THE MOST COMMON US WORK VISA INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
ARRIVE EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER
Under no circumstances should you be late for your interview. Arriving early will make you feel calmer and more prepared.
BE AWARE OF HOW YOU LOOK AND SPEAK
Your posture, facial expressions, gestures, dress code, and answers are equally important. Do not avoid eye contact and be confident when you speak.
HAVE YOUR PAPERWORK READY
Have all needed documents in your hands, arranged and in order. Give these documents to the consular officer when your interview begins.
What is the point of going for an in-person interview?
In order to determine whether an applicant is eligible for a particular kind of visa, the United States Embassy or Consulate requires the applicant to appear for a visa interview. The consular officer will check the applicant’s information and documents during the visa interview by asking specific questions about the visa category. While responding to the inquiries posed by the consular official, the candidate needs to answer with certainty and furthermore explain his/her connections to their native country. The embassy wants to ensure that the candidate will return to their native country once the visa term has expired, in order to avoid deporting illegal immigrants.
Keep in mind that no visa interview or consular officer is the same. Your interview might take 5 minutes, while another might take 40 minutes, depending on your answers, your paperwork, and the sponsoring company’s legitimacy.
BELOW YOU WILL FIND SOME OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ASKED IN A WORK VISA INTERVIEW. BE PREPARED THAT THESE QUESTIONS MIGHT DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM YOUR OWN INTERVIEW.
LISTEN CAREFULLY TO EACH QUESTION AND TELL THE OFFICER THE INFORMATION THEY ASK FOR.
WHO WILL BE SPONSORING YOUR TRIP TO THE US?
THE OFFICER IS ASKING ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYER. TELL THE OFFICER THE NAME OF THE COMPANY AS WELL AS THE NAME OF THE CEO.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
‘MY SPONSOR IS CALLED AUTOMOBILE BLUE AND THEIR CEO IS JASON WANG. THEY WILL BE SPONSORING MY TRIP TO THE US.”
WHERE IS YOUR SPONSORING COMPANY LOCATED IN THE US AND WHAT IS THEIR ADDRESS?
BE SURE TO KNOW THE DETAILS OF WHERE YOU’LL BE WORKING.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“THEIR HEAD OFFICE IS IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, THEY ARE LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF 36TH STREET AND 2ND AVENUE.“
WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS DOES THIS COMPANY DO?
EXPLAIN THE BASICS OF HOW THIS COMPANY GENERATES FUNDS.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“THEY MANUFACTURE HIGH-END, ORIGINAL PARTS OF CARS AND ALSO RENOVATE VINTAGE VEHICLES.“
WHEN WAS THE COMPANY FOUNDED AND HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO THEY CURRENTLY HAVE?
KNOW HOW OLD THE COMPANY IS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY EMPLOY.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“IT WAS FOUNDED BY MARK BROWN IN 1988 AND THEY HAVE AROUND 50 EMPLOYEES IN TOTAL.“
WHAT WILL YOUR POSITION BE?
EXPLAIN WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES WILL BE IN THE WORKPLACE.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“THEY NEED AN EXPERT TO HELP THEM RESTORE SPECIFIC KINDS OF VEHICLES, LIKE RARE, VINTAGE ASTON MARTINS AND BUGATTIS. I HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THIS FIELD.“
HOW DID THIS COMPANY COME TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?
EXPLAIN HOW AND WHY YOU WERE APPROACHED BY THE COMPANY AND WHY THEY OFFERED YOU A JOB.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“I FOUND AN ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THIS JOB. I APPLIED A FEW MONTHS AGO AND WENT THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS UNTIL THEY OFFERED THE POSITION TO ME.“
DESCRIBE THE JOB INTERVIEW PROCESS TO ME.
THEY WANT TO KNOW IF YOU ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH A PROPER INTERVIEW PROCESS IN ORDER TO GET HIRED. EXPLAIN IN DETAIL.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“THE INTERVIEW AND HIRING PROCESS WAS INTENSIVE. I HAD THREE SEPARATE INTERVIEWS WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE COMPANY IN TOTAL TO ENSURE THAT I WAS THE RIGHT CANDIDATE.“
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH VINTAGE CARS AND YOUR EDUCATION.
LIST YOUR PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE BY DATE AND TELL THE INTERVIEWER WHERE YOU RECEIVED YOUR EDUCATION.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“I HAVE A DEGREE IN ENGINEERING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, A DIPLOMA IN AUTOMOTIVE RESTORATION. I’VE BEEN WORKING FOR ALBERT’S CLASSIC RESTORATION FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS WHERE I SPECIALIZED IN MACHINING TECHNOLOGY, WOODWORKING, AND VEHICLE RESTORATION ASSEMBLY. IN HIGH SCHOOL, I VOLUNTEERED AT OUR LOCAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM WHERE I GAINED A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND WHERE MY LOVE OF VINTAGE CARS BEGAN.“
WHERE WILL YOU BE STAYING IN THE US?
YOUR EMPLOYER SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THIS WITH YOU AND IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE CONTRACT YOU’VE SIGNED.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“WHEN I ARRIVE, THEY WILL PAY FOR A HOTEL STAY WHILE MY ACCOMMODATION GETS ARRANGED. WE AGREED THAT I WILL THEN BE LIVING IN AN APARTMENT CLOSE TO THE COMPANY, IN BROOKLYN.“
HOW SURE ARE YOU THAT THIS IS A LEGITIMATE ORGANIZATION?
