You filled out the questionnaire, set an interview date, prepared all the documents and justifications for why you need to go to the U.S. and then remains the most important step; to be interviewed by a visa officer. The interview takes place with each applicant individually. Some interviews can be for 30 seconds, but most last between 5 to 15 minutes. It is very important to come to the interview in the right mood, to keep your mind clear and not to allow yourself to be nervous or in a state of panic. Obviously, the officer will see your reactions as well as hearing your answers so there is a real human factor involved. So, to some degree, getting a visa to the US is like playing the lottery!
You will be able to learn the decision of the visa officer on the day of the interview, after the interview is completed and all other matters are finished.
Typically, a visa officer can make 3 decisions about your visa:
- Approving a visa. When the visa is approved you are given a blue piece of paper and your passport is taken away for 3-5 days so that the embassy can paste your visa into it.
- Deny a visa under article 221 (g). This is a temporary refusal, which implies a more detailed review of your case. If you are refused under this article, your application can be taken for administrative consideration or you may be asked to send additional documents. You will be given a yellow piece of paper which will explain what you should to. Do not worry. Provided that the embassy does not revealed any deception in personal data or a potential threat that you could theoretically pose when you enter the United States, within 3-5 days you will be sent a decision that the visa is approved.
- Deny a visa under article 214 (B). This is the most standard and widespread refusal, which implies that the application was rejected at the time of the interview and is not subject to appeal. This refusal means that you have not been able to prove to the visa officer that you have no immigration intentions or that you have incorrectly stated the purpose of the trip or made other mistakes. In fact, the reasons for denial can be many, and each case is analyzed individually, but, unfortunately, the exact reason is known only the to the visa officer. You may apply again immediately after the denial if you think you have additional information that may affect the visa officer's decision. If you don’t have any additional information and you are not sure that your application could be substantially better, then you should wait at least six months before reapplying.
Whatever decision is made, it is very important to understand that the responsibility for the application and interview falls on you. You should understand that when you get a visa there is a possibility that the embassy will track your trips to see how long they lasted. If you are in the U.S. for a long time, you may be called for a second interview.
If your application is refused under Article 221 (g) it is very important to clearly comply with all the requirements stated by the officer. If you have any doubts or don’t fully understand what to do, you should seek professional advice.
If your application is refused under Article 214 (B) you should not despair. You should think about what happened, assess your behavior and answers during the interview, and the information you provided in your application. Maybe your current ties to the homeland are not strong enough to convince the officer. Whatever the reason, it is worth trying to assess your situation so that the next time you apply for a visa, your application will get a favorable result.
