How to behave correctly at an interview at the embassy



An interview at the embassy, the procedure, frankly, is not a pleasant one. However, it is necessary if you are determined to travel abroad and need an entry visa.

To successfully complete the procedure, you need to collect the necessary documents, familiarize yourself with the rules and frequently asked questions.

But before you go for an interview at the embassy, it is useful to take care of your appearance. It is worth dressing a little more restrained than you are used to. Women don't need to put on a lot of makeup. Stock up on the necessary certificates from the place of work. Your job title should be euphonious. This will make a good impression on the embassy employee.

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To increase the likelihood of being interviewed, we advise you to bring with you:

  • Information from the place of work, specifying the position held, as well as the size of the salary
  • Invalid passports that demonstrate visa history (if you have, take it with you, because a new clean passport may not play in your favor)
  • Forms confirming the duration and purpose of the visit

When interviewing, you will have to consider the difference in mentality. The question "Where did you get the money?", Many of us will find highly indecent. But in the West and the United States, it is quite acceptable. But since you cannot get into the country without an interview, there is nowhere to go - you need to think over the answers to the most seemingly tactless questions. The main thing is not to get confused and be consistent.

Visa officers have a special distrust of a tourist if the information received during the interview differs greatly from the initial data. If you indicated in the questionnaire that you have two cars, do not forget this. In a word, the answers to questions of interest to the embassy employee must be prepared in advance.


And then the day and hour has come when you meet with the visa officer.

Common Embassy Interview Questions:

  • Purpose of Travel. If the purpose of the trip is tourist, then get ready to tell what sights you plan to visit. In other cases, the embassy employee will have to prove the tremendous importance of the trip for personal growth. Goals on paper and on words should not diverge. Are you a tourist? Then do not tell the officer that you are dreaming of staying in the country, enrolling in a university or finding a job there.
  • Family status. The embassy officials are interested in the marital status, the applicant's next of kin. Most often, this is needed to understand whether something keeps you at home.
  • The presence of a sponsor. If the applicant travels with sponsorship money, the visa officer will certainly ask a number of questions about this.
  • Information from the place of work. The visa officer is interested in the type of activity, the salary of the applicant, the documented opinion of the management regarding the trip.
  • Party receiving a foreign citizen. If the applicant provides a letter from an employer, relative or other party receiving a foreign citizen, then the visa inspector will study this issue thoroughly.
  • Language skills. The tourist does not need to own the country to which he is traveling. Feel free to answer this question honestly. Experts advise against bragging about a high level of language proficiency if you are eating on a tourist visa. After all, this fact may become a reason to suspect you of intending to stay in the country.
  • Application form. The applicant's answers to the questions of the embassy employee must match the information from the questionnaire.

Answer the questions asked intelligibly and clearly, and most importantly, truthfully. After all, these are the answers that visa officers like the most. Don't hum. Inarticulate words, scratching the back of your head while carrying an answer, phrases like "I wrote this here, but in fact this ..." will put you in the eyes of a visa officer in an extremely unpleasant light. And it may even lead to the refusal to issue you an entry visa.

So take your one-on-one interview with a visa officer for granted and off you go!

He will meticulously study your papers, occasionally looking closely at you. And at this moment, do not try:

  • Get nervous and fuss
  • Smile ingratiatingly
  • Be indifferent to what is happening

Common Embassy Interview Mistakes:

  • It's too early to arrive. This will create unnecessary queues. It is enough to arrive at the embassy 10-15 minutes before the appointed time.
  • Be late. It will ruin your reputation right away.
  • Wear provocative clothes, use flashy makeup. The United States and many European states are, of course, free countries, but this view is not for official meetings.
  • Communicate informally with the officer, try to joke. A familiar manner of communication is categorically unacceptable and will reduce your chances of getting a visa.

So your interview is over. All questions have been asked, answers have been received.

How can you tell if your visa has been approved?

  • If the officer took your passport, the interview is passed. The passport, along with the entry visa, will be sent to you by mail. The waiting time for documents after the interview is usually 2-7 days.
  • If you are unlucky, the officer will return your passport and provide an official document on the refusal to obtain a visa. Accept the result calmly and channel your energies into a second attempt. In order to exclude the prejudice of one or another embassy employee, a second interview will take place with another officer.

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We wish you a successful interview and get your visa on the first try!


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