How ought to I put together for my visa interview? • TechCrunch

Right here’s one other version of “Pricey Sophie,” the recommendation column that solutions immigration-related questions on working at know-how firms.

“Your questions are very important to the unfold of information that permits folks all around the world to rise above borders and pursue their goals,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration lawyer. “Whether or not you’re in folks ops, a founder or searching for a job in Silicon Valley, I might like to reply your questions in my subsequent column.”

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Pricey Sophie,

Our startup was simply accepted into the winter batch of a high accelerator!

My co-founder with an H-1B simply bought laid off from huge tech, however he’s OK as a result of his immigration lawyer is submitting a change of standing to B-1 throughout the 60-day grace interval. I’m nervous although, as a result of I’m exterior the U.S. and I don’t but have a B-1/B-2 customer visa.

How can I ace the visa interview? What kind of questions will I be requested? How ought to I put together?

— Tenacious in Tobago

Pricey Tenacious,

Thanks a lot for reaching out! Earlier than I dive into your questions, let me present some context and basic suggestions for making ready for a consular interview.

Get recommendation from an knowledgeable

An interview with any immigration official is a high-stakes enterprise. Immigration officers have the discretion to resolve whether or not or to not grant you a non-immigrant visa or an immigrant visa (inexperienced card) that may allow you to enter the US. And the way nicely — or poorly — you do through the interview can have implications in your future visa and inexperienced card purposes.

In line with Mandy Feuerbacher, who was a consular officer on the U.S. Division of State, officers take notes about whether or not they suppose an interviewee is accountable, credible, and certified, and that file can be accessible for all consular officers to see even when an individual applies for one more visa class or at one other U.S. embassy or consulate.

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Sadly, you can not convey an immigration lawyer with you to a consular interview — the State Division stopped permitting that greater than 25 years in the past. In distinction, you’re allowed to convey an lawyer with you to a inexperienced card interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies officer contained in the U.S.

Immigration officers are human, too!

This sounds apparent, however reminding your self of that will assist alleviate your anxiousness. Like everybody else, consular officers have households, good and unhealthy days, hopes and goals, and personalities and world views formed by their distinctive experiences. They’re merely attempting to do their job to the easiest of their capability.

As an apart, the H-1B specialty occupation visa and the L-1 visa for intracompany transferees are dual-intent, and permit you to intend to stay within the U.S. by submitting for a inexperienced card. The O-1 extraordinary capability visa has some flexibility as nicely.