I Survived My US Visa Interview And Got A 10-Year Valid Visa

My US Visa Interview With Tips To Get A 10-Year Valid Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa

By DAN FORTEZA

I entered the US Embassy building at 9:55AM and I left the building at 11:00AM with a visa-approved look on my face. My US visa interview ended up well.

My US visa interview happened this morning (19th-March)

My schedule was 9:45AM.

At 9:30AM, I was already at the waiting hall inside the US embassy.

At 9:55AM, we were directed to go inside the Embassy building. There are three (3) stages of the application:

1. Pre-screening.
2. Finger Print Scanning.
3. Interview.

Of course, the most interesting part is the INTERVIEW. I was telling myself the whole time “You got this!”, “You can rock this!”, “Kill the interview, Daniel!”.So there I was, queuing to the interview.

As I moved closer to the interviewing windows, there was a Filipino couple in front of me and the woman told me “Sir, you can go first”.

First, I didn’t know why but then I suddenly realized they’re avoiding the interviewer on the leftmost side because she talks loud, she dominates you, and she keeps rejecting the applicants lining up to her. The recent one was a Filipina lady who is married to an American guy. By the sound of the interview, she was rejected because she did not provide proof of any sort of income and she only depends on the remittances of her American husband.

And so next is me.

That’s the time I got really nervous! Here are the interview details. I tried to remember it as much as I can to capture the thought.

ME: Good morning, Ma’am (*hands over my passport*)

INTERVIEWER: Good morning. (*looks at her computer*) What will you do in Los Angeles?

ME: Vacation, Ma’am. Sightseeing. Backpacking style.

INTERVIEWER: What do you intend to see?

ME: Hollywood… Hollywood Walk of Fame (this is the time I went blank), Ro-rodeo drive (*me trying to remember the places in L.A.*), uhm…Venice Canals, the famous ones.

INTERVIEWER: (*sees my Turkish visa*) Oh you went to Turkey, what did you do there?

ME: I went backpacking, Ma’am. I have been to 21 countries before.

INTERVIEWER: How do you fund your travels?

ME: I have a work here in the Philippines, Ma’am.

INTERVIEWER: Which type of company?

ME: I work at (*states the company I work for*) as a Mechanical Engineer.

INTERVIEWER: No, I mean which kind?

ME: It is an engineering firm, Ma’am.

INTERVIEWER: But what does your company do?

ME: (*I went blank again*) It is a company where….we buy equipment.

INTERVIEWER: Buy equipment?

ME: Hmm how can I explain? Um basically we’re a contractor and like a middleman between the Client and the vendor where we buy equipment to make a power plant (*I suck at explaining haha*). It’s in the Oil and Gas industry.

INTERVIEWER: Alright. (*types…looks at her computer*). What other countries have you been to?

ME: Recently Ma’am I went to South America (*she cuts me*)

INTERVIEWER: Yeah, you have a Peru stamp. Where did you go to Peru?

ME: I went to Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu.

INTERVIEWER: (*types*) What college degree did you finish?

ME: Mechanical Engineering.

INTERVIEWER: Which school did you graduate from?

ME: Sorsogon State College.

INTERVIEWER: SORso-what?

ME: SORSOGON State College.

INTERVIEWER: When did you graduate?

ME: April, I don’t remember the exact day but it’s April 2006, oh sorry, 2011.

INTERVIEWER: How do you travel so much despite your work?

ME: I normally file a leave for only 4 days to 1 week. The one in South America is 2 weeks because I sacrificed my Christmas vacation for that trip.

INTERVIEWER: Who do you live with?

ME: I live alone, Ma’am. I rent a room.

INTERVIEWER: Where is your family?

ME: They live in my hometown, in Sorsogon. It’s about 600km from here.

INTERVIEWER: Where else did you go in South America?

ME: Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador.

INTERVIEWER: (*types*) Backpacking in Los Angeles. Interesting. How do you do backpacking?

ME: Ma’am, it is a kind of low-cost travel where, for example, you rent at hostels.

INTERVIEWER: Do you have relatives in the US?

ME: No, Ma’am.

INTERVIEWER: Your visa is approved. You’ll have this in one week.

ME: Thank you so much!

*Phewww*

Yep! She did not ask for any documents. The interview was 5-8 minutes long I think. It went fast. But I must admit the first minute of the interview, I was nervous and shaky.

I know you’re nervous, too. And it’s okay. But just like myself, you’re gonna rock this!!! Just be true to your intentions but also make sure you established your rootedness to the Philippines. You need to convey to them that you will return after your touristic trip. That is very important. Like in my case, I have to come back to work after my trip.

