E3 Visa Interview Guide: Documents, Questions & Tips

The E-3 visa interview takes place at a U.S. consulate window in Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth. For most applicants, it runs 10 to 15 minutes. The consular officer is confirming three things: that the role qualifies as a specialty occupation, that your degree matches the position, and that you intend to return to Australia.

What you bring, how it's organized, and how clearly you can speak to your role all matter. This article covers the full E-3 visa interview process: the documents you need and the nuances behind each one, how to prepare in the days before, common E-3 visa interview questions, what to expect at the window, how to track your application afterward, and what the most common outcomes mean.

What to bring to your E3 visa interview

Before your E-3 visa interview, you'll need to have paid the MRV fee ($315 USD), submitted your DS-160, and received a certified LCA from the Department of Labor. If you haven't completed these steps yet, see our E-3 visa appointment booking guide for the full process.

Once that's in place, here's what to bring on the day. Requirements vary slightly between Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. What follows covers what's typically expected across all three consulates.

Primary applicant documents

About the Letter of Support: Based on applicant reports from 2025, this document has become increasingly important. A strong Letter of Support covers an overview of the company, the specific job description and how it qualifies as a specialty occupation, why the role requires a bachelor's degree as a minimum, and a summary of your credentials and how they match the position.

E-3D dependent documents

Each dependent applying for E-3D status needs their own DS-160, their own appointment, and their own supporting documents. E-3D dependents don't need to be Australian citizens, a spouse of any nationality qualifies.

September 2025 policy changes affecting E3 visa interviews

Two policy changes from September 2025 affect how and where Australians can complete their E-3 visa interview.

Interview waivers eliminated. As of September 2, 2025, in-person interviews are mandatory for most nonimmigrant visa applicants, including E-3 renewals. The waiver program that allowed many Australians to renew by mail has been discontinued. If you were counting on a mail-in renewal, you now need to attend an interview in person.

Third-country interviews restricted. As of September 6, 2025, the U.S. State Department instructs nonimmigrant visa applicants to interview in their country of nationality or residence. Australians who were living in the U.S. and flying to London, Belize, or other third-country consulates for renewals have had appointments refused under this directive. The MRV fee is non-refundable in these cases.

For most Australians, this means your E-3 visa interview needs to take place in Australia. For a full breakdown of consulate selection, wait times, and scheduling strategies, see our E-3 visa appointment booking guide.

How to prepare for your E3 visa interview

Review your DS-160 the night before

The consular officer reads your DS-160 before the interview begins. Go through it the evening before and confirm that everything, including employer name, salary, job title, prior U.S. travel, education history, is consistent with your supporting documents.

Know your role and your employer

You'll be asked about your job: what it involves, why it requires a degree, and what the company does. Read through your Letter of Support and offer letter so you know what your employer has said in writing about the position. The goal is to speak naturally and accurately about your role, not to recite memorized answers.

Organize your documents

Officers process many applicants and appreciate a well-organized folder. A useful order:

1. DS-160 confirmation and appointment confirmation
2. Passport
3. LCA
4. Offer letter
5. Letter of Support
6. Degree certificate
7. Transcripts
8. CV

Know your consulate's security and logistics rules

Each consulate has specific rules about what you can bring inside. Your appointment confirmation email will include these instructions. Phones are generally permitted but must be shut down. Some locations have lockers for items you can't bring in.

Items that may not be allowed: Backpacks, large bags, oversized purses, food and beverages, and weapons or sharp objects. Some consulates also restrict smartwatches and electronics beyond phones. Prohibited items vary by consulate, so always check your appointment confirmation email. If you arrive with a prohibited item, you may be turned away.

Prepare your passport return logistics

If collecting in person, confirm the pickup window and location for your specific consulate before the day. If a prepaid Express Post envelope is required, prepare it in advance.

E3 visa interview questions

The consular officer's objective is to confirm three things: the role genuinely qualifies as a specialty occupation, your qualifications match, and you intend to return to Australia. Here are the areas they cover most frequently.

Questions about your role and employer

• What does the job involve day to day?
• Why does this role require a bachelor's degree?
• What does the company do? What are its main activities?
• What will you be paid? (Officers cross-check this against the LCA wage.)
• What is your start date?
• Are you already working for this company?

Questions about your qualifications

• Where did you study? What degree do you hold?
• How does your degree connect to this role?
• Have you worked in this field before?
• Can you list courses you took that relate to the position?

Questions about your ties to Australia

• Do you have family in Australia?
• Do you own property in Australia?
• Do you intend to return to Australia?
• Have you been to the U.S. before? On what basis? (Must match your DS-160.)
• Has anyone ever filed an immigrant visa petition on your behalf?

