Indian man's B1/B2 visa denied in 40 seconds: Reddit user’s honesty costs him his US visa
According to a Reddit post, the user wrote how the interview ended in just 40 seconds after he answered three questions
- Apr 17, 2025,
- Updated Apr 17, 2025 4:02 PM IST
A Reddit user’s visa interview that lasted less than a minute has triggered a wave of commentary and advice online, highlighting the fine line between honesty and strategy when applying for a U.S. tourist visa.
User ‘nobody01810’ posted on Reddit’s travel forums about his B1/B2 visa rejection at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. According to his post, the interview ended in just 40 seconds after he answered three questions.
“Why do you want to travel to the US? I said I planned to visit Florida for a 2-week vacation to explore attractions like Disney World, Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, and various beaches,” he wrote. He added that he was interrupted before finishing his sentence.
When asked about his travel history, he said, “I answered no.” The third and final question—whether he had any friends or family in the U.S.—elicited a “yes,” with an explanation that his girlfriend lives in Florida.
“Immediately after that, the officer told me I was not eligible and handed me a 214(b) refusal slip,” he wrote, referring to the common rejection notice for failure to prove strong ties to the home country.
The post quickly drew attention, with users dissecting what led to the quick denial. “You’re a textbook denial, unfortunately for you,” wrote one commenter, pointing to the lack of travel history and the mention of a girlfriend in the U.S. as red flags. “Absolutely NOTHING is stopping you from leaving your job in India and going to live in the US with your girlfriend,” the user added.
Others stressed that while honesty is generally advisable, it can backfire in certain contexts. “Shouldn’t have mentioned about you having your GF there! That’s a big No,” one person commented.
Several responses urged the user to improve his case before reapplying. Suggestions included building a more robust travel history—especially to Western countries—buying property in India, and having his girlfriend visit him first. “Buy a house, have your GF visit you in India, obtain a Schengen Visa and visit her in Europe,” one user wrote, explaining that stronger ties to India would help demonstrate intent to return.
Another commenter pointed out the contradiction in the original poster's reaction: “You are asking people what you could have done better but then when people tell you what you did wrong you go on denial like come on dude.”
A Reddit user’s visa interview that lasted less than a minute has triggered a wave of commentary and advice online, highlighting the fine line between honesty and strategy when applying for a U.S. tourist visa.
User ‘nobody01810’ posted on Reddit’s travel forums about his B1/B2 visa rejection at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. According to his post, the interview ended in just 40 seconds after he answered three questions.
“Why do you want to travel to the US? I said I planned to visit Florida for a 2-week vacation to explore attractions like Disney World, Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, and various beaches,” he wrote. He added that he was interrupted before finishing his sentence.
When asked about his travel history, he said, “I answered no.” The third and final question—whether he had any friends or family in the U.S.—elicited a “yes,” with an explanation that his girlfriend lives in Florida.
“Immediately after that, the officer told me I was not eligible and handed me a 214(b) refusal slip,” he wrote, referring to the common rejection notice for failure to prove strong ties to the home country.
The post quickly drew attention, with users dissecting what led to the quick denial. “You’re a textbook denial, unfortunately for you,” wrote one commenter, pointing to the lack of travel history and the mention of a girlfriend in the U.S. as red flags. “Absolutely NOTHING is stopping you from leaving your job in India and going to live in the US with your girlfriend,” the user added.
Others stressed that while honesty is generally advisable, it can backfire in certain contexts. “Shouldn’t have mentioned about you having your GF there! That’s a big No,” one person commented.
Several responses urged the user to improve his case before reapplying. Suggestions included building a more robust travel history—especially to Western countries—buying property in India, and having his girlfriend visit him first. “Buy a house, have your GF visit you in India, obtain a Schengen Visa and visit her in Europe,” one user wrote, explaining that stronger ties to India would help demonstrate intent to return.
Another commenter pointed out the contradiction in the original poster's reaction: “You are asking people what you could have done better but then when people tell you what you did wrong you go on denial like come on dude.”