What should you pay attention to when applying for a U.S. visa and entering the country?

U.S. visas are actually relatively easy to obtain, but in recent years, the difficulty of obtaining visas for some professions has further increased. This is also good for friends who are unfamiliar with this, that is, they must To understand the entire process and detailed precautions, let’s share with you an overview of the things you need to pay attention to when applying for a U.S. visa.

Whether it is the United States or Guam, whether it is for business or personal reasons, you need to apply for a visa and have an interview (except for visa renewals that are exempt from interview).

The visa officer will assume that everyone has the intention to immigrate. All you have to do is to prepare sufficient documents and certificates to prove to the visa officer that you will not "run away" after arriving in the United States.

In addition to preparing all the information and documents, and anticipating the questions that the visa officer may ask, what else can you do to improve your visa approval rate?

The following is a brief summary Let’s compile some US visa interview skills and visa interview precautions for you!

US visa interview tips

1. It is easier to get a visa during the peak season

We always It is customary to think that in the off-season, all walks of life will always relax some standards in order to attract customers, but for embassies and visa officers, the situation is exactly the opposite. Before the tourist season comes, there is a small peak period for visas. The number of visas is relatively large, and visa officers are relatively better at issuing visas in order to cope with the work. However, the number of visas is small during the off-season, so visa officers have enough time to review and verify your application. Some netizens have summarized their experience and believe that it is generally easier to get a visa in December, and visa officers are in a happier mood near Christmas and are more likely to issue visas.

2. Pay attention to your words, deeds, and details

You may not know that the entire visa section of the U.S. Embassy is under the surveillance of the U.S. government. Pay attention to your words and deeds. All your actions are Under camera surveillance and very likely to affect your visa outcome. When it's your turn, you can say good morning or good afternoon to the visa officer; when you leave, whether you are refused or approved, say thank you.

3. The materials are true and don’t lie

Rejection once does not mean rejection in the future, but if the reason for rejection is because your application information is falsified, then the impact will be huge. Many people think that "the more the security deposit, the better", so families with average incomes will "move here and there" to make the amount in their passbook larger, thinking that this will make it easier to obtain a visa. Abnormal capital inflows obviously cannot convince the visa officer. I advise you not to use false information to deceive the visa officer just to "look good on the books." When facing the visa officer's questions, you can answer cleverly, but you must be honest and don't lie. In any case, don't say that Qingfeng steamed buns for breakfast are McDonald's.

4. "Two-minute" etiquette

The average time each applicant spends "seeing the official" is about 2 minutes. When it is your turn, you must first calm down and make a small gesture, and the visa officer's impression of you will immediately improve; when the previous applicant left the counter without sorting out the information, you were one meter away. Wait quietly. When the previous applicant leaves and the visa officer calls your name, immediately raise your hand or nod to indicate that you are ready, and then quickly walk to the counter. Chinese people are accustomed to "fighting" for everything in a crowded living environment, while Western countries such as the United States attach great importance to personal privacy. If among many applicants, you deliberately "slow down" and show international etiquette, success or failure will largely be determined in this moment.

5. Take the initiative to submit supporting materials

Be proactive when submitting documents. When you answer the visa question, you must take the initiative to submit supporting materials. For example, when the visa officer asks what your father does for a living, You must submit proof of employment when answering. Under normal circumstances, the visa officer will not take the initiative to ask you to submit certain materials. You must submit them proactively when answering questions. Some netizens wondered why the visa officer refused to apply for me without looking at any of the documents. It’s because I don’t understand this technique.

6. What to do if the visa interview is rejected

The US visa officer is very strict. Sometimes a person may be refused a visa because of a piece of clothing, an action, a word, or even the visa officer thinks this Visas will also be refused to people who don't look pleasing to the eye. If you are unfortunately refused a visa by a visa officer in a "bad mood", you can only file an appeal and request a different visa officer to resubmit your application. For tourists whose materials are authentic and good, we recommend that they re-sign immediately, and based on experience, the re-signing rate is not low.

U.S. visa interview frequently asked questions

1: Exit record

1. Question: What did you do in the United States?

2. Question: Which countries and regions have you traveled to?

3. Question: How can you prove that you have visited those countries?

2: Personal assets

< p>1. Question: Who will pay for your trip to the United States this time?

2. Question: What do you do? What is your position in the company? How long have you served? What is the company address?

3. Question: What is your annual income?

4. Question: Do you have a business license?

5. Question: Do you have a letter of certification from your employer or company? Letter of guarantee?

6. Question: Have you brought proof of deposit?

7. Question: Have you brought proof of real estate?

8. Question: Do you have A private car?

9. Question: Do you bring any other proof of assets?

3: Family aspect

1. Question: Are you married? ?Do you have children?

2. Question: What does your lover do?

3. Question: Are you going on this trip by yourself? Why does your family Why don’t I travel to the United States with you?

