A Biological Engineering PhD student recently shared their F-1 visa interview experience, which concluded in a mere 30 seconds. The student, who attended the interview at the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata on May 1, described the process as smooth, efficient, and unexpectedly fast. The details were shared by the student on Reddit.
The applicant had completed their biometric appointment at the Kolkata OFC on April 22, which involved basic procedures such as fingerprinting and a photograph. “It was pretty easy,” they said. On the day of the interview, the student reached the consulate by 7:30 AM for their 8:00 AM appointment, only to find a crowded line ahead.
Despite the wait, things moved quickly once they met the Visa Officer — a young American male who, according to the student, was “approving visas left and right.” The officer smiled, asked a few essential questions, and swiftly approved the visa after confirming the student had a Research Assistant (RA) position and a Master’s degree from India.
“He just smiled and said, ‘Your visa is approved! Don’t forget to carry your I-20 while entering the U.S.,’” the student recalled. The entire interaction reportedly took just 30 seconds.
The student received their passport, stamped with the visa, within a week.
On Reddit, many have reacted positively to the story. One user said, “I feel that the consular officers consider a PhD a more ‘legit’ degree, especially when it’s fully funded,” one user commented. “So it makes sense that they would approve it at a higher rate than, say, a visa for an overly saturated field like a master’s in computer science.”