Tourist/ Business Visa

Temporary Visitors (Business/Pleasure/Medical)

This visa is for a person who wants to visit the U.S. temporarily for business or pleasure, or both. It is also for a person who wishes to have medical treatment in the U.S. However, the documents required would be significantly different.

Definition of Business

"Business" does not necessarily mean that a person is going to the US for employment or to do Business, but it does include almost any

• legitimate commercial activity
• including: consultations with business associates
• appearing for examination
• negotiating a contract
• buying goods or materials
• settling an estate
• participating in business or professional conventions or conferences
• undertaking independent research.

Definition of Pleasure

"Pleasure" means activities such as

• touring,
• visits to friends and relatives,
• visits for rest or medical treatment,
• participation in conventions, conferences,
• participation by amateurs, who will receive no payment, in musical, sports and similar events or contests

Documents Required for Business Visa (B1/B2)

Financial Documents

• Savings Account – complete passbooks or print out for the last six months
• Fixed Deposit
• LIC policies
• Mutual Funds
• Shares Bonds
• PF / GPF
• Tax Returns
• Proof of rental income if any

(You can include family documents)

Property Documents

• Residential
• Commercial
• Ancestral
• Farm Land

All business documents

If in business than you must carry all your business documents

• Current A/c - pass books or print out
• CA report
• P/L statements
• All documents pertaining to your business

If employed then Proof of work Experience

• Employment letter
• Pay slips

Proof of invitation from the U.S. counterpart

Documents required for a Tourist Visa (B1/B2)

Documents required

• Savings Account – complete passbooks or print out for the last six months
• Fixed Deposit
• LIC policies
• Mutual Funds
• Shares Bonds
• PF / GPF
• Tax Returns
• Proof of rental income if any
• (You can include family documents)

Property Documents

• Residential
• Commercial
• Ancestral
• Farm Land

Business documents

• Current A/c - pass books or print out
• CA report
• P/L statements
• All documents pertaining to your business

Invitation from the U.S.

If you are being invited by any of your friend of relative then it is advisable to get an I-134 (Affidavit of support)

Medical Treatment (B1/B2)

Documents required

• Savings Account – complete passbooks or print out for the last six months
• Fixed Deposit
• LIC policies
• Mutual Funds
• Shares Bonds
• PF / GPF
• Tax Returns
• Proof of rental income if any
• (You can include family documents)

Property Documents

• Residential
• Commercial
• Ancestral
• Farm Land

Business documents

• Current A/c - pass books or print out
• CA report
• P/L statements
• All documents pertaining to your business

Medical treatment History

• Old prescriptions
• Medicine taken
• All medical reports – including x-rays, CT-Scans, Blood reports.

Acceptance letter from US Doctor indicating that this treatment is available and the hospital is ready to accept you as a patient and possible expenditure that might incur and proof that you have enough money or your sponsor has enough and is ready to support you financially.

Students Visa (F-1 & M-1)

(F-1 full time student going for Undergraduate studies, Masters or for Phd) (M-1 Vocational studies – like flying or a specialized short term course in computer software etc)

You must obtain a SEVIS-generated document Form I-20, issued by a U.S. college or university. A spouse/child who wishes to stay in the U.S. should be listed on your form or have their own SEVIS-generated form.

Documents required

• Savings Account – complete passbooks or print out for the last six months
• Fixed Deposit
• LIC policies
• Mutual Funds
• Shares Bonds
• PF / GPF
• Tax Returns – last 3 years
• Proof of rental income if any

(You can include family documents)

Property Documents

• Residential
• Commercial
• Ancestral
• Farm Land

All business documents

If in business than you must carry all your business documents

• Current A/c - pass books or print out
• CA report
• P/L statements
• All documents pertaining to your business

All educational documents

• Degree
• School Certificates
• SAT/GRE/GMAT
• TOEFL scores
• Any other vocational certificate

Temporary Workers Visa (H-1b)

H-1B is for a person going to the U.S. to perform services: (a) for a temporary period up to six years in a specialty occupation.