4. Question: Have you brought your household registration certificate?

5. Question: Have you brought your marriage certificate?

< p>6. Question: Have you brought photos of your family members?

4: Travel

1. Question: Who organized your trip to the United States this time?

2. Question: How many people are there in this tour group?

3. Question: Do you know everyone else in the tour group?

4. Question: You Which cities and attractions in the United States are you planning to visit on this trip?

5. Question: How much does this trip cost?

6. Question: What is the booking for this tour group? Departure time?

7. Question: How many days do you plan to stay in the United States?

Tips for US visa interviews

1. Do not bring these things

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Applicants should be careful not to bring mobile phones, pagers, handbags and luggage into the embassy. Just bring the documents required for your visa with you. All materials should be memorized, especially sensitive time and numbers.

2. Be confident

American psychology, they respect people who are confident. When talking to the visa officer, talk to him in a communicative tone and be careful not to make a long speech. When you can't hear clearly, you have to dare to say, I'm sorry, I didn't hear clearly. The visa officer won't mind, but don't always hear clearly, so as not to arouse his resentment.

3. Keep smiling

Smile as much as possible during the visa interview. When answering the visa officer’s questions, you must focus your eyes and look directly at the visa officer. Do not look around or be distracted. Answer questions concisely, don't be too quiet or shy, and be confident and calm to give the visa officer a very good impression.

4. Keep a calm mind

In terms of interview time, the fastest is 1 minute, and the slowest is 30 minutes. Whether it is fast or slow does not affect your visa, because the personality of the visa officer is different, and it has a lot to do with the materials you prepare. You don’t have to worry about this detail. Keep a calm mind and have a rational understanding of visa refusal. If the visa is refused, remember to consult the reasons on site and try to get approved again.

5. Dress neatly

Be sure to dress as naturally and as naturally as possible, in line with your identity and role. It is best for girls to wear light makeup, but avoid heavy makeup and disheveled hair; boys should Be smart and don't need a formal suit, but don't be too casual either.

What should you do next if you are refused a visa?

1. Make an appointment for a new interview

After being refused, you can make an appointment for a new visa interview at any time, but every time You need to pay the visa fee again every time you apply, and the number of places in each consulate is limited.

2. Recall the last visa experience and supplement the visa materials

Recall whether there are any advantages that were not shown in the last visa, or there are any materials about yourself that you have ignored . Such as driver's license, driving license, recommendation letters, etc. The more information and evidence the visa officer can see about you, the greater the chance of a successful visa. The materials should be organized in an orderly manner, which can save the visa officer's time and make people feel comfortable. Be careful not to be disorganized.

3. Find a reliable travel company to handle your application

If you are not confident in applying for a U.S. visa again, or are not confident about the information you have prepared. It is recommended that you find a reliable travel company to do this for you, because they have been doing this for a long time and are skilled in the business. Of course, they will be more professional in helping you prepare information.

List of items that can and cannot be brought into the United States or Guam

US security inspections are a global civilization. In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, it is best to be prepared before traveling.

As for the US Customs, some people said that he brought everything and everything was fine. Hey, that means you didn't get it. If you get it, you'll be in trouble. If you are a U.S. citizen, we will look back on you after leaving a record.

If you only have a green card or an ordinary visa, you may be in danger of revoking your green card or being deported, which will be a big trouble.

U.S. Customs often adds items to be carried, which is not static. The following is a summary of what can and cannot be brought into the United States. If you have family members and friends who often go in and out of customs, it is better to read it. If you don’t know the situation, don’t help people or ask people to carry medicines and other items. This happened to a student the year before last. An incident in which a father and daughter were deported back to their country for carrying licorice tablets.

1. Compact discs

U.S. Customs does not inspect compact discs. But if a large amount is suspected of trafficking, you may be fined or imprisoned.

2. Random inspection

The package inspection here is usually a random inspection. Generally, one will be selected from a few, and all the food items may be selected. You will need to add a customs declaration item on the plane. If you want to bring food, be sure to report it, otherwise if you are caught, it may not be a good first time, but if you are unlucky, you may be fined and jailed. And once caught, you will be checked frequently in the future. If cash or traveler's checks exceed US$10,000, they must be reported or they will be confiscated. If you file a tax return, you won't be asked to pay taxes. It's just a matter of registration.

3. Packaging

There are no clear regulations on packaging, but you must be careful not to spill or leak on your own luggage. Many people misunderstand that vacuum sealing is required, which is wrong. Things that are not allowed to be brought are not allowed to be vacuum-sealed, but things that are allowed to be brought can be brought without being sealed.

4. Food

(1) All chicken, duck, goose, pig, beef, sheep, deer and horse meat are not allowed. No matter if it's sealed or not, or it's vacuumed, or it's covered in dozens of plastic bags. It doesn’t matter whether you have meat floss, intestines, mooncakes, biscuits, ham, canned meat, cured meat, sauced meat, fresh meat, bacon, jerky, meat pie, or meat dumplings.

