Wow! Am so sorry. Is your sister in Nigeria? I also have a Brother in the US who's on his OPT at the moment but my older sister who's sponsoring me is in Nigeria. She has a Masters from the UK and his back to Nigeria. Sometimes the VO wants to know if you have sufficient 'home ties'- Your parents and other siblings apart from the one in the US.

Please reapply and prepare to answer questions about your brother. Also, talk about your own unique plans. I will suggest you change interview location too and fill out a new DS-160.

adurajoseph:
Hello guys, i went for my interview yesterday and got rejected. Will post transcript soon. But for some background.

I am applying to the for masters in information systems and specializing in business analytics. No funding 43,000 sponsored by my mother with a surplus of this available balance in her account. I have a good travel history. Been to USA 2x as an adult, and travelled to over 7 countries, 4 outside africa, never stayed more than a month, schooled in Ghana, mom has always been sponsoring me. And owns her business.

When i went for the intervew,
the VO asked if i have a relative there
I honestly told him yes, because i have visited him during my first travel there.

He went as a student there and during his opt he got married and has a kid. And only visited nigeria twice for the wedding and to see the family. And he works with Tesla.

Surprisingly the VO was really drilling me why he didn't return after his studies, and that "if he didn't return what is the assurance i would?", I was honestly nervous at this point because i didnt expect that type of question.

He also drilled about financing the masters which i feel my mother can and will pay as she sponsored my sister to also do her masters in canada with no issues and my mother has enough savings to sponsor me for a year.

I was told i didnt qualify and was given a yellow paper stating the reason. Which talked about ties to return but when he told me i didn't qualify i believe i heard for financial reasons.

To be honest i got really nervous when he started really probing about my brother even tho he is there LEGALLY. What do you guys feel?

I want to reapply because i feel i can defend my reasons, what do you guys feel? Any advice?

KemLaughs:
Wow! Am so sorry. Is your sister in Nigeria? I also have a Brother in the US who's on his OPT at the moment but my older sister who's sponsoring me is in Nigeria. She has a Masters from the UK and his back to Nigeria. Sometimes the VO wants to know if you have sufficient 'home ties'- Your parents and other siblings apart from the one in the US.

Please reapply and prepare to answer questions about your brother. Also, talk about your own unique plans. I will suggest you change interview location too and fill out a new DS-160.

As for the home ties, I have a sister here, mother, father, stepbrothers here in Nigeria.

Also since I am my mother's firstborn and her only son I plan to return to take over her business and improve it with the knowledge I have gotten. It is from the business that the school funding and family wealth came from. I really hope it is a good enough home tie.

I also have a startup website although not registered yet, it is publically available for everyone to see and use. I don't know if I can use that too.

@walspring kindly check your email. Thanks!

Hello everyone, this thread has been an inspiration and a source of blessing. I have some questions that’s bothering my mind while trying to fill the DS-160 form and book interview.

My Background: Got applied to LSU for master’s degree, fall 2021 session. GRE score of 320.

1. I have a brother in the USA and he entered as F-1 student but later got a job and he is currently in H-1B status. Should I mention his name on my DS-160 and will this affect my visa chances on the interview day judging that there is change of status on my brother part and that might give a red flag about my own intentions.

The summary is that will having a brother in USA with his status changed from F-1 to H-1B affect my visa chances at the embassy? If yes, can I just not mention I have a family on my DS-160?

2. I got tuition waiver from the school but still have like $22k on my I-20 as the estimated living expenses and books. Can this much $$ have a negative effect on my visa chances even looking at the fact that I got full tuition waiver?

I will be glad if someone can please answer my question and I am also open to people asking me questions about admission, I will reply to those that I am confident of replying to.

Thanks,
Shadowman

Shadomaan7:
Hello everyone, this thread has been an inspiration and a source of blessing. I have some questions that’s bothering my mind while trying to fill the DS-160 form and book interview.

My Background: Got applied to LSU for master’s degree, fall 2021 session. GRE score of 320.

1. I have a brother in the USA and he entered as F-1 student but later got a job and he is currently in H-1B status. Should I mention his name on my DS-160 and will this affect my visa chances on the interview day judging that there is change of status on my brother part and that might give a red flag about my own intentions.

The summary is that will having a brother in USA with his status changed from F-1 to H-1B affect my visa chances at the embassy? If yes, can I just not mention I have a family on my DS-160?

2. I got tuition waiver from the school but still have like $22k on my I-20 as the estimated living expenses and books. Can this much $$ have a negative effect on my visa chances even looking at the fact that I got full tuition waiver?

