L1 Visa Interview Tips
L1 Visa is a program made for those coming to work to the US. It’s a visa specifically designed for the employees of a business that exists in the US and outside of it and that’s moving employees from abroad to the US to work in the same company.
Even though it’s organized with a job already waiting for you, there’s still a complicated process that you need to go through since not everyone can come to the country. This is a list of tips to help you with the interview part of the process.
General tips
-Make sure you come to the interview between 15-30 minutes ahead of time. Coming in before that will result in waiting too long and coming in just in time, may end up being late, if something happens along the way.
-There are no rules as to whether you’ll be accepted or not because it’s done on the case by case basis. It often happens that you hear a rumor that there are a lot of rejections lately but that doesn’t mean anything regarding your case.
-Make sure your documents are in order. That’s not only to say that you should have all the documents you need (that’s obvious), but also that you should go over them and make sure they are not out of date. Categorize the documents beforehand to make the interview better organized.
-Have some cash on hand with you because you may need to make a few small purchases while you’re at the embassy. These may be small items like a snack while you wait or another copy of document or a photograph.
-Sometimes a company that you’ll be working with organizes mock interviews to help you prepare. These may seem silly but they are helpful and you should take part.
Behavior
-The interview isn’t a formality and you’ll be assessed on it, so try to be confident and not to appear too nervous. It’s an important event in your life and no one will expect you to be unfazed by it, but still a little bit of confidence can get you a long way.
-You will be required to talk in a microphone so that everyone present can hear you and that’s something you may need to practice a bit beforehand. Make sure you talk slowly and that you’re clear in expressing yourself as you can be.
-Don’t try to impress the interviewer. This isn’t a job interview and you’ll not be judged based on your abilities and knowledge (it’s assumed that you’ll have a position waiting for you). It’s best just be straightforward and natural.
-There’s no dress code required for the interview so you should dress in what you’re most comfortable in. This will also help you act natural and confident in the process. It’s important to be clean and neat however.
-Being polite is also a big plus. Try to smile and politely greet everyone you talk to. “Have a good day” also doesn’t cost you anything and presents you in a favorable light.
Question/Answers
-You may be asked about your work and the job you’ll be working in. Try to explain it to the interviewer using simple and relatable terms. Going too much into jargon may seem off-putting or at least confusing the interviewer.
-Keep your answers short. Sometimes the answer can be as simple as yes or no and if that is the case you should just answer yes or no. This saves time and shows that you know why you’re there.
-It’s essentially important that you don’t lie. Sometimes the answers you give won’t be favorable for you, but you should be honest never the less. For instance, if you have parking tickets, just be honest about not paying them and making the same traffic offence more than once. It’s not that important and it’s better than lying.
-If you don’t understand the question don’t hesitate to ask them repeat or rephrase it. No one will think anything of it and it will show that you’re able to admit you don’t understand something and that you’re willing to answer the questions even if it takes you a while.
Conclusion
The process for getting a L1 Visa requires you to participate in an interview. It’s important to prepare for it and to make sure your demeanor is professional and reliable. Make sure you’re there on time and that you’re organized about the needed paperwork.
You should also prepare for the interview itself. Sometimes it’s the companies that will do that for you since L1 visas are there for those who already have a job waiting for them in the US. Answer honestly, be polite and keep your answers simple and understandable and you’ll do fine.
