In an interview, a student from VIT Vellore received approval for his F1 visa at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai within just 20 seconds. The interview, held on June 10, 2025, cleared the way for his journey to North Carolina State University, where he will pursue a Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a specialisation in VLSI.
The applicant, who holds a CGPA of 8.6 and scored 100 in TOEFL, shared that he had applied to four universities — getting accepted at Arizona State University, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and NCSU — while facing a rejection from Texas A&M University. With no prior work experience and no GRE requirement, he relied entirely on his academic record and confident presence.
Describing his experience at Counter 33, the student said the visa officer — a friendly African-American man in his early 30s — asked just a few basic questions, including about the universities he applied to and his parents’ professions. The officer then promptly said, “Congratulations, your visa has been approved!” without even taking fingerprints.
The applicant spent only about an hour at the consulate and credits his success to staying calm, smiling, and maintaining fluency in English. He advises future aspirants to rehearse answers in front of a mirror and avoid overthinking. “The first 10 seconds can change everything,” he said, encouraging others to be confident and natural.
One Reddit user said, “Congratulations! My visa also got approved within 30 seconds with just 2 questions! I am also from VIT vellore, heading to NCSU for the same majo.”