I will be glad if someone can please answer my question and I am also open to people asking me questions about admission, I will reply to those that I am confident of replying to.

Thanks,
Shadowman

The VO would think that you wanna follow the same path that your brother followed.

As for the deficit of $22k, you need to show financial documents of you or your that you can cover it.

By the way, what is your undergraduate GPA?

MelaninGemstone:
The VO would think that you wanna follow the same path that your brother followed.

As for the deficit of $22k, you need to show financial documents of you or your that you can cover it.

By the way, what is your undergraduate GPA?

Thanks for responding.

Yes I have financial document for that. My undergrad GP is 3.95.

That’s my fear too. The VO might think I’ll follow my brother path and that is bothering me.

I don’t know if they have a technique to detect if I say I don’t have any siblings abroad.

I heard they always try to run the parent name in the database to see if it brings a match. Not sure if that’s true tho.

I’m just trying to get opinions here to see if anyone has been in this kind of situation and what they did in this scenario.

Good morning everyone, I have been following this trend for awhile now and I really appreciate each and everyone for your support towards each other. I applied for my f1visa interview but I haven't seen date yet, probably I will request for an expedit date. Please I would like to have alot of mock interview bcoz this is my third attempt and I really want to prepare myself this time. I would appreciate if anyone can help me out with the mock interview.
Thank you.

Good morning everyone, I have been following this thread for awhile now and I really appreciate each and everyone for your support towards each other. I applied for my f1visa interview but I haven't seen date yet, probably I will request for an expedit date. Please I would like to have alot of mock interview bcoz this is my third attempt and I really want to prepare myself this time. I would appreciate if anyone can help me out with the mock interview.
Thank you.

Oriyomi234:
Good morning everyone, I have been following this thread for awhile now and I really appreciate each and everyone for your support towards each other. I applied for my f1visa interview but I haven't seen date yet, probably I will request for an expedit date. Please I would like to have alot of mock interview bcoz this is my third attempt and I really want to prepare myself this time. I would appreciate if anyone can help me out with the mock interview.
Thank you.

When is your program starting, you can only request for emergency appointment 60days to your program start.
Drop the previous 2 transcript, so people can vet it for you

ObodoNaija:


Oh! Nawaoooo. Thank God you have plan B. I am yet to hear from my dept. I pray it should to be positive.

Mail him and ask for the update concerning funding.....I pray you get it

horlahsunbo225:

Mail him and ask for the update concerning funding.....I pray you get it

Amen. I have sent email on several occasions to the person in charge of funding for an update, but she didn't respond. I sent an email to my Advisor on Monday and he said he hasn't heard anything yet from the department. My brother, the thing just tire me jare. My prayer is that my waiting should not be in vain.

My program will be starting by August 18

My first interview was at Abuja.
January 8
Denied.
Me :good morning, how are you doing?
VO: replied I'm fine.
VO: Pass me your documents please.whivh include the I-20 and my international passport.
VO: why are you going to the USA?
Me:i am going to study for my bachelor's degree in biology at Austin peay state university.
VO:why don't you study in Nigeria?
Me: I said I want a better quality education than what we have here and also to be able to graduate without any form of delay.
VO:why do you want to study biology ?
Me: I am planning to have my Master's degree in public health which is related to biology. He noddes and said okay its true they are related.
VO:who is sponsoring you?
Me:my stepfather
VO:what does your stepfather do?
me: he has a company that produce table water and soft drink and he also has an hotel.
VO:How many room is inside the hotel?
Me: 30 rooms

Hello all !please when filling the dS160 form I only listed my university and course under Education.Is this bad ??Should I have listed my secondary and primary school??

My second interview was in Lagos April 20.
Denied.
I met a white lady at the desk. After passing her the 1-20 and passport she started typing and said I had an interview in January I said yes, she continued typing and ask what has changed but to be sincere I couldn't give a good answer to it. Then she proceed and ask why did I want to study biology? I said apart from the from the fact that Austin peay state university has one of the best biology program in the state of Tennessee, my goal is to also work as a public health personal with the Nigerian Red Cross. She continued typing and ask who is sponsoring you? I said my uncle.
Then she gave me a denial letter.

cliffton:
I just wonder why they are taking so much time. I applied to Iowa State University been contacted by a Prof for a possible research area. I replied and she asked for my CV which I have given her over a month now. I had to keep sending series of emails to her to know if she got my CV with no luck. Only for her to come back this Monday, gave me a survey she did on that research area for my further reading. I read the paper sharperly and responded Wednesday, as usual, she has gone silent again. T
The admission deadline is next week Friday and my application is still showing under review by graduate department.