(2) Meat may be acceptable in rare cases: if it is in a sealed can, and the label clearly indicates in English that it is cooked, and the can can be stored for a long time without freezing. long time.

However, the regulations are changing all the time, so this is just possible.

(3) Fish, any fish is fine, fish floss, dried fish, canned fish, raw fish... One of my buddies once brought me raw fish, he used a bag Sealed it and kept it in ice. People at the airport checked it and released it. Live fish looking down. The limit on caviar is 250 grams. If it exceeds 250 grams, all of it will be confiscated.

(4) Dairy products are generally acceptable. This includes yogurt and cheese, but since they are liquids, they must be checked in.

(5) Soy products are acceptable, such as dried tofu, fermented bean curd, etc.

(6) Babao porridge is OK, but it is also available in Chinese supermarkets in the United States.

(7) Fruit, all fresh fruits are not allowed. It is best to seal the dried ones, just use the plastic bags from the factory, they don’t need to be vacuum-sealed.

(8) All dried fruits are acceptable.

(9) Mooncakes containing egg yolk or meat are not allowed, but other types of mooncakes are allowed. If there is a clear description on the mooncake box of what is inside the mooncake, there is no need to open it. Otherwise, customs officers may not only open the box, but also cut open the mooncake for inspection. If someone wants to take advantage of the situation, it may not be possible to create a fake trademark, because the meat can be seen when scanning. If you cut it open and find meat inside, you'll be in even greater trouble.

(10) You can bring condiments, such as tofu, pickles, and various sauces, but they are easy to spill and the bottles and boxes are easy to break, so please be careful. They are usually available in Chinese supermarkets here, so it is not recommended to bring them. Dry seasonings are also available, but California has not allowed the entry of Sichuan peppercorns in recent years. Friends traveling from California should be careful. And you can’t buy Sichuan peppercorns in Chinese supermarkets in California, so don’t be surprised.

(11) Mushrooms, fungus, whatever. The dried and compressed fungus from Northeast China is very good, and it is very convenient to distribute it after arriving.

(12) If you bring something to eat on the plane, leave the leftover fruits, meat, and intestines on the plane and do not take them off.

5. Knives

Knives can be checked.

6. Medicines

You can bring ordinary personal medicines, such as cold, diarrhea, and anti-inflammatory medicines. Don’t bring too many. Medicines have a shelf life, and too much may cause harm. In violation of regulations, of course don't bring marijuana or anything else, which is also illegal in China. But don’t bring too much.

7. Tobacco and alcohol

Liquor is 1000 ml and 200 cigarettes. Moutai Wuliangye is sold in Chinese stores in the eastern and western United States. The excess amount for tobacco and alcohol is also allowed, just file the tax. The tax on wine is not very high, about US$4-5 per bottle. I’m not particularly sure about cigarettes, but generally speaking they are more cost-effective than buying them in the United States. Cigarette taxes in the United States are very high. Cigars made in Cuba are not allowed.

You can put a lighter in your hand luggage if it is out of gas. Gas cannot be carried with you or checked in, unless you have a DOT-approved box to put it in. You can carry 1 set of safety matches with you or in your carry-on baggage, but they are not allowed in checked baggage. The thing about safety matches is that the match must be closed to strike, and it cannot strike on the wall. In Chinese airports, many places still refuse to let you use lighters. American lighters are not expensive, so I advise you to buy them when you come here. In fact, smoking is not allowed in airports and airplanes, and if you do, it will be a waste.

8. Leather items

Any items made of cat or dog skin are strictly prohibited from import. If there are any dog-skin mattress gloves or anything that looks like dog-skin, it’s best not to wear them.

9. Gold

There used to be restrictions, but now there are no restrictions. All kinds of gold coins and gold bars are acceptable, and there is no quantity limit.

10. Duty-free goods

Duty-free goods refer to goods that are tax-free in China, not tax-free after you fly to the United States. If the goods are not for personal use, tax will still be charged. Whether it is the US duty-free shop or the Guam duty-free shop, things are very cheap, you can take a look.

Finally, I advise everyone to bring whatever you bring with you. If you bring something illegal, as long as you report it, it will be confiscated at most, and there will be no fines or jail time. If you don’t report it, and they find you, there’s no chance. Generally speaking, customs are reasonable and no one wants to deliberately make things difficult for you. If you don’t know the situation of the things you normally bring, the contraband brought in, if it is not within the scope of customs declaration, if it is a small amount, it will be confiscated at most. Don’t be too careful. Don't worry, don't bring a large amount of anything, especially medicines, which are very troublesome to check. Customs requirements vary from country to country and change frequently. Please pay attention to the policies before departure.