How to Prepare for a Visa Application Interview

Applying for a visa is just one of many steps you will need to take before you are cleared for immigration and you are free to go ahead and make firm travel plans. With a visa application interview looming, how should you prepare for the day?

Locate the Visa Application Centre

The first thing you should do once you receive your appointment letter is to locate the visa application centre. Will you be attending an interview at the embassy, consulate-general or some other location?

Map out your journey, including the estimated arrival time and allow yourself plenty of time to get to your interview. If you have a long drive ahead of you, staying in a hotel overnight can help alleviate some of the stress of making it to your appointment on time. Visa interview times are firm. Applicants are expected to make arrangements to arrive on time, so whatever you do, do not be late!

Prepare All the Necessary Documents

Even if you have submitted supporting documentation with your visa application, you will still need to prepare other documents that will need to be shown at your visa application interview, such as your current passport, driving licence or any other documents to prove your identity and also in order to substantiate claims you have made in your visa application.

Make sure you locate these necessary documents well in advance of your interview. Then place them inside a folder or within page protectors so that you have them handy to show to an immigration officer when you arrive for your interview.

Anticipate Questions You Will Be Asked

Good preparation will help ensure your appointment is a resounding success. As each interview is different, it is impossible to know exactly what you will be asked. But many visa interviews follow the same basic pattern. Immigration officials will want to make sure you qualify for the visa you are applying for.

For example, if you have applied for a settlement visa based on marriage, you will need to satisfy the immigration official that you have entered into a legally binding marriage and that any previous marriages have been terminated or dissolved through death or divorce. You should know basic dates such as when you were married, divorced or widowed.

Visa application interviews can be unnerving and intimidating, but if you are well prepared you should have absolutely nothing to worry about. Once you receive an appointment letter, start off by locating the visa application centre where your interview will take place and then prepare all the necessary documents you will need on the day. Anticipating the types of questions that are likely to be asked can also help you before, during and after your interview.