Is this a positive or negative sign as am really worried. That school is the only school I applied to.

I wonder too, and it can be very frustrating.

I think since she asked for your CV and has given you survey of the research, it simply means it is positive. I guess she likes your profile and would want you to work with her. Just give her some time, dont bombard her with emails. Your admission might come with funding since it is under review and you are already in contact with a Prof. I will advice you to wait till month end before you send her another email.

Oriyomi234:
My first interview was at Abuja.
January 8
Denied.
Me :good morning, how are you doing?
VO: replied I'm fine.
VO: Pass me your documents please.whivh include the I-20 and my international passport.
VO: why are you going to the USA?
Me:i am going to study for my bachelor's degree in biology at Austin peay state university.
VO:why don't you study in Nigeria?
Me: I said I want a better quality education than what we have here and also to be able to graduate without any form of delay.
VO:why do you want to study biology ?
Me: I am planning to have my Master's degree in public health which is related to biology. He noddes and said okay its true they are related.
VO:who is sponsoring you?
Me:my stepfather
VO:what does your stepfather do?
me: he has a company that produce table water and soft drink and he also has an hotel.
VO:How many room is inside the hotel?
Me: 30 rooms

your transcript is incomplete

After you said 30 rooms, what happened next ?

Shadomaan7:

Thanks for responding.

Yes I have financial document for that. My undergrad GP is 3.95.

That’s my fear too. The VO might think I’ll follow my brother path and that is bothering me.

I don’t know if they have a technique to detect if I say I don’t have any siblings abroad.

I heard they always try to run the parent name in the database to see if it brings a match. Not sure if that’s true tho.

I’m just trying to get opinions here to see if anyone has been in this kind of situation and what they did in this scenario.

They have records of everything. And whatever you fill in your application, their database will search for anything matching it with other profiles.

For example, a guy in my area travelled to US in 2018 with visiting visa and he did not return

The address he filled in his application was their family house address

His younger brother recently got denied of an F1 visa. He used the same family house address in his application unknowingly. When they pulled up his profile, his brothers profile came up too. Since they both had same address.

The VO told him that his brother travelled on a visiting VISA which was valid for 6 months and didn’t return. The younger brother was shocked how they knew because he didn’t mention it in his application that he had a relative in USA.

The VO denied his F1 visa based on 2 things
-Withholding pertinent information from DS-160 application form. (not revealing he has a relative in USA)
-No strong ties (he might abscond like the brother)

If I would advise you, in the place of parent, fill in your uncle or something else

Think about this, what of orphans wey no get parents nko? What would dey fill in that place??

This is to let you know that, that field of parents on DS-160 form is totally irrelevant. And you can put anything there.

Your GRE and GPA is okay, don’t let your bro’s case jeopardize your study dream.

Which uni did you finish from ?

cliffton:
I just wonder why they are taking so much time. I applied to Iowa State University been contacted by a Prof for a possible research area. I replied and she asked for my CV which I have given her over a month now. I had to keep sending series of emails to her to know if she got my CV with no luck. Only for her to come back this Monday, gave me a survey she did on that research area for my further reading. I read the paper sharperly and responded Wednesday, as usual, she has gone silent again. T
The admission deadline is next week Friday and my application is still showing under review by graduate department.

Is this a positive or negative sign as am really worried. That school is the only school I applied to.

So, be aware that full funding with stipends is highly competitive and it takes time to make those decisions most times. Although, this is relative with respect to your degree or program of study. Between my GRA interview and funding was exactly 11weeks. And I still did a review of one of his 1999 paper that he didn't send me.

Bear in mind that those professors are mostly busy but next time, your very first mail with your POI should have your CV attached. They love it that way.

I would advise you to go and download more of her papers, do as much reviews as you can, attach and send them to her. Let her know of your research interest and prowess. Then tell her how you aim at contributing to her current work. I feel you'd still get the offer. Offers could come up till the 2nd week of June. Start mailing her twice a week as a means of reminder. Monday's & Thursday's. Do not worry about admission deadline. You've already applied.

Nothing,he just passed me the denial letter.

Please help!!!My middle name is not on my appointment letter but it is on the ds160.What do I do ?

Pls I need your help, I'm new in this thread, I want to apply to a school in new Jersey..pls I don't know how to..I have a sponsorship Also..pls i need help ,pls help me ..I need information on how to start the processing..pls ..

