spouse not accompanying you to this US visit?

Answer truthfully and provide the interviewer with an accurate reason for why your spouse is not visiting the US with you. It can be any truthful reason, like your spouse not feeling well, they are not given leave from their office, or there is no reason for them to accompany you.

Q8. Is anyone accompanying you to this US visit?

Clearly state Yes or No, whatever your answer is. This **Question is asked from the individuals who are travelling alone; the interviewer just wants to know whether you are travelling alone or with a company.

Q9. Why are you travelling to the US at this particular time?

Here, you need to clearly mention the reason for choosing the particular dates and month of the year. If you are applying for a B1 visa type, then you can give a confirmed answer like you have meetings on these dates, or the negotiation deal needs to be done during this time frame.

However, if you are applying for a B2 visa type, then you need to give the interviewer some convincing answers. Like, your doctor’s appointments were available only for these dates, or your relatives/friends are free or have functions on these dates.

Q10. What is the time duration of your stay in the United States?

Clearly state the duration of your stay in the United States, whether it is one week, one month, or one day. The interviewer already knows this information because of your application, but they want to verify it from you in person.

Q11. Why are you staying for such a long time in the US?

This **Question is from the applicants who are planning to stay for the 6 months of duration of their B1/B2 visa or want to extend their stay.

If you are planning to stay for such a long time, then the interviewer will ask you for a detailed explanation of your stay. Therefore, you need to provide them with concrete answers to justify your extended stay.

Q12. Who will be looking after your house/children/pets/ property while you are away in the US?

If you are staying in the US for a long duration, then the interviewer can ask you this **Question. You need to tell them about the person who will be taking care of your children/pets/ house/property in your absence.

Mention your relationship with that person and how you are committed to them. It will show the interviewer that you are planning to come back to your country.

**US B1 Visa Interview Questions

These are the **Questions which are asked from the applicants of B1 (Business) type visas; who are planning to visit and stay in the US for business purposes.

Q1. What is your profession, and how do you earn a livelihood?

As you are applying for a B1(Business)visa, the interviewer will ask you about your profession. Answer clearly about your profession, i.e., engineer, doctor, lawyer, business owner, etc. Give honest answers, as the interviewer will verify your answer as per your application and documents.

Q2. If you are an employee, who is your employer?

Provide accurate information about the company you are working for, and mention your designation and responsibilities in the company. Along with this, remember your annual income and other details, as the interviewer might verify them.

Q3. Will you be looking for other employment opportunities during your stay in the US?

Tell the interviewer about your plan regarding this **Question. If you are staying for a long duration and planning to stay and work permanently in the US, inform the interviewer about the same. Your answer will let the interviewer know whether or not you will return to India.

Q4. Who will be responsible for your business while you stay in the US?

Mention the responsible person who will be taking care of your business during your absence. In case it is a partnership business, then your partner will be taking care of the business. But do mention who will be the person responsible in your absence so that the interviewer knows that you are planning to come back to your nation.

**US B2 Visa Interview Questions

B2 visa interview **Questions are asked from the applicants who have applied for a B2(Tourism) visa for the United States.

Q1. Have you booked your flight tickets?

Clearly state the answer in Yes or No. If yes, then you need to provide the details of your flight to the interviewer, your airline details, ticket class, dates and status of ticket confirmation.

Q2. How are you planning to pay for your cost of stay in the US?

To answer this **Question, you need to provide details of your profession, annual income and other financial information. This **Question is asked to verify whether or not you are financially able to support your overall expenses of travel and stay in the US.

Q3. What places are you planning to visit during your stay in the US?

Provide your detailed travel itinerary to the interviewer and explain to them why you want to visit these places. The interviewer asks this **Question to know whether or not you have done your research for your trip to the US.

Q4. Did you buy travel insurance for your US visit?

Answer whether you have bought travel insurance online or offline or are planning to. It is not mandatory to have travel insurance in the US. However, suppose you are staying for a long duration or planning to extend your stay.

In that case, it is highly recommended, considering the high cost of medical and other travel expenses in the US. The interviewer asks this **Question to confirm whether or not you are financially insured for any unforeseen events.

Strong Roots at Home Country- Every non-immigrant applicant for the US is seen as an immigrant until they prove otherwise. You need to establish with the interviewer that you are not planning to stay permanently in the United States and will come back to your country after your visit.

You can do so by showing evidence of ties with your home country, like property ownership, salary slips, letters from your current employer, etc.

Keep the Documents Ready: Always keep your B1 B2 visa documents required for interview and further procedures ready with you. Your documentation, like identity proof, employment documents, bank statements, flight tickets, invitation letters, etc., will prove your credibility and your truthfulness.

Prove Your Financial Stability: It is crucial for anyone travelling to the US to be able to cover all of their expenses. The interviewer will cross-check your financial soundness with your documents and records. So, provide valid documents like your bank statements and credit card bills to support your claim of financial soundness.

Explain Your American Ties: If you have any relatives or friends in the US whom you are going to visit and stay with, prove it. Provide the interviewer with all the details from their names, addresses, employment, years of residency in the US, purpose of living in the US and how you are related to them, etc.

Be Interview Ready: Most of the applicants do keep all the mentioned points in mind, but when it comes to the interview day they need help to perform well. Preparing for your B1 B2 visa questions in India is crucial. From reaching on time to presenting yourself positively in front of the interviewer, keep everything in mind.

Incomplete Documentations: This is the most common factor of B1 B2 visa rejection; several applicants need to present valid B1 B2 visa documents required during the interview process and get rejected on the spot.

Ask the Embassy/Consular Office what documents will be required during the interview so that you can get them ready before the final interview.

Some of the must-have documents are a valid Indian passport, Ds 160 CEAC confirmation document, original application form, fee receipts, original appointment letter, financial documents and invitation letter.

Visa Ineligibility: The interviewer might only accept your application if you meet the B1 B2 requirements as stated by the authorities.

These B1 B2 visa requirements can be related to your qualifications, language proficiency or any other reasons. Make sure that you are informed what the requirements are and prepare yourself accordingly.

Immigration Policies: The complex and exhaustive immigration policies create quite a problem for applicants during the interview.

Several times, these policies favour American citizens; because of this, several Indians applying for B1 visas do not get approved. The only solution to this problem is being compliant with these policies and fulfilling all requirements.

Preparing for your B1 B2 visa interview questions is your first step towards successfully getting a US visa. With new immigration policies and multiple verification steps, this process might take time, during which you can prepare for other related things.

Like, buy a travel insurance policy for your US visit. Yes, it might not be compulsory to buy insurance, but it is necessary, especially if you are going to stay in the States for a long duration.

Tata AIG travel insurance policy provides you with financial protection during your foreign trip. With our policy, you get COVID-19 coverage, lost baggage and trip cancellation coverage, and medical emergency coverage.

Additionally, you can compare travel insurance with us so that you can get detailed information on our various travel plans and select the best travel insurance policy for your needs.

Does the B1 B2 visa interviewer ask about the physical condition of applicants?

Yes, the interviewer asks detailed questions about the physical, mental and emotional condition of applicants. It is done to determine whether the applicant is in sound condition to travel or not.

How long does the B1 B2 Visa interview take?

It takes under 10 minutes to conduct the B1 B2 visa interview. However, the exact time may vary for the type of visa you applied for, its terms and conditions and other circumstances.

Information last updated Jan 24. While this information is sourced reliably, visa requirements can change. For the most current visa details, visit the official Consulate/Embassy website.