29/03/2023
Visa Type: F1
Visa Status: Issued
Initial Appointment: August 8th, 2023 (I rescheduled the appointment at March 7th, 2023)
Interview Date: March 9th, 2023
Scheduled time: 08:30 AM
Reached Embassy: 08:00 AM
Interview starting time: 08:35 AM (Approximately)
Documents Carried: Visa Appointment Confirmation, i-20, Passport, DS-160 Confirmation, SEVIS Fee Payment Slip, Visa Payment Slip, Admission Letter, Funding Letter, All Original Certificates (SSC, HSC, BSc), IELTS Result, NID Card, Birth Certificate, Photos.
Documents Checked: Visa Appointment Confirmation, i-20, and Passport.
CEAC Status - Approved: March 9th, 2023
CEAC Status - Issued: March 12th, 2023
Passport Collection Email: March 14th, 2023
Passport Received: March 15th, 2023 (from Sylhet VFS)
Intended Semester: Summer 2023
Intended Program: MS in Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Intended University: Mississippi State University
Class Start Date: June 2nd, 2023
Funding Details: Fully Funded (GRA+Full Tuition Waiver+Health Insurance+4k Surplus in i-20)...................................................................
Arrived at the embassy at 08:00 AM, and entered the embassy at 08:10 AM through the Embassy gate.
There were six posts for checking documents, scanning fingerprints, etc.
1st checkpost is at the Embassy gate: Checked Visa Appointment Confirmation & Passport.
2nd checkpost is just outside of the Embassy building: Checked Visa Appointment Confirmation & Passport again.
3rd checkpost is in the Embassy building for body check-ups.
4th checkpost is for putting a sticker on the back of the passport.
5th one is at Counter No. 2: Checked Passport by Bangladeshi Officer
6th one is at Counter No. 4: For scanning fingerprints before the interview by an Asian lady officer.
Then I was told to sit on the bench until it was my turn. After 3-4 minutes I was told to go to counter 9. There was a girl in front of me who was self-funded. She explained her father’s business clearly and could tell 3-4 courses she is going to take in the first semester. She got accepted. Then it’s my turn....................................................................
Conversation with VO
Conversation duration: Less than 1 minute
Counter: 9
VO Description: White Middle Aged American Lady
Me: Good Morning!
VO: Pass me your passport and i-20.
Me: Here it is. (She took a look at my i-20 and start working on PC)
VO: Oh! You are full funded, right?
Me: Yes, I have been fully funded from the university.
VO: told something but I didn’t hear properly due to the mic issue.
Me: Sorry, I couldn’t hear you.
VO: What are you doing now?
Me: I am currently unemployed. I completed my bachelors degree from Sylhet Agricultural University and now I am preparing myself for higher study.
VO: What’s your future plan?
Me: I will come back to Bangladesh and will join at my undergrad University as a faculty member. In fact, my department head encouraged me to pursue the degree. I think this degree will help me to develop my career as well as I can enrich the agriculture sector of my country.
VO: Okay, I am approving your visa. You will be expected to collect your passport within two weeks. Then she passed me the i-20 along with the blue leaflet.
Me: Thank you a lot....................................................................
My Profile:
B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering and Technology
University: Sylhet Agricultural University
CGPA: 3.894 (With Distinction)
IELTS: 7.5
GRE: Never taken.
Publications: 2 (1 international, 1 national).
Job Experience: None.
I was working on a research for my current master's degree related to machine learning and image processing in the agriculture sector. The research interest got aligned with the professor which helped me to get the fund.