If interviewing outside Australia

If you hold citizenship in another country and choose to interview outside of Australia, expect to be asked why.

Question: "Why are you doing your interview at [this consulate] instead of Australia?"

What they're assessing: Whether you have legitimate ties to this country, or whether you're just there for convenience.

Strong answer example: "I'm still a resident here and this is home, so I'm applying from the country I maintain ties to when my E-3 expires." From a British Australian who renewed in London based on her UK citizenship.

What to avoid: Answers that suggest you're only there because it was easier to schedule or closer to the U.S.

What to expect at the E3 visa interview window

Arrive 15 to 30 minutes early. Security screening typically takes longer than the interview itself. After screening, you wait until your name or number is called.

The interview happens at a window. You stand while the officer sits on the other side. It's conducted at the window, not in a private room. The officer has your DS-160 on screen throughout.

Most E-3 visa interviews take 10 to 15 minutes. Some are shorter, particularly renewals where the officer is already familiar with the visa category and your prior history.

Dress professionally. Business attire is appropriate. First impressions are formed before the first question.

What happens at the end

If approved: The officer typically won't say "approved" explicitly. They'll indicate that your passport will be returned and hand you a slip describing next steps. You leave the consulate without your passport, which is normal.

If additional review is needed: You'll receive a 221(g) notice. This is a temporary hold, not a denial. The slip specifies whether documents are needed or administrative processing is required.

What happens after your E3 visa interview

Tracking your application

Use the CEAC status checker at ceac.state.gov to monitor your application. For an approved application, the status moves through Received → Approved → Issued. Don't book flights or commit to a start date until the status shows "Issued." "Approved" is a processing step: the visa is only ready when "Issued" and the consulate has notified you.

Receiving your passport

For straightforward approvals at Australian consulates, passports are typically returned within 2 to 5 business days, though timelines vary. The consulate contacts you when your passport is ready. For a detailed breakdown of pickup vs delivery logistics, tracking, and what to do if there's a delay, see our E-3 visa passport return guide.

Check your visa stamp

When your passport arrives, review the visa stamp immediately. Check your name, date of birth, passport number, visa category (E-3), employer name, and validity dates. If anything is incorrect, contact the consulate right away.

What the visa stamp authorizes

The E-3 visa stamp is a travel document which authorizes you to board a flight to the U.S. and request entry in E-3 classification. Your actual period of authorized stay is determined by your I-94 record, issued by CBP when you arrive. You can check your I-94 at i94.cbp.dhs.gov. CBP typically sets the I-94 period at up to two years for E-3 holders, which may differ from the visa stamp dates.

You can enter the U.S. up to 10 days before the start date on your LCA, but you can't begin working until that start date.

E3 visa interview wait times in Australia

E-3 visa interview wait times have increased since September 2025 following the elimination of interview waivers. More applicants are now competing for in-person slots across all three consulates.

Current wait times vary week to week and consulate to consulate. You can monitor appointment availability across all three consulates using Migrate Mate's E-3 visa appointment calendar.

If your E3 visa interview doesn't go as planned

Most E-3 visa applications at Australian consulates are approved. But if yours isn't, it helps to know what the outcome means.

214(b) - did not establish eligibility. The most common denial. The officer wasn't satisfied that the role qualifies as a specialty occupation, that your degree matches, or that you demonstrated sufficient ties to Australia. This isn't permanent - you can address the issues and reapply at any time.

221(g) - temporary hold. Not a denial. The officer needs an additional document or the case requires administrative processing. The slip you receive at the window specifies what's needed. You have one year to respond. If your CEAC status shows "Refused," check the slip, as a 221(g) hold displays as "Refused" in the system, but it's not a final decision.

212(a)(6)(C) - misrepresentation. The most serious outcome, potentially resulting in a permanent bar. The safeguard is consistency: make sure your DS-160, documents, and verbal answers all align. If your history is complicated, such as a prior overstay, prior denial, or a green card petition on file, disclose it proactively rather than risk it being discovered at the window.

Once your E3 visa is approved: what comes next

Once your CEAC status shows "Issued" and you've collected your passport with a valid E-3 stamp, you're cleared to fly. You can enter the U.S. up to 10 days before the start date on your LCA, though you can't begin working until that date.

When you arrive, CBP will issue your I-94 record at the port of entry, which sets your authorized period of stay (typically up to two years). Your spouse, if approved for E-3D, receives automatic work authorization.

From there, you're in. The E-3 visa is renewable indefinitely in two-year increments, and the process gets faster each time. Keep your documents from this round as they'll make your next renewal significantly easier to prepare.

Frequently asked questions