Hello, I wasn't allowed to take my SAT examination today due to unavailability of my passport, I applied in March and haven't been issued now...so my question is can I reschedule the exam?...how can I get my passport as soon as possible?

Pls I need your help, I'm new in this thread, I want to apply to a school in new Jersey..pls I don't know how to..I have a sponsor Also..pls i need help ,pls help me ..I need information on how to start the processing..pls .. I'm applying for undergraduate degree program...
Pls someone should help me ..

ObodoNaija:


Amen. I have sent email on several occasions to the person in charge of funding for an update, but she didn't respond. I sent an email to my Advisor on Monday and he said he hasn't heard anything yet from the department. My brother, the thing just tire me jare. My prayer is that my waiting should not be in vain.

Amen!!!
That's school is surprising, they're excessively funding Chem and other social science courses and they can't fund their STEM

Lordsagna:
Hello, I wasn't allowed to take my SAT examination today due to unavailability of my passport, I applied in March and haven't been issued now...so my question is can I reschedule the exam?...how can I get my passport as soon as possible?

Passport is now black diamond...I'm not sure about re scheduling..
You'll have to make a contact at where you did your capturing to expedite the process

Pls I need your help, I'm new in this thread, I want to apply to a school in new Jersey..pls I don't know how to..I have a sponsor Also..pls i need help ,pls help me ..I need information on how to start the processing..pls .. applying for undergraduate degree program..

Pls help me
Pls help me
No one is responding to me
Pls I beg you..

Abu23Rahman:
Pls I need your help, I'm new in this thread, I want to apply to a school in new Jersey..pls I don't know how to..I have a sponsor Also..pls i need help ,pls help me ..I need information on how to start the processing..pls .. applying for undergraduate degree program..

Pls help me
Pls help me
No one is responding to me
Pls I beg you..

Which degree did you have
Which degree are you going for

Cessnk:
Please help!!!My middle name is not on my appointment letter but it is on the ds160.What do I do ?

It doesn't matter....there won't be any problem

Oriyomi234:
My first interview was at Abuja.
January 8
Denied.
Me :good morning, how are you doing?
VO: replied I'm fine.
VO: Pass me your documents please.whivh include the I-20 and my international passport.
VO: why are you going to the USA?
Me:i am going to study for my bachelor's degree in biology at Austin peay state university.
VO:why don't you study in Nigeria?
Me: I said I want a better quality education than what we have here and also to be able to graduate without any form of delay.
VO:why do you want to study biology ?
Me: I am planning to have my Master's degree in public health which is related to biology. He noddes and said okay its true they are related.
VO:who is sponsoring you?
Me:my stepfather
VO:what does your stepfather do?
me: he has a company that produce table water and soft drink and he also has an hotel.
VO:How many room is inside the hotel?
Me: 30 rooms

Do you've any funding, you'll need to do a lot of mock interview cos it seems your answers are not very fabricated

Shadomaan7:
Hello everyone, this thread has been an inspiration and a source of blessing. I have some questions that’s bothering my mind while trying to fill the DS-160 form and book interview.

My Background: Got applied to LSU for master’s degree, fall 2021 session. GRE score of 320.

1. I have a brother in the USA and he entered as F-1 student but later got a job and he is currently in H-1B status. Should I mention his name on my DS-160 and will this affect my visa chances on the interview day judging that there is change of status on my brother part and that might give a red flag about my own intentions.

The summary is that will having a brother in USA with his status changed from F-1 to H-1B affect my visa chances at the embassy? If yes, can I just not mention I have a family on my DS-160?

2. I got tuition waiver from the school but still have like $22k on my I-20 as the estimated living expenses and books. Can this much $$ have a negative effect on my visa chances even looking at the fact that I got full tuition waiver?

I will be glad if someone can please answer my question and I am also open to people asking me questions about admission, I will reply to those that I am confident of replying to.

Thanks,
Shadowman

This matter is 50/50, so people have mentioned that they have people in USA and the VO did not ask much question (to my best knowledge AOS is legal especially for F1 holder)
I'm of the opinion that adurajoseph brother has done some illegal thing (maybe drop out of school or something) that's why the VO questioned him.
Just try and ask your brother every single details about is movement since he got to USA and have some of his details with you

horlahsunbo225:

It doesn't matter....there won't be any problem

Thank you . please what about the my Ds160 ,the name of course on my I-20 is slightly different from the one on the ds120.