In a post shared on Reddit, a 36-year-old man described how his B-2 visa was rejected despite what he felt was a strong application. The B-2 visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows foreign nationals to travel to the United States temporarily for tourism, visiting friends or family, medical treatment, or attending social events.
The Reddit user (@Fun-Mind8782), who works as the operations head of an IT company, said he had applied for the visa along with his 70-year-old parents at the New Delhi consulate. He stated that both he and his parents were financially secure, noting that he had "sufficient savings of 20 lakh plus from savings, stocks" while his parents had "savings in 30 lakhs plus". The family was also well-travelled, having previously visited the UK, France, Switzerland, Dubai and Singapore.
Also Read: 7 Rookie Mistakes That Could Get Your Visa Rejected
Outlining their purpose of travel, the user wrote, "We wanted to go for a vacation for 2 weeks around Christmas time. We want to go to New York, LA, and SF. I added that we have made hotel reservations and had an itinerary too, if it was needed."
Despite this, their application was rejected. The Redditor claimed that "no questions were asked about our jobs, about our ties back home, previous travel, nothing," adding that "it seems like the officer had made up their mind to refuse from the start."
How The US Tourist Visa Interview Played Out
In his detailed account of the visa interview, the Reddit user explained that since his parents' first language was not English, he offered to help translate. The visa officer, however, called in an official translator.
The officer first asked about the purpose of their visit and then directed the translator to question his mother in Hindi about where they intended to travel in the US. The officer followed up by asking whether the family had relatives in the country. The Redditor wrote, "My mother replied yes, we have a grandniece, but we won't be visiting her. (We had provided her contact info in DS-160 as we didn't want to lie about knowing someone in the US)."
At this point, the officer interjected and told the applicant, "You said your parents don't know English, and your mother speaks fine." The Redditor responded that she was not fluent, but "she can say a few words."
"Now, I don't know if this irked him or what," the Redditor noted. After a few more questions, the officer ended the interview and, through the translator, told them their visas had been refused under Section 214(b). Their passports were returned immediately.
B2 Visa Delhi: Rejected, 214b
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What Section 214(b) Visa Denial Means
A US visa refusal under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act means the consular officer was not convinced that the applicant would return to their home country after a temporary visit. By law, all applicants for non-immigrant visas are presumed to be potential immigrants unless they can prove otherwise.
Following the Reddit post, many users highlighted patterns in visa denials. One wrote, "The common theme of denials for people travelling with families from India to the US seems to be having a relative in the US."
Others noted how the officer appeared sceptical after the applicant's mother spoke English, despite the claim that she was not fluent. A third user added, "Also, if you are single, that is an additional con."
Also Read: Number Of Indians Travelling To The US Takes A Hit: US Tourism Office
Do Relatives In The US Affect Tourist Visa Approval?
Addressing this concern, Ben, a former US visa officer who worked in China and Colombia, explained in his YouTube video that the impact of having relatives in the US depends on context.
According to him, "If you have a sibling in the US who is working in a prestigious tech company, this can help you get your visa because that is prestigious and a very lawful way to be in the United States. Also, it shows that the family is economically secure, academically accomplished, and is going to use the visa."
On the other hand, having relatives in the US who are not maintaining their visa status could negatively affect the application. For instance, if a relative on an F-1 student visa overstays or changes status irregularly, this could raise concerns for the visa officer about whether the applicant will return to their home country after their visit.
This contrast highlights why some applicants with strong financial and travel backgrounds may still face rejection if any red flags arise around family connections or intent to return.
