Long-time lurker, I’ll keep this brief. Researcher at an Ivy League university, transferring from F1 OPT to J1. Scheduled interview from the States, BOM Biometric, HYD interview 3 weeks after.
Biometric went as expected, was ever so slightly nervous about the interview. Showed up at 8am for a 9am slot, way too early imo, 30 mins is fine. Initial document check was smooth, professional staff.
After lining up, I made my way to the interview counter. Nerves were sort of high b/c I was seeing rejection all around me. Approached the consular officer, he had a friendly demeanor. Questions asked:
What’s the purpose of your visit?
What do you think exactly research?
Bit of banter in the after that answer.
Who’s paying your salary?
Then the two “any harm in India” questions.
Overall, the interview was about 90 seconds. As expected, he handed me a 221g slip. “Approved” status the day of. Changed to “Issued” status the next business day, delivered passport via Blue Dart two days after that.
Context: I was never too worried about this whole situation given my travel history, time spent in the US, and application profile.
Tips: be confident. If your case if legitimate, you’ll be fine.
Cheers and good luck to you all!