• Your prospective employer/trainer has filed, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has approved, a petition (Form I-129) that requests H status for you, as demonstrated by presentation of the Form I-129 and Form I-797
• You will receive the prevailing wage and will not replace U.S. workers who are on strike, as demonstrated by presentation of a Labor Condition Application. Applicable to H-1 applicants only
• You have a residence abroad that you do not intend to abandon. Not applicable to H-1 applicants

Document Required

• All educational Documents
• Work experience letters
• Current salary slips
• Tax returns
• Bank Statements

What must you establish as an L Visa applicant?

• Your employer has filed, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has approved, a petition (Form I-129) that requests L status for you, as demonstrated by presentation of the Form I-129 and Form I-797
• You have been employed overseas by the transferring business for at least 12 months (or 6 months if you were classified as an L-1 non-immigrant on the basis of a blanket petition filed with USCIS between January 16, 2002 and June 6, 2005) within the past three years and you will be performing duties in the U.S. for the same employer or a subsidiary or affiliate
• The position you fill will be managerial, executive or involve specialized knowledge

Immigrant visa

Family-based (including orphans)

Listed below are the relatives of a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident who are eligible to qualify for immigration in the family-based category.

Note: Grandparents, aunts, uncles, in-laws and cousin cannot sponsor a relative for immigration.

Employment-based

In general, a specific offer of employment from a U.S. based employer is required to qualify for immigration in the employment-based category. Click on a title to learn more.

Other

• Returning Resident Aliens
• Fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen and their children - K-1 & K-2 Visa
• Spouse of U.S. citizen and their children - K-3 & K-4 Visas

Services that we provide for all Non-immigrant visas are:

Mock interview and the benefits

Mock tests are an integral part of any preparation. Apart from strengthening the application of fundamentals, mock tests decrease the anxiety & increase the confidence of the examinee on the test day.

Mock interview service gives you independent, unbiased feedback of your preparation that will help you prepare well in advance

Unlike other mock tests which are usually held at the end of preparation we start testing you right from the beginning & in a phased manner subsequently which gives sufficient time to correct your weak areas before the visa interview.

What we do?

Document preparation

• We ensure that all your forms and applications are complete and accurate.
• We make sure that you know what you have filled in the form and the significance of it. At times the applicant himself or herself dose not know what information is to be provided.
• Always make sure to provide correct and authentic information.

Organize documents in proper and logical order

• A well organized and orderly arranged documents could make it easy for you to find the right documents quickly during the interview
• it saves time
• you look organized
• you are less stressed as you are in control

Physical preparation

• Image is often as important as content. What you look like and how you say something are just as important as what you say.

Attitude preparation

• Provide to the point and concise answers. Do not add any thing which is not relevant, or not being asked (in most cases, this is where; people make mistakes by giving unnecessary and unasked details).

What is the officer looking for?

• The primary goal for the interview is to verify all information presented in the application and also to make sure that your reasons for going to the U.S. are cohesive with your professional goals. This information can be obtained by the officer by looking at your documents and taking your interview to determine the eligibility.

What ties means?

• Ties are the aspect of your life that binds you to your place of residence, which may include:
• Professional ties
• Economical ties
• Social ties

Each person’s situation is different, there is no set answers as to what constitutes adequate ties

College Admissions

We provide assistance in getting admissions in US, UK (only Middlesex College) and New Zealand, process mentioned below:

PLANNING YOUR APPLICATION

BE METICULOUS IN YOUR APPROACH:

In order to make the application process both enjoyable and fruitful, structure and time your application. From beginning your research into MBA programmes to taking the visa interview, MBA applications are a 12-15 month process that can be divided into the following stages:

March

• Begin researching various programmes and B-schools. Request application forms and seek information about B-schools you are interested in. Sound preliminary research will provide you a framework within which to work for the next few months and project your profile in terms of GMAT scores, work experience and career goals.
• Take a practice GMAT test and assess your level and readiness for the exam. Based on your test scores, decide how much time to devote to test preparation over the next 2-3 months.
• Review your resume. Begin refining your career goals in light of your qualifications, achievements and aptitude. Seek ways to enhance your affiliations, extracurricular activities and community service over the next few months.

April to May

• Join a study centre for GMAT and begin test preparation.

