Visa interview - What to do and What not to do

I know there are lots of sites and forums giving you advice on this one. But this is from my personal experience.

What to do

Well, lots of things here!

1. Make a checklist of documents. Arrange them properly in you folder and practise taking them out quickly from your folder when asked.
2. Prepare yourself for the interview just as you would for any job interview. Honesty matters but expressing the same in a smart way also does. Don't forget they already know a lot about you through the information in your DS forms.
3. Groom yourself well for the interview. Its always better to be formal than casual. Above all, don't forget to wear your confidence and smile.
4. Rehearse well for the questions that everyone knows are expected to be thrown at you during the interview. If you have a special circumstance like your brother/sister studying or working abroad, prepare yourself to answer those convincingly.
5. Make sure your finances are strong. By this I mean, not only the funds used for your education, but also the funds that remain for your parents after they spend their entire hard earned money on your education.
6. Carry supporting documents and proofs for every aspect that revolves around you. Be it your identity, academic record, extra curriculum or finances.
7. Memorize the figures of the funds used for education and also the annual income of your sponsors.
8. Sleep and eat well the day before the interview. I especially say this because I didn't and had some bad experience while waiting for my token to be called out. It felt like a test of my patience, with me feeling all sleepy and tired and on top of it no signs of my number being called out from any of the counters. It just adds to your exhaustion.
9. If you are the kind of person who gets tensed during such situations, avail of the lounge facility offered by VFS. It helps you relax and cool down.

What not to do

1. Do not argue with the visa officer.
2. Do not try to over explain. Be short, sweet and precise.
3. Do not give information unnecessarily when not asked.
4. Do not show any documents if the visa officer has not asked for it.
5. Do not contradict the information that you yourself have provided on the DS forms.
6. Do not carry documents just because everyone does. If you feel taking a document is unnecessary, confirm it with the consulate by calling them or emailing them. They usually give proper guidance for such things and will at least not mislead you.

Remember the visa officers have thousands of applicants that they need to cover everyday. They can hardly give you a minute or two. Its all up to how you communicate and convey the information that is being asked to you during this time. All they need to ensure is whether you are a genuine student with a genuine purpose. It just helps when you know what the other person expects from you. So understand that and prepare accordingly!

I would be remiss if I forget to thank my parents here, because it was only because of their efforts that I could procure all my documents on time under hard circumstances. And my brother who became the visa officer for me the day before and tried to grill me with questions. But his last words(which are usually the visa officer's positive last words to you) put a smile on my face and built up my confidence. Also thanks to the number of forums and seniors on those forums that helped to keep myself updated on this.

All the best to you guys in case you are reading this and are yet to give your visa interview!