Feel free to read a separate blog I made on How To Apply A US Visa With Your Philippine Passport HERE. It is a step-by-step guide to apply for your US Visa.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a reply below. I will respond as soon as I can to help you somehow. That’s a promise.

My US VIsa | Dantravels.org

This Post Has 47 Comments

  1. Maria esperanza banayo

    I was denied two times..first i told i dont have friends and relatives in usa..for the second time my mom god mother told me i need to declared and told to the console im supposed to be accompany to travel my oldest grand mother going back in usa

    1. dantravels

      Sorry to hear that. I suggest you to examine and identify the gap or what is missing in your application and hopefully next time you apply you have already filled that gap.

  2. Maria esperanza banayo

    Do u think if i applying us visa just travelled on asian country i have chance

    1. dantravels

      Yes! The Interviewer usually asked if you have traveled before. A travel history is a plus!

  3. Maria

    hi Dan,
    can you share your itinerary?
    hmm I got nervous na while reading this blog of yours!
    yung left interviewer ba yun yung nang interview sayo?
    anyway I read sa post mo na may na deny na woman because she doesn’t have any income and only waiting for the remittances =(
    i’m only a homemaker for now since I have a baby and waiting as well for my husband’s remittance. So it’s kinda malabo if I will apply for tourist then?

    1. dantravels

      Hi Maria,
      I sent you my day-to-day itinerary via email.
      Yup, the left most interviewer (woman).
      I couldn’t really say your chances but that’s what I heard based on the discussion of that Filipina woman.
      Have you applied before? Or it will be your first time?

      1. Maria

        thanks for the reply

        first time ever to apply if ever =)

    2. jean

      sir sme hir im first time to apply in us accompany with my husband…what are the possible question me and my husband…plz help me about itenerary have no idea

      1. dantravels

        Hi Jean,

        By reading my article above, I think you get the idea of the possible questions the interviewer will ask. As I always say, you need to prove your strong rootedness to the Philippines.

        Here are the major factors on visa denial based on my observation:

        -No international travel experience
        -No established career
        -Not capable to travel financially
        -Having inaccurate information (be truthful!)

        With regards to the sample itinerary, I sent it to your email. Kindly check your inbox.

        Hope this helps.

        Regards,
        Dan

  4. Gloria

    I was denied two times..i have strong ties here in the philippines since i am a public school teacher for 23 years. I think the most reasons are i can hardly understand the way the consul talked. Even i beg pardon still cannot..haha. i hate slang?

    1. dantravels

      Aww. That’s sad ?.
      Still, thanks for sharing your experience.

  5. Yen

    Hi im just curious, how much did you spend an estimated perhaps of your trip to US? Peru? Can i also ask for your itinerary pleaseee? Thank you so much

    1. dantravels

      Sure, I will send it to you via email.

  6. Liz

    Hi Dan, how long did it take for your passport to arrive after your interview?

    1. dantravels

      Hi Liz,

      It took only 3 days. My interview was Tuesday and I received my passport Friday.

      Regards,
      Dan

      1. Joey

        Hello, I am planning to have an interview for US visa on January. Yung sabi mong 3 days after interview mo nakuha yung Visa, was this delivered in Metro Manila? Kase Im from Cebu and I am flying back to work one week after the interview. Salamat po at God Bless.

        1. dantravels

          Hi Joey,

          Yes–it was delivered within Metro Manila.

          Good luck with your Interview! Let us know how it went =)

  7. Rosalie

    i was denied 4 yrs ago..it will appear if i will apply for visa again?

    1. dantravels

      Hi Rosalie,

      Yes, I believe so. I’m pretty sure the US embassy keeps records of one’s past application / history. So just answer them as honest as you can. Also, I believe the visa application history will be asked on the application form.

      Regards,
      Dan

  8. Ysa

    After being approved, they will get your passport. Would they send me back passport asap as I will be needing my passport for my travel the next month?

    1. dantravels

      Hi Ysa!

      Yes, they will send the passport back via courier to be delivered to the address you indicated during application. I got approved Tuesday and I received it Friday. So it only took 3 working days! But it could take up to one week depending on your delivery address.

  9. Angelica

    Hi may I ask how much do you think is your budget for a 13days stay in san francisco? i’m just gonna roam around the nearby areas. I’ll be staying with my relatives, and do you think 100k pesos is a realistic budget? Including the airfare and food? Thank you. Hope you answer!