June to July

• Take the GMAT exam. You will receive your score right after the exam and have the option of cancelling it or sending it to five (or more) B-schools.
• This is the ideal time to seek admission counselling as it can help you in enhancing your profile and fine-tuning your goals and B-school related research.
• Based on your GMAT score, you can more accurately determine your profile and chances of getting into various B-schools. Create a final list of universities to apply to along with the requirement and deadline for each B-school.

July to August

• Write essays. Seek feedback and help with editing.
• Request transcripts from your undergraduate and other degree institutions. Some B-schools require institutions to mail the transcripts directly to them. So allow at least two months for processing and mailing.
• Zero in on your recommenders and apprise them of your deadlines. Discuss your goals and strengths and give them a clear idea of the aspects of your personality and experience that, you would like to highlight.

September to January

• Mail in or submit your applications as early as possible for each round in which you are applying. For postal submissions, deadlines are not for post-mark but for receipt, so your application should reach the admission offices within the specified time-frame.
• Prepare for interview with the admission committees of the programme you have applied to. Participate in mock interview sessions and solicit feedback from your admissions counsellor or friends. While some universities only interview shortlisted international students, a few like Tepper Business and School interview all applicants before taking a final decision.

November to March

• Await the results. Weigh your options and decide where to go.
• In case you are waitlisted, contact the admissions office and follow their guidelines for any additional submissions such as supplementary essays.

April to May

• Apply for a visa and prepare for the interview with the help of a visa counsellor.

The timing of your application can make the different between acceptance to your dream B-school and barely making the deadline for your fall back programme. By giving sufficient time to each stage of the application process and coordinating the various parts of your application, you will not only maximise your chances of gaining admission into the B-school of your choice but also emerge from the experience better prepared for the intensive challenges of B-school and beyond.

MAKE YOUR ESSAYS YOUR USP

POSITION, project and profile yourself through your essays if you are planning to apply for admission to an MBA programme. Essays form an integral and important part of the application package. They act as a scanner for the admissions committee to evaluate you in depth. They are also a tool in your hand to use to your advantage and embellish your profile. A strategy is important because without it you may fail to project all aspects of the person you are.

Essays truly are the most important part of your application and there are cases of success where aspirants with moderate GMAT scores and limited years of experience have got admission by writing excellent essays. So introspect, plan, collect your thoughts and pen them down using the following guidelines.

Objectives

Your essay for admission to an MBA programme, needless to say, must be closely related to the requirement of the B-school you are applying to. Different B-schools seek to know about your personality through a set of essays that address specific questions.

The essays would generally require you to convey your background, your short-term and long-term goals and how you think that an MBA from a particular B-school fits into your plans of achieving your goals. There would however, be specific elements in a topic that should be understood before writing the essay. Some essays may seek to know your response when you come across certain types of challenges in life e.g. an ethical dilemma. Sometimes you may have the option of an essay that would convey aspects of your personality and accomplishments not covered in other essays and yet help in profiling you positively.

The ‘goals’ essay is the most effective platform to express your thoughts about the vision you have, the mission you seek to accomplish, the plan you have to achieve these and the impact you hope to create. Give it your best.

There is a thread of commonality, yet there are unique aspects that distinguish one B-school from another. Most B-schools have a common core curriculum, yet there is one aspect they are all unique in their culture. Business schools often enrol candidates on their your profile while suiting their environment and expectations.

Be Convincing

Create, communicate and convince the admissions committee of your suitability. Use your essays to create a personality, which suits the profile of the institution. Display a passion for the chosen profession and an ability to adjust and adapt to the environment as well as the challenges that come your way.

For communicating in an effective manner, ensure that the essays are logical, cohesive, organised and closely related to the question. Strike a unique combination of simple and effective communication.

In order to be convincing, substantiate and demonstrate whatever you have written. Avoid sweeping statements and link your profile to the positive aspects of the institute in a very specific manner.

Groundwork

Research the B-schools that you wish to apply to. Make a list of their strengths and special features and why you consider these features an important ‘fit’ for you. Even before you start writing, develop an answer in your mind. Spend some time thinking and introspecting about your recent past, the existing present and the perceived future in the most honest manner. As thoughts come to your mind, just put them down as steps one, two and three. At this stage do not attempt to organise your thoughts. In step one, analyse the recent past which has led you to your current position, your job profile and areas of responsibility. Also list your strengths and drawbacks – both professional and personal and assess the environment you work in right now. In step three, focus on your future goals and evaluate the gap between your present position and the skills and knowledge you require to bridge this gap.

