My visa interview was a really simple one, kinda like an anti climax after all the prepration!
My interview was at 7.45 at the chennai embassy. I got there at 7 am…was allowed inside, need to show the passport at appointment letter before entry.
Went inside, security checks…warning! Don’t carry your cellphone! I left mine with my dad who was waiting outside.

Sat there waiting to be finger printed and stuff. New procedure now apparently, they take prints of all 10 fingers and then put your embassy + admission documents in a folder and hand it back to you. There was some damn problem getting prints of my left ring finger, and after some circus( and tension. Damn!), I was told to go to the next building…

Went there, annoying attender boys from VFS chennai asked me to wait. After sometime, around 7.45 or so, one Visa officer came into counter1 and people were made to stand in a line, first 7.30 interview slot guys and then 7.45 interview slot people(me!).

Some more visa officers started coming in and settled down in their counters, I saw one simple looking dude and I thought, “oh god I need this guy to take my interview!”, and thats what happened!

VO: Hi, how are you?
ME: Good morning sir, I am fine.
VO: Please pass me your documents.
(He goes through my documents for 20-30 seconds)
VO: Where is your GRE score sheet
ME: Its right there below.
VO: How many backlogs did you have in your engineering?
ME: I had some in my 3rd and 5th sem sir.
VO: How many?
ME: N, but one thing, if you see my scores before and after, I have done really well, I did badly then due to some family problems

VO: When did you write your GRE?
ME: 19th May
(remembered it was my TOEFL on the 19th may!)
ME: Actually, I wrote my TOEFL on the 19th May and GRE on the 31st May sir.
VO: How are you going to pay for your education?
ME: My father and brother will be sponsoring me, we all stay in the same house.
VO: Please put your right index finger on that instrument.
VO: Your visa has been approved, it will be couriered to you within 1 week.
ME: Thank you sir! (And then I got the hell out of there!)

Later in the evening, I picked up my Passport from the VFS office (parallel road to the embassy i think).
All this happened yesterday btw! It was a good day! .

Just a disclaimer, I’m no expert on this topic and I’m just writing what I did to prepare for my visa interview! Also, my interview was at Chennai, not sure if things would vary for other centers( I don’t think so).

Arrangement of Documents For F-1 Visa:

Main Folder should contain the following documents:

1. Appointment letter
2. Passport
3. DS Forms(156,157,158)
4. SEVIS Recipt.
5. HDFC bank receipt(yellow slip), keep the pink slip with yourself.
6. Photo 50 mm * 50 mm ( stick on DS – 156 form)
7. I-20
8. Acceptance letter from university.
9. TOEFL score sheet(original)
10. GRE score sheet(original)
11. Degree certificate.

These 11 documents need to be handed over to the officer taking your finger prints and they will be put in one folder and given back to you. This folder(containing the above documents) needs to be handed over to the Visa Officer.

Academic Documents:

a. Degree Marks cards(descending order, 8th sem to 1st sem order).
b. 10th and 12th Marks Sheets.
c. Transcript of your degree marks.

Financial Documents:

a. Charted Accountant Statement.
b. Bank Statement(SB account statement)
c. Bank Loan Sanction Letter.
d. IT returns of Sponsor(s).
e. Affidavit of Support from Sponsors( on a 20 rupees stamp paper)
f. Your employment details(if you worked somewhere).
g. Property evaluation report.
h. Other supportive documents.

Carry them in a way that you can easily pull out any document when asked.

Finally, stay calm! Good luck!