    1. dantravels

      Hi Angelica,

      Let’s say your round-trip ticket costs you 50k Php. Thus, 50K Php remains for your 13-day stay in San Francisco. It equates to 3.8K PHP per day or 75 USD per day. I myself backpack on a budget and for me, it is enough but I make sure I have additional travel fund for emergency just in case.

      Regards,
      Dan

  10. Stephane Villanueva

    If sponsored po ba ng relatives, or may invitation from relatives. Sa kanila po ba magsesend ng letter or ako po yung may hawak ng letter?
    Pasend naman po ng itinerary. Thank you!?

  11. Hazel

    Hello Dan, Thank you for this blog! I needed something like this to boost myself up. Although, I have to admit it made 3x more nervous than I was. It felt like I was the one talking to the interviewer while I was reading it. ? I’ve only been to 4 countries do you think I have a chance? I plan to visit LA next year May 2020 but I want to apply for visa this September. Also I have an upcoming trip on November, do you think it could help me if I bring a copy of my flight details for that trip? Oh and could you share your itinerary and how much it cost you? Please and thank you! ?

    1. dantravels

      Hi Hazel,

      Glad that this blog helped you in any way. As I always say, you need to prove your strong rootedness to the Philippines to be able to increase your chance on visa approval. With your previous travel to 4 countries, you have already established your “travel history” but it is not just the factor for visa approval.

      Here are the major factors on visa denial based on my observation:

      -No international travel history
      -No established career
      -Not capable to travel financially
      -Having inaccurate information (be truthful!)

      You can bring your flight tickets, no one is stopping you. As a rule of thumb, bring any documents that could help support your visa application especially if it’s about your travel funds and finances (even TRAVEL INSURANCE!)

      With regards to the sample itinerary, I sent it to your email. Kindly check your inbox. Note it is just a sample itinerary and no cost included.

      Hope this helps.

      Regards,
      Dan

      1. Andrey

        Hi dan. Can you share to me your itenerary in the us and approximate expense for a 3 week vacation?

        1. dantravels

          Hi Andrey,

          Sorry but my itinerary is only drafted for a one-week vacation. It is just basically a list of places I intend to visit each day. Since it is just a planned itinerary, no cost is included.

  12. Richard

    hi sir, can you please share to me your itinerary ?

    1. dantravels

      Hi Richard,
      I sent it to you. Check your inbox!

  13. raflors

    Thanks for the tips Dan,I’m so excited and nervous for my US interview. whew! Btw, can you also send me your travel itinerary? thanks! 😀

    1. dantravels

      Hi Raf,

      Sent it to you, Check your inbox.

  14. Cheng

    Did you bring/present bank statement? My husband will finance our trip and I dont have good savings account. By the way hes US citizen

    1. dantravels

      I brought them during the interview but the interviewer didn’t ask for it.

  15. Leika

    hi sir, can you please share to me your itinerary ? Thanks much!

    1. dantravels

      Hi Leika, Sent to your email. =)

  16. Marai

    Hi, Thanks for the infos. I am also planning to apply for tourist visa and wants to meet my auntie in Chicago, but I only traveled to China last May this year, your blog really share infos i needed 🙂 anyway, can you also send me you itinerary in L.A? thanks 🙂

    1. dantravels

      Hi Marai, Sent to your email. =)

      1. Marai

        Thanks, Dan! One more question, is having a flight already booked prior interview not required? kasi when I applied for China Visa, it required me to book a flight as it is one of the reqs for applying for their visa. thank you! 🙂

        1. dantravels

          Not required for US visa =)

  17. Aryaan Asad

    nice information thank you so much.

  18. Camille

    Hello there!

    May I have a copy of your itinerary? I’m supposed to attend my bestfriend’s wedding in October 2020 but I have yet to apply for a tourist visa. I have been to India and Australia before but the trips have been sponsored by my employer, and the prior to that, I’ve been to two Asian countries in one trip for leisure—do you think those will help or boost my chances?

    Thank you!

  19. Caroline Joy de Guzman

    hi sir, can you please share to me your itinerary ? Thanks much!

    1. dantravels

      Hi Caroline, I just sent it through your email. Check your inbox.

  20. Sandy

    Hi, this made me nervous even more. Can you also send to me your travel itinerary in LA? I’m planning to tour around LA, too! Thank you!

    1. dantravels

      Hi Sandy, I just sent it to your email. Kindly check your inbox. You’re welcome!

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