u/Own-Locksmith7377

I wanted to share my visa interview experience because I had a somewhat unusual experience.

SUMMARY👇

I completed my biometric with the DS-160 having details of ABC university. After biometric I got admit from XYZ university, so i filled a completely NEW DS-160 and submitted it. I carried both OLD and NEW DS-160 confirmation page along with me to the interview. I told the VO i will be giving the interview with NEW DS-160 as my university changed. That is when the administrative chaos started (which you can read in the full post). I was eventually sent to an enclosed room where the OFFICERS ASKED ME to open my OLD DS-160 on the computer screen in front of me and edit out only the university details using a keyboard and mouse on my side. Because that hardware wasn’t working, the officer gave me a white re-entry slip to go make the updates at a nearby cybercafé before the consulate closed. Since I had my laptop with me outside, I logged in and edited the university details on my OLD DS-160. I ran back into the consulate before closing time, and the VISA OFFICER CONFIRMED that my OLD DS-160 had been successfully updated with the new university information.

YES, I WAS ABLE TO EDIT THE OLD DS-160. I COULD MAKE CHANGES TO MY OLD DS-160 ONLY AFTER THE CONSULATE STAFF PROCESSED SOMETHING ON THEIR END AND INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE THE CHANGES.

FULL STORY BELOW 👇

I had initially completed my biometrics with one university in my DS-160 application details. Later, I received an admit from XYZ university, so I filled out a new DS-160 with the updated university information and submitted it. I carried both new and old DS-160 confirmations with me.

From what I had gathered from the internet, I thought I simply needed to inform the officer at the biometric counter about the new and old DS-160. So when I reached the biometric counter (where fingerprints are taken), I explained my situation to the African American officer seated behind the window. He basically told me to scan my fingerprints and indicated that it wasn't something handled at his counter and that it might be taken care of at the next stage.

At that point, I started panicking because things were already not going the way I had expected, and the next stage was the interview itself.

When I finally reached the main interview window, the visa officer asked for my passport and I-20. While handing over my documents, I also gave him my new DS-160 and mentioned that I wanted to attend the interview using that new DS-160.

After a few moments, the officer asked what changes had been made. I explained that the university details had changed. He tried scanning or processing the new DS-160, but it didn't work. He then asked me to go to another counter and complete biometrics (like the one that actually happens during VAC) again using the new DS-160.

The problem was that the counter he directed me to was closed. I informed one of the staff members, and they asked me to sit on the bench near the exit door and wait. After some time passed, I asked again, and I was then sent to another window where I explained everything once more to the female officer behind the window. I had to wait again for a quite a long time, and eventually I was directed to a different counter.

This next counter was in a separate enclosed room with a computer setup. There were Indian officers behind a glass window, and a mouse and keyboard were also placed on my side so I could make edits. They asked me to open my old DS-160 and edit out only the university details.

Unfortunately, the mouse and keyboard on my side simply would not work. Everyone tried fixing it I tried, they tried, and they even called a technician but nothing worked.

At that point, one of the officers behind the glass instructed me to go to the nearest cybercafé and quickly edit my old DS-160. By then it was around 11:45 AM, and the consulate was closing at 12:30 PM. He handed me a white re-entry slip and told me that if I wasn't able to make it back before 12:30 PM I should return after three days at the time mentioned on the slip.

For context, I don't live in Maharashtra, and I had a flight scheduled later that evening, so hearing that definitely increased my stress levels. Thankfully, I had brought my laptop with me. My parents were waiting outside, so I immediately sat down and started updating the old DS-160 with the new university details.

I finished around 12:10 PM and literally ran back to the consulate. By then there was no one left in line outside. I had to show the white re-entry slip they had given me. Even then, there was a brief delay while the staff confirmed things over the walkie-talkie before allowing me back in.

I had to go through security again and repeat most of the process (except biometrics). Inside the consulate there were barely any people left, and most of the visa officers were already shutting down their counters.

I rushed back to my earlier assigned counter. He asked again for my passport and I-20 and confirmed that my DS-160 had been updated.

Then came the interview questions:

1. When did you graduate?
2. Have you ever applied for or been rejected for a U.S. visa before?
3. What other universities had you applied to?
4. Why this university? (He interrupted midway and added something like, "among your other admits.")
5. What are your future plans?
6. What does your father do?
7. Who will be funding your education, considering it is an expensive university?
8. How much funding do you have?
9. Have you ever been harmed in India?

The officer informed me that my application would go through administrative processing and handed me a 221(g) slip.

The whole experience before the interview was honestly more stressful than the interview itself. I went in expecting a straightforward process and ended up speedrunning administrative chaos 😭. Though I have to say, the visa officer himself was super polite and really cool.