B1/B2 Visa interview experience for my cousin sister
Hi,
I am inviting my cousin for a month in USA. I am in USA from few years and currently on H1B.
I had my parents come sometime back. I also helped them in their tourist visa.
I am stating below on tourist visa process, me and my cousin went through.
She plans to come to USA and we plan to travel NYC, Miami, SanFran and Vegas. This would her first time travelling outside country. so no travel history. Also she is preparing for her masters in India, so giving her entrance tests and does not have a job currently.
We started the process in Nov 2025. Got the DS 160 filled.
Once DS160 was done, we applied for visa slot.
Got initially for August 2026 both biometric and consular. This was way late, as I wanted her to come during may-July as it was summer and best time to enjoy everything. So i kept looking for earlier slots. Since i have helped few friends to get other visa slots and my parents also got it preponed from 2025 to 2023 as they applied during COVID time when slots where not there. So i knew what to look and when to look.
Joined telegram groups, but never contacted agents. Kept looking for trends when slots were released and who were actually getting it and what were fake. I kept checking regularly, then i think in Jan got here dates preponed to March end both biometric and consular.
Now time for preparation.
Since i was paying for her trip, i sent her my employment verification document, 3 month paystubs, bank statements and a invitation letter.
For her, since she completed bachelors and preparing for masters degree in India.
I asked her to take her bachelors degree, her entrance test admit cards and her ids, bank statements.
I sent her questions and answers.
I told to her to be exact. do not say we might go here, use words like maybe. I gave her exact dates and time of everything.
I booked all flights, hotels in all cities we would be going and sent her those and asked her to take those to consular.
this was enough. I told her to dress professionally and smile and be confident. Yes, luck matters but these small things too does. Telling from experience, as i also did tourist visa more than decade ago.
Time for interviews.
Biometric easy nothing much
Consular.
Booked 8:30 slot because wait time is less, best time to get interview.
went to counter.
they asked about her basic detail,
why she wants to go to USA.
[plans to visit cousin brother]
What places to visit.
[mentioned according to plan]
What her father does and where he works.
[answered correctly]
interview last for 2mins roughly as she told.
Visa approved.
Her passport arrived at home in about less than 2 weeks from date of interview.
To anyone trying to find slots: join telegram groups, but don't pay agents, try to see pattern when people post, are they fake or not and then you will know what time slots come on avg and you can get early slot.
For interview: yes, luck matters. But remember be confident, have all docs ready. I gave her my docs, exact travel plans and told her to say exact words not maybe etc.
Also in her DS160 she mentioned about me as cousin brother living in USA and that too in interview and visa was approved. Since it was truth.