‘Why not in India?’: 80-year-old couple's bizarre US visa denial has Reddit asking what went wrong?

A U.S. visa rejection for an elderly Indian couple has sparked a wider conversation online about the interview process and the importance of clear, concise responses, especially for B1/B2 tourist visa applicants. The case, shared on Reddit, involved two grandparents who were denied visas at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai on June 11, despite stating they intended to attend their granddaughter’s engagement.

“My grandparents went for a visa interview June 11th and they got rejected,” wrote the original poster on r/usvisascheduling. “I don’t know why they got rejected. Please tell me.”

The Reddit user shared the full exchange between the visa officer (VO) and their grandparents:

"VO: Why do you want to go to the US?
Grandparents: Because my daughter lives [there] and I am going for my granddaughter’s engagement.
VO: Why isn’t your granddaughter getting engaged in India?
Grandparents: Because her future husband lives there and she lives there so why she get married here
VO: How long ago did your daughter visit you?
Grandparents: 2 years ago
VO: How long will you stay there?
Grandparents: 15–20 days
VO: Sorry we cannot give you the visa at this time. Here is the 214(b) letter, you can read what you the mistake was."

The official rejection, issued under Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, indicated that the applicants had not demonstrated strong enough ties to India or had not clearly explained their intended activities in the U.S.

The post drew widespread responses from users who shared similar experiences and offered advice.

One user noted that the framing of the response likely hurt their case, “They should’ve just said ‘my granddaughter’s wedding’… The VO might’ve seen this case as ‘my daughter lives there, my granddaughter lives there, and we’re going there as well.’”

Another pointed out that the lack of detailed questioning by the visa officer may have contributed to the outcome, “The VO should’ve asked more questions like ‘Do you have any other kids? Who pays for your living? Who’s covering your trip?’”

Some also flagged a possible inconsistency in the paperwork, “Maybe in DS-160 there was different information of how many days [they were] going to stay there vs [what they] actually answered to visa officer.”

Many agreed that the key to approval lies in demonstrating strong ties to the home country, such as property, family, or financial obligations, and providing concise, focused answers during the interview.