Once you have done this preparatory brainstorming and have clarity of thought about your present position and future goals, you are all set to write the essay. The canvas is ready, pick up the brush and paint your picture. In case you do not feel equipped to handle the essays, do not hesitate to seek help. There are professional admissions counselling services that have the necessary expertise to help you.

The blueprint

• Make the essay relevant – write a well-rounded answer where the response is closely related to the question asked. Make no major omissions and include no irrelevant material. Read the question very carefully before you plan your essay.
• Plan your essay – before you begin writing chose what you want to discuss and the order in which you want to place it.
• Have a logical progression – build your points keeping backward and forward linkages in mind.
• Have a suitable introduction and conclusion for every essay. An effective introduction and conclusion for every essay. An effective introduction and conclusion can make a vast difference to the impact your essay creates. The introduction should be a window to your essay and the conclusion should close that window.
• Write clearly and coherently – your essay needs to display clarity of thought and not a confused mind.
• Highlight your achievements, not your failures.
• Provide evidence of all claims made. Use concrete examples to support your thesis.
• Try to be original – your essay should reflect a creative mind.
• Highlight your unique characteristics – the admissions committee is keen to know what distinguishes you from other applicants.
• Revise and edit your essays - just re-looking at your essays twice or thrice will help your to improve them further.
• In addition to your editing, utilise another well informed and experienced person for suggesting improvements.

A few don’ts

• Be aware that there is no one generic essay that could answer the questions posed by different B-schools you are applying to.
• Do not include details that do not relate to the question.
• Do not attempt to create an impression by excessive use of vocabulary.
• Avoid repeating information across different essays. B-schools give you 2,000-2,500 words to express yourself. Each of these words should be used to express a new thought.
• The package of essays should not be in conflict with each other.
• Do not write what you think the admissions committee likes to hear. Let your qualities shine through and be honest
• It is needless to say that grammatical errors and exceeding the word limit are sure ways to mess up your good work.

If you want your essays to be a unique selling proposition to enhance your chances of selection, be focused, personal, specific and interesting. All B-schools a suitable strategy and approach the essays with a firm determination to succeed. Ensure that you bring out those qualities that make you stand out.

INTERVIEW – THE LAST LAP

You are probably tired after a long journey of the admissions process; yet optimistic about the final outcome. So energise yourself, feel enthusiastic and give the interview your best shot. Being called for an interview means your have already convinced the admissions committee that you are a potential candidate. Convert this potential into a reality by planning, preparing and presenting yourself in the most effective manner possible. You will be able to do this by understanding the purpose of the interview, assessing your skills, knowing about the features of the college and launching a through preparation programme with robust enthusiasm. Get ready to showcase your pluses.

Purpose

From a large pool of applicants, the admissions committee shortlists aspirants that it finds suitable for the programme and the interview process is used for the final selection of the MBA batch. If you are amongst the short listed group invited for the interview, it is a good idea for you to know what the admissions committee is looking for in this process. Some of the objectives that they would seek are:

• Greater understanding of the candidate.
• Reconfirmation of claims made and thoughts expressed in the essays.
• Close evaluation of the applicant’s suitability for a place in the college.
• To make an informed choice between seemingly similar level of applicants.

Planning

You are fortunate to have been called for an interview. So put your act together and start planning. After all it is your chance to honestly project yourself.

• Formulate a strategy: You need to have an overall strategy to sell yourself in a limited time.
• Choose an appropriate date and destination: Sometimes the date and place are assigned; often you can choose a date which gives you sufficient time for preparation and a place which suits you.
• Choose the type of interview: It could be any one of the commonly offered types namely, an on-campus personal interview with members of the admissions committee, off campus interview with an alumni, and telephonic or video-conferencing with members of the admissions committee.
• Create an interview folder: Maintain important interview papers in a special folder, which must include a copy of your resumes, original transcripts, certificates of awards and honours, copies of your essays and letters of recommendation. This folder would come handy for easy references while you prepare for the interview.
• Make a schedule for preparation

Preparation

Having done this basic planning and strategising, you need to do a thorough preparation for the actual interview. Preparation can be classified into two board categories.

