Preparing for your U.S.

visa interview: Top ten tips for successful B-1 visa applications

1. Plan your visa application well in advance of your travel to the United States. The visa
process can take several weeks or even longer.

2. Read all B-1 visa application instructions closely on the web site of the U.S. Consulate or
Embassy where you seek to submit your visa application. See http://www.usembassy.gov/
for links to all U.S. consular posts. Be sure to pay all visa application fees as instructed.

3. Many visa applicants are required to attend an interview with a U.S. consular official as part
of the visa application process. Plan ahead for your passport to remain with the U.S. Embassy
or Consulate for at least one to two weeks. After an application is approved, the Embassy or
Consulate will need at least five working days to issue your visa and to return your passport
to you.

4. All visa applicants must submit an online visa application (Form DS-160) before attending a
consular interview. There is no exception to this rule. This application may take up to three
hours to complete and asks for extensive information about an individuals background. See
https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/. Complete your visa application at least one week before your
interview so that you have enough time to gather all information and data requested on Form
DS-160.

5. Schedule your visa interview as soon as possible. U.S. Embassies and Consulates experience
a high volume of applicants in the summer. This results in interview slots being taken early.
You should be prepared to wait several weeks for a visa interview slot to become available.
Most consular posts do not consider a business meeting or conference to be an emergency, so
do not wait to the last minute to set up your interview date. It is very difficult to receive
expedited consideration for an interview date.

6. At your visa interview, you may have only one minute to explain the purpose of your visit to
the U.S. to a consular official. Have your invitation letter from the IBA ready, and be clear
about the length of your visit to the U.S. Be prepared to explain that you are intending to
return to your home country after the conference. Have evidence of your strong ties to your
country of residence, such as recent bank statements, a letter from your employer, evidence
that you own your home (if that is the case) or a lease for your current residence, and proof of
your membership in your countrys bar association.

7. If you have ever been arrested, detained by the police or convicted of any crime, you should
seek qualified U.S. immigration counsel before you apply for a visa. Certain criminal
convictions render an individual ineligible for a visa. Under U.S. immigration law, a
conviction is broadly defined and even includes, in some cases, admitting sufficient facts
in a plea bargain where a charge is ultimately dismissed. Qualified U.S. immigration counsel
can advise you before a visa interview about the relevance of any past criminal issues on
your eligibility to secure a visa.
8. If you have ever been arrested or convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol
(DUI), or if you have ever been arrested, entered a guilty plea, or been convicted of a
comparable or any alcohol related offense in any country, you may be asked to complete a
medical exam before you are issued a visa. In fact, U.S. consular officials are required to
instruct an applicant to undergo a medical exam if the applicant has had a single arrest or
conviction for an alcohol related offense in the past five years. Seek qualified U.S.
immigration counsel early and before you apply for a visa if you have had any alcohol related
arrest. Even an arrest for a DUI can result in an application for a visa being refused or
delayed several months.

9. Consular officials take previous violations of the immigration laws very seriously. If you
have ever overstayed a U.S. visa, been refused a visa to the U.S., or been detained by any
U.S. law enforcement agency, seek qualified U.S. immigration counsel before you apply for
a B-1 visa. Be truthful when asked about previous stays in the United States.

10. The U.S. government will require selected applicants to clear special administrative
processing, which may take as long as one to two months. Apply for your visa as early as
possible to reduce the chances of delays.