THEY WANT TO KNOW IF YOU DID YOU DID RESEARCH ABOUT THE COMPANY AND IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO DO.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“YES, I’VE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ABOUT THEM BEFORE COMMITTING MYSELF TO THIS POSITION. THEY ARE WELL-KNOWN ACROSS THE US FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING CRAFTMANSHIP WHEN IT COMES TO RESTORING VINTAGE VEHICLES.“
HAVE YOU EVER TRAVELED TO THE UNITED STATES BEFORE?
MENTION ANY KIND OF TRIP WHERE YOU HAVE ENTERED THE US IN THE PAST. THEY HAVE RECORDS OF THIS, SO BE TRUTHFUL AND DO NOT FORGET ANY TRIP.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“MY WIFE AND I VISITED CALIFORNIA FOR OUR HONEYMOON IN JUNE OF 2008 FOR TWO WEEKS. THAT IS THE ONLY TIME I’VE BEEN IN THE US BEFORE.“
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND TO STAY IN THE US?
YOUR EMPLOYER WILL HAVE ARRANGED FOR THE LENGTH OF YOUR STAY IN THE CONTRACT YOU SIGNED WITH THEM. MENTION THE EXACT AMOUNT OF TIME YOU NEED TO BE IN THE US TO FULFILL YOUR WORK DUTIES.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“ACCORDING TO THE CONTRACT I SIGNED WITH MY EMPLOYER, I NEED TO BE WORKING FOR THEM FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS. THEN, I WILL RETURN TO MY HOME COUNTRY.“
DO YOU HAVE ANY FRIENDS OR RELATIVES IN THE US?
BE HONEST HERE. THERE ARE MANY WAYS THE EMBASSY CAN VERIFY YOUR ANSWER
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“I DO NOT HAVE ANY FAMILY MEMBERS LIVING IN THE US AT THE MOMENT, BUT I DO KNOW SOME OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES AT THIS COMPANY AS WE HAVE MET ONLINE DURING MEETINGS IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS.“
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DEPENDANTS.
THE OFFICER IS ASKING ABOUT WHETHER YOU HAVE PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF FINANCIALLY, LIKE FAMILY MEMBERS OR A SPOUSE.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“I’M NOT MARRIED, BUT I DO TAKE CARE OF MY ELDERLY MOTHER WHO IS STAYING AT A NURSING HOME IN MY HOMETOWN. EACH MONTH, AN AMOUNT IS PAID INTO HER BANK ACCOUNT FROM MINE TO COVER HER LIVING EXPENSES.“
WHO WILL BE TAKING CARE OF YOUR DEPENDANT AND PROPERTY WHILE YOU ARE AWAY?
HERE YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR FINANCIAL DUTIES IN YOUR ABSENCE.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“MY BROTHER WILL HAVE POWER OF ATTORNEY OVER MY AFFAIRS WHILE I AM ABROAD. HE’LL TAKE CARE OF OUR MOTHER AND MY PROPERTY UNDER MY GUIDANCE.“
HAVE YOUR FLIGHT TICKETS BEEN BOOKED?
PRESENT THE OFFICER WITH YOUR E-TICKET. EXPLAIN WHEN YOUR SPONSOR WANTS YOU TO ARRIVE AND WHEN YOU NEED TO BEGIN WORKING.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“THE COMPANY HAS BOOKED MY FLIGHTS, HERE ARE THE TICKETS. THEY WOULD LIKE TO ME ARRIVE AT THE END OF THE MONTH AND BEGIN WORK AT THE START OF NEXT MONTH.“
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SUPPORT YOURSELF FOR THE FIRST MONTH UNTIL YOU GET YOUR FIRST PAYMENT?
THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN YOUR BANK TO SUPPORT YOURSELF AND NOT LIVE ON THE STREET. HAVE YOUR BANK STATEMENTS READY AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS AVAILABLE.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“HERE ARE MY BANK STATEMENTS, AS YOU CAN SEE I HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO SUPPORT MYSELF UNTIL I RECEIVE MY FIRST PAYMENT.“
WHY DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SUITABLE TO WORK IN CORPORATE US?
YOU ARE PROBABLY AN EXPERT AT WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE TAKING THIS JOB FROM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO IS EQUALLY QUALIFIED.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“THIS COMPANY DECIDED TO HIRE ME AS THERE IS CURRENTLY NO ONE ELSE WITH THE SAME EXPERTISE IN THE AREA. QUALITY IS KEY IN MY LINE OF WORK AND I AM ONE OF THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EXPERIENCED CANDIDATES THEY HAVE FOUND. I ADAPT EASILY TO ANY ENVIRONMENT, SO WORKING AND LIVING IN THE US WILL NOT BE AN ISSUE FOR ME.“
HOW MUCH ARE YOU GOING TO GET PAID FOR THIS POSITION?
THEY WANT TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE AGREED ON A SET SALARY WITH YOUR EMPLOYER AND THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF WHAT YOUR INCOME AND EXPENSES WILL BE.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
“AS PER THE CONTRACT WE HAVE SIGNED, MY SALARY WILL BE $5000 PER MONTH, PLUS HEALTH INSURANCE AND PAID VACATIONS.“
ARE YOU UNSURE OF HOW TO ANSWER A SPECIFIC QUESTION? WE WILL BE HAPPY TO REVIEW AND CORRECT IT FOR YOU, FREE!
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