(a) Steps to be taken for a sound base

• Research: Gather all possible information about the college and the course. You may have done this while applying, but work on the knowledge pool by using every possible source which could include going through websites and brochures and discussion with alumni, faculty and the student body.
• Review and relate: Evaluate your knowledge, skills and qualification and relate them to the expectations of the college, course and the culture on the campus. Establish a strong correlation between the two to strengthen your case.

(b) The actual process

This would involve listing of likely questions, formulating suitable answers and going through mock interview sessions.

• Mental preparation: With proper application of thought, thorough review of your application and by reading appropriate material, you can anticipate most of the questions you are likely to be asked. With this preparation you can go into the interview with the confidence that you can tackle fairly complex questions.
• Familiarisation with questioning techniques: Interviewers usually mix different styles of questions some that deal with familiar data (e.g. where do you come from?), others that will prompt you to elaborate further on the issue under discussion (e.g. so tell us further about this)or open-ended (e.g. what do think about our MBA programme?). Questions can also be asked to test your personality and responses in challenging situations. (e.g. if you were the CEO of an automobile company, what would be your strategy to take on the challenge from Tata’s Name?).
• Listing of likely questions: Make a list of questions you imagine the interview could ask you. Work out how you will answer them keeping the course and college in mind. Categorise them into the following types.

Key points for making an impact

• Dress appropriately – a formal dress is recommended
• Be punctual – arriving late is, starting on a wrong note.
• Adopt appropriate body language – convey a confident, prepared and relaxed image. Maintain eye contact.
• Have a ready smile and be polite.
• Phrases should portray your strengths drawbacks and achievements.
• Be prepared to demonstrate your claims.
• Use examples from different facets of your life.
• Keep your answers simple and brief.
• Try to orient the discussion so that, the topics remain in your zone of confort.
• Be prepared to ask some questions to the interviewer.

• Course-related questions: Why do want to purpose this particular course from this B-school?
• Professional: What has been your short-term and long term career goals? What has been your significant professional achievements?
• Personal: What are your hobbies and interests?
• General questions: In additions to the above, there will be some questions which can be handled with poise or there could be some that appear unsettling (e.g. one that relates with a gap year in your college or career). The key to answering the latter type is, confidence and honesty.
• Mock interview sessions: It is always a good idea to go through a mock interview session with someone who is well-informed on the matter. Professional guidance is also available to help you prepare for the interview.

A few show spoilers

• Fibbing instead of on honest, admission when you do not know the answer at all.
• Making strong comments on controversial subjects.
• Sweeping statements and generalisations.
• Answering without, understanding the question.
• Awkward gestures.
• Unimpressive stance.

Having understood the essence of an interview and planning and preparing adequately, you are all set to give the final thrust to the admission process. Approach the interview with confidence, composure and a positive attitude.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR RESUME COMPELLING

In the rush of taking the GMAT, writing essays and collecting recommendation letters, it can be easy to overlook the resume. For admission committee members, however, a resume is often the first step in considering your application. A good resume will give the reader a broad idea of your educational and professional history, and will urge him to read the rest of your application. This can be a challenging task to accomplish within a page, but keeping a few simple points in mind, you can easily create a pleasing and compelling resume.

Go and – get in

Applicants are often confused about the difference between a resume intended for recruiters and one intended for an admission committee. The answer lies in the question: the two resume is intended to persuade recruiters to call you for a job interview, whereas a B-school resume is geared to the aim of gaining admission into an MBA programme. Both kinds of resumes should be informative and pleasing and should arouse the reader’s interest in your application.

While reading your resume, admissions officers are looking for a summary of your educational and professional history. This can give them an initial impression of your calibre and potential for business school and a frame of reference within which to consider your recommendations, essays and scores. Thus an MBA application resume should provide your professional and academic history, highlight your accomplishments and emphasise your strengths. It should include all the aspects of your history that are relevant to your potential as an MBA student.

