Who is petitioning for you and what is your relationship?

Name the employer or agent clearly and the relationship. For an agent-filed O-1, be ready to explain the end clients and how the work is structured.

What will you be doing in the US?

Short and concrete: role, projects, field. Your answer must match what the petition says.

How long do you plan to stay in the US?

Answer within the petition validity and realistically. O-1 allows dual intent, but do not contradict yourself.

Where exactly will you work and who is your employer?

Know the employer name, location and field, or the venues. For an agent, the per-project employment plan.

Why were you chosen for this role?

Tie the choice to your unique achievements and skills - the same ones the petition is built on.

Which state and city do you plan to live and work in?

Name the specific place and employer/venues; it must match the petition.

Where exactly are you planning to go in the US?

City and state matching your DS-260 address and the work location in the petition. 'We haven't decided yet' is a poor answer at an immigrant-visa interview.

What are you going to do after you move?

Continuing the same work in the same field is the key point. EB-1A requires showing you intend to keep working in your area.

Why do you not have a job offer? Where did your offer come from?

EB-1A does not require an offer - explain that calmly and show your work plan. For O-1, name the petitioner or agent and the nature of the arrangement.

Who is your employer in the US?

The name and what they do - exactly as in the petition. With an agent arrangement, explain that the agent is the petitioner and the clients are listed in the itinerary.

Who will you report to and what team will you work in?

Know the structure: manager, team, how your role fits. For an agent, who coordinates the projects.

What do you plan to do after the visa ends?

Answer realistically and consistently with your category; do not improvise contradictions.

Questions about your plans in the US

Updated: September 14, 2026Author: Alina Kanametova

Where you are going, what you will do, who the employer is and where the offer came from. For EB-1A this is also where they ask why there is no job offer - a normal, expected question.

Questions (25)

keyWho is petitioning for you and what is your relationship?: Name the employer or agent clearly and the relationship. For an agent-filed O-1, be ready to explain the end clients and how the work is structured.
keyWhat will you be doing in the US?: Short and concrete: role, projects, field. Your answer must match what the petition says.
keyHow long do you plan to stay in the US?: Answer within the petition validity and realistically. O-1 allows dual intent, but do not contradict yourself.
keyWhere exactly will you work and who is your employer?: Know the employer name, location and field, or the venues. For an agent, the per-project employment plan.
keyWhy were you chosen for this role?: Tie the choice to your unique achievements and skills - the same ones the petition is built on.
keyWhich state and city do you plan to live and work in?: Name the specific place and employer/venues; it must match the petition.
keyWhere exactly are you planning to go in the US?: City and state matching your DS-260 address and the work location in the petition. 'We haven't decided yet' is a poor answer at an immigrant-visa interview.
keyWhat are you going to do after you move?: Continuing the same work in the same field is the key point. EB-1A requires showing you intend to keep working in your area.
keyWhy do you not have a job offer? Where did your offer come from?: EB-1A does not require an offer - explain that calmly and show your work plan. For O-1, name the petitioner or agent and the nature of the arrangement.
keyWho is your employer in the US?: The name and what they do - exactly as in the petition. With an agent arrangement, explain that the agent is the petitioner and the clients are listed in the itinerary.
Who will you report to and what team will you work in?: Know the structure: manager, team, how your role fits. For an agent, who coordinates the projects.
What do you plan to do after the visa ends?: Answer realistically and consistently with your category; do not improvise contradictions.
When do you plan to enter the US?: Give dates within the petition validity and consistent with your work plan.
Do you have a work plan or itinerary (for projects/tours)?: For project work, keep a schedule/itinerary that matches the petition.
How did the employer or venues find out about you?: A natural story of how you connected/were hired; align it with the letters and petition.
Do you have acquaintances in the US? Who are they?: Answer honestly; ties are not a bar by themselves, but keep the answer consistent.
Which state will you work in and which city will you live in?: If the work is remote, say so and explain the arrangement. A mismatch between your address and your employer invites questions.
What is this company and what does it do? Is it American?: One sentence about the business, where it is registered and how many people. If it is your own company, say so up front - that is a normal structure.
How did the company find out about you?: A specific channel: a conference, a publication, a colleague's referral, an inbound email. A vague answer here reads as a sign of a manufactured arrangement.
What role will you take and what exactly will you be doing?: The title and three tasks. The wording must match the petition: officers do notice when the role title and the work description diverge.
Will you be working in your field in the US?: The answer is yes, with an explanation of how. Switching fields after a talent visa is a direct risk for future extensions and naturalization.
What is the exact address you are going to?: The address from your DS-260. If it is a friend's place or temporary housing, say so - that is fine, what matters is that it matches the form.
If an agent filed the petition, who are the end clients of your work?: Know the list of clients/venues and the employment plan - a common follow-up for agent-filed O-1s.
Why don't you have a formal job offer?: EB-1A and NIW need no job offer - cite 8 CFR 204.5(h) and explain self-petition. For O-1, explain the agent/employer structure.
Do you have acquaintances in the US? Who are they and what do they do?: Answer honestly, including anyone named in your forms. Hidden relatives or friends that surface during screening look worse than the fact itself.

Rehearse these questions out loud in the interview simulator - it shuffles the bank and reveals the hint only after your answer.

Other sections

General questions about the applicant (10)Career and experience questions at the visa interview (12)O-1 and EB-1A criteria questions at the interview (29)Family questions at the visa interview (11)Military service questions at the consular interview (9)Other questions at the consular interview (30)English interview questions for practice (26)Marriage-visa interview questions (K-1, CR-1) (71)Interview preparation Form DS-5535 Real interviews

All interview questions

Community experience and reference information, not legal advice. Answer truthfully and in your own words. Official requirements are on travel.state.gov and uscis.gov.How to prepare