By Dan Forteza
I entered the US Embassy building at 9:55 AM and left at 11:00 AM with a visa-approved look on my face! My interview ended up going very well.
Read also: Requirements on How To Apply For a US Tourist Visa
My interview happened this morning (March 19th). My schedule was for 9:45 AM, and by 9:30 AM, I was already in the waiting hall. At 9:55 AM, we were directed inside for the three stages of the application:
- Pre-screening
- Fingerprint Scanning
- The Interview
The most interesting part is the INTERVIEW. I kept telling myself, “You got this, Daniel!” As I moved closer to the windows, a Filipino couple let me go ahead of them. I later realized they were avoiding the interviewer on the leftmost side—she was loud, dominant, and had just rejected the lady in front of her. That’s when I got really nervous!
THE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
ME: Good morning, Ma’am. (I handed over my passport)
INTERVIEWER: Good morning. (Looking at her computer) What will you do in Los Angeles?
ME: Vacation, Ma’am. Sightseeing, backpacking style.
INTERVIEWER: What do you intend to see?
ME: Hollywood… Hollywood Walk of Fame… (I went blank for a second) Ro-rodeo Drive, Venice Canals—the famous ones.
INTERVIEWER: (Sees my Turkish visa) Oh, you went to Turkey. What did you do there?
ME: I went backpacking, Ma’am. I have been to 21 countries before.
INTERVIEWER: How do you fund your travels?
ME: I have a job here in the Philippines, Ma’am.
INTERVIEWER: What kind of company?
ME: I work as a Mechanical Engineer for an engineering firm.
INTERVIEWER: But what does your company actually do?
ME: (Blank again!) We buy equipment… basically, we’re a contractor and a middleman between the client and the vendor to build power plants. It’s in the Oil and Gas industry.
INTERVIEWER: Alright. What other countries have you been to?
ME: Recently, I went to South America—
INTERVIEWER: (Cuts me off) Yeah, you have a Peru stamp. Where did you go in Peru?
ME: I went to Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu.
INTERVIEWER: What college degree did you finish?
ME: Mechanical Engineering at Sorsogon State College.
INTERVIEWER: SORso-what?
ME: SORSOGON State College.
INTERVIEWER: When did you graduate?
ME: April 2011.
INTERVIEWER: How do you travel so much despite your work?
ME: I normally file leave for 4 days to a week. For South America, I used 2 weeks because I sacrificed my Christmas vacation for it.
INTERVIEWER: Who do you live with? Where is your family?
ME: I live alone in a rented room. My family is in my hometown, Sorsogon. It’s about 600km from here.
INTERVIEWER: Backpacking in Los Angeles. Interesting. How do you do backpacking?
ME: It’s a low-cost style of travel, for example, staying at hostels.
INTERVIEWER: Do you have relatives in the US?
ME: No, Ma’am.
INTERVIEWER: Your visa is approved. You’ll have it in one week.
ME: Thank you so much!
*Phewww*
Yep! She did not ask for any documents. The interview was 5-8 minutes long I think. It went fast. But I must admit the first minute of the interview, I was nervous and shaky.
I know you’re nervous, too. And it’s okay. But just like myself, you’re gonna rock this!!! Just be true to your intentions but also make sure you established your rootedness to the Philippines. You need to convey to them that you will return after your touristic trip. That is very important. Like in my case, I have to come back to work after my trip.
💡 TOP 3 TIPS TO NAIL YOUR INTERVIEW
- Be Brutally Honest & Consistent: The interviewer already has your DS-160 data on their screen. If you wrote “backpacking,” stick to it! Don’t try to sound like a luxury traveler if you aren’t one. Like I did, it’s okay to admit you’re staying in hostels—they value consistency over “rich” stories.
- Prove Your “Rootedness”: This is the most important part! You need to show them you have every reason to come back to the Philippines. Mention your job, your family in the province (like my 600km connection to Sorsogon), or your rental commitments. They need to know you aren’t going there to stay illegally.
- Keep Your Composure (Even if you blank out!): I went blank twice during my interview—once about the places in L.A. and once about my own job description! It happens. Just stay calm, smile, and explain it simply. You don’t need a perfect “script”; you just need to be a real person.
Bonus Tip: Don’t let the “loud” interviewers at the other windows scare you. Focus on your own window and your own story!
Feel free to read a separate blog I made on How To Apply A US Visa With Your Philippine Passport HERE. It is a step-by-step guide to apply for your US Visa.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a reply below. I will respond as soon as I can to help you somehow. That’s a promise.
Dan Travels 