Content – word it right

A resume is a document of your relevant history, and should be both accurate and concise. It should be rooted in facts with quantifiable achievements – do not make subjective statements. Choose action-based, vivid and unambiguous words to convey exactly what you have done, learned and accomplished. At the same time, avoid using too much technical language or jargon, which can obscure meaning and be distracting to an uninitiated reader.

The resume

A B-school resume has the following sections:

Professional experience: List your professional experience (including any significant part-time experience) in reverse chronological order, starting with your current job. Succinctly describe what you do and have done in the past, along with dates, locations and company name and ensure that your current job description is in the present tense. For each position, list any significant accomplishments. Admission committees look for clear evidence of growth, so highlight promotions and enhancements in your responsibilities. Avoid industry jargon, excessive capitalisation, and making lists separated by commas. Avoid vague verbs like ‘did’, ‘contributed to’, ‘participated in' etc. instead, opt for vivid action verbs like accelerate launch, conceptualise, negotiate, execute, integrate etc. Highlight responsibilities, which convey MBA-relevant qualities such as leadership, initiative, innovation and communication skills.

It is important that there are no gaps in your professional history since graduating from college, so make sure that the timeline between various jobs is unbroken. If there is a significant gap in your employment history not explained elsewhere on the resume (pursuing community service work or an academic degree), explain the gap in the ‘additional information’ or ‘optional essay’ section available on most applications.

Educational history: List your educational history, starting with college. Include all degrees completed, degrees in progress and certification and professional courses. Relevant corporate training courses can also be included here. Specify the dates of completion of work and the cumulative grade point average (GPA) if it is impressive.

Skills: The skills section should list your computer, technical and language skills. Do not include soft skills.

Affiliations: Since MBA is as much about social education as it is academic, admissions committees are always looking for evidence of your non-professional interests, extracurricular involvements and community service experiences. This is another section where you can highlight your leadership and interpersonal skills.

This section may be divided into ‘corporate’ ‘volunteer’ and ‘college’ sections, depending on your involvement. List your position, the organisation you are affiliated to, your role and the dates of your involvement. Having no non-professional interests or participation will affect your evaluation adversely, so this section is an important one. If you have no involvements outside work, it would be wise to get some such relevant experience. Avoid listing controversial and religious organisations or affiliations, as they may be open to misinterpretation or bias.

Awards and achievements: If you have earned awards and significant accomplishments, list them in reverse chronological order. Include a brief and objective description of each award or accomplishment and avoid using adjectives such as ‘important’, ‘excellent’ and ‘significant’.

Hobbies and interests: If you are truly passionate about an non-professional fields, which are relevant to your career goals or potential for success and you are or have been involved in them for a significant period of time, you can describe those here, Ensure that you are not simply repeating information listed in other sections. This section, like the one above, is optional and depends on your particular history and goals.

Format - readability is vital

Format is as important as content in a resume. Your name should be stated clearly at the top of your resume, with your full contact information and date of birth. Avoid using fancy graphics and swirly fonts. The format should pull your readers’ attention to the content, not distract them from it. If the admissions committee can’t read your font or distinguish easily between different sections of your resume, your words will have significantly less impact. On the other hand, a professional-looking and clean format can facilitate quick comprehension and make for a pleasant reading experience.

Another common question for applicants arises when it comes to the length of the resume. As a rule, resumes should be one page long, although some B-schools do allow for two pages. Still, it is best to format the resume in such a manner (using appropriate fonts and margins) that it is a full one page. Most MBA applicants have only a few years of work experience, so if you are using two pages to describe four years of professional history, you are probably including too much information. Similarly, resumes shorter that one page can seen lacking in depth, so work hard at extracting the best relevant details out of your past.

Some do’s

• Be objective and truthful.
• Include dates and relevant information like location, organisation name etc.
• Be consistent in grammar and layout. Use the same tense and font for similar kinds of information.
• Choose action-based verbs and highlight achievements and responsibilities, which demonstrate leadership, communication-skills and other qualities relevant of your application.
• Avoid gaps in your employment history, or explain them elsewhere in your application.
• Check the resume thoroughly for types and grammatical errors.

Your resume creates the admission committee’s first impression of you, so it is important to put your best foot forward. It is also advisable to seek a professional evaluation of your resume so that you can tailor and fine-tune your resume for easy and compelling reading.