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Hi everyone,
I will be grateful for some visa interview advice.
First, some background information. I am a 2nd year MBA student at a top-20 b-school in the US. Right now, I am doing my internship on CPT, earning around $7000 a month before taxes. I will have earned this income for 3 months in 2011. I also have a Graduate Assistanceship that pays me around $300 a month. I can easily meet post-marriage expenses just from this income.
I have almost a full scholarship on tuition and my living expenses, as a single man, are around $900/month all-inclusive. After marriage, this should not be more that $1500/month (I am erring on the side of caution here). As of today, I have around $14,000 in my US bank account and approximately $30,000 in provable Indian assets. My to-be wife has an apartment in Mumbai to her name valued at $80,000. She is a post-graduate in advertising and PR but has worked for a bit only after graduation. Now, she is not working.
I came to the US in July 2010, and have visited India in December 2010. I am scheduled to go in November 2011 for the wedding, after which I intend to return alone in early December for my semester exams, using the time to get my wife's I-20 prepared. I intend to return to India in mid-December for the winter break, get my wife's visa interview done then, and hopefully, fly back together to the US in January 2011.
Now, some of my questions:
1. When my wife applies for the visa, I will have only 5 months left to graduation, though work on OPT is virtually assured considering my academic record, work experience (I was working in middle management in an American bank in India) and the reputation of the school. Can the visa be rejected on the grounds that only 5 months remain for the program?
2. What is the right answer to the question, "Does your husband plan to return after his MBA? If so, why can't you wait for 5 months?" Can this be answered by raising the OPT issue, which I won't have in December when the interview will take place?
3. Is there anything the school can do to bolster the case? I have an extremely good relationship with the school and they are willing to help out as much as legally possible.
4. When asked on how she plans to spend her time, is it OK to answer that she plans to volunteer at a local creche? Her mother runs a kindergarten and she has ample experience handling kids.
Needless to say, any other advice is greatly appreciated. I guess I may have jumped the gun by purchasing all the tickets, but I can hope and pray. Also, I realize there's still some time left, but I want to start preparations early.
Thanks.
I will be grateful for some visa interview advice.
First, some background information. I am a 2nd year MBA student at a top-20 b-school in the US. Right now, I am doing my internship on CPT, earning around $7000 a month before taxes. I will have earned this income for 3 months in 2011. I also have a Graduate Assistanceship that pays me around $300 a month. I can easily meet post-marriage expenses just from this income.
I have almost a full scholarship on tuition and my living expenses, as a single man, are around $900/month all-inclusive. After marriage, this should not be more that $1500/month (I am erring on the side of caution here). As of today, I have around $14,000 in my US bank account and approximately $30,000 in provable Indian assets. My to-be wife has an apartment in Mumbai to her name valued at $80,000. She is a post-graduate in advertising and PR but has worked for a bit only after graduation. Now, she is not working.
I came to the US in July 2010, and have visited India in December 2010. I am scheduled to go in November 2011 for the wedding, after which I intend to return alone in early December for my semester exams, using the time to get my wife's I-20 prepared. I intend to return to India in mid-December for the winter break, get my wife's visa interview done then, and hopefully, fly back together to the US in January 2011.
Now, some of my questions:
1. When my wife applies for the visa, I will have only 5 months left to graduation, though work on OPT is virtually assured considering my academic record, work experience (I was working in middle management in an American bank in India) and the reputation of the school. Can the visa be rejected on the grounds that only 5 months remain for the program?
2. What is the right answer to the question, "Does your husband plan to return after his MBA? If so, why can't you wait for 5 months?" Can this be answered by raising the OPT issue, which I won't have in December when the interview will take place?
3. Is there anything the school can do to bolster the case? I have an extremely good relationship with the school and they are willing to help out as much as legally possible.
4. When asked on how she plans to spend her time, is it OK to answer that she plans to volunteer at a local creche? Her mother runs a kindergarten and she has ample experience handling kids.
Needless to say, any other advice is greatly appreciated. I guess I may have jumped the gun by purchasing all the tickets, but I can hope and pray. Also, I realize there's still some time left, but I want to start preparations early.
Thanks.
