r/B1B2Visas

Hi guys, so sharing my Biometrics (India) experience because many folks going for the first time are mostly nervous or confused.

I took an overnight Bus from Chandigarh to New Delhi (Ram Dalal Bus ₹1200 sleeper - was good). Then I took the metro from Kashmere Gate to New Delhi Railway Station for ₹21, then changed to the Orange Line and took another metro from New Delhi to Shivaji Stadium Metro Station for ₹21 again.

At Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, exit metro & go upstairs, and voilà, the VAC is right in front of you, along with all the other VFS offices (Canada, Japan, China, Turkey, Greece, etc).

https://preview.redd.it/s5mhxvt16h2h1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=61ca4e12dc9a8a8c79d83e52a839382a74c6acb2

​I ONLY carried my passport, appointment confirmation page, old DS-160, and new DS-160. That’s all. I asked them to link my new DS-160, and they did it without any issues or questions at all. (I carried my passport-sized photographs also, but they did not ask)

I did not carry any electronics or wear a watch. You can take your wallet (cards) with you.

I reached around 7:30 am, but the VAC was still closed. So I came back around 9 am for my 9:30 AM appointment. By then, the queue had become a little longer.

Then I deposited my bag/phone in one of those lockers outside of VAC (nearby):

• Small: ₹100
• Large: ₹150
• XL: ₹200

I joined the queue around 9:10–9:15 am, did my biometrics around 9:45 am, and was out by 9:50 am. The actual biometric process at the last counter takes barely 3–5 minutes. (They captured my photo and fingerprints there)

For the interview, you need to carry these same exact documents along with any supporting docs based on your profile/purpose. (My Interview at the US Embassy is yet pending)

Thanks to those who helped me before my Biometrics.

Hi, everyone - I have a question especially for people who have experience entering Anguilla with a b1/b2 US tourist visa.

I’m a Philippine Passport holder, going to Anguilla, flying from Puerto Rico and I only have a valid multiple entry US TOURIST VISA (B1/b2).. Will I be granted entry to Anguilla or do I need to apply for evisa?

Thank you!

British Passport ESTA After Zimbabwean Passport B1/B2 Visa Refusal — Has Anyone Successfully Done This?

Not sure if anyone has been in a similar situation or has any advice, but thought I’d share my journey because it’s been stressful trying to organise this USA trip.

I’m originally from Zimbabwe but moved to the UK in 2011 and genuinely haven’t been back to Zimbabwe since arriving here. I’ve built my whole life in the UK over the last 14 years — work full time, married to a British citizen earlier this year, and I’ve now finally applied for British citizenship last week.

Over the past few years I’ve travelled abroad without issues:
\- Spain twice
\- Turkey recently
\- Multiple trips all returning back to the UK normally

The big issue now is the USA.

We originally had a fully paid Florida holiday booked for June 2026 for me, my wife and family. I applied for a B1/B2 visa on my Zimbabwean passport and got refused under section 212(f), which completely threw me because I have strong UK ties, stable employment, family here, and no immigration issues in the UK at all.

Because of that refusal we had to move the whole holiday to September which cost extra money with changing flights/dates etc. We’ve basically been trying to buy time hoping I can get citizenship and a British passport before the trip.

My questions are:

1. If my citizenship is approved in time and I get a British passport before September, would I realistically have enough time to apply for an ESTA?

2. Has anyone ever been refused a US visa on one passport/nationality and later successfully got an ESTA after becoming British?

3. Does the previous 212(f) refusal almost automatically kill the ESTA application even if applying later as a British citizen?

4. Is there anything else I should realistically be preparing for now?

I know ESTA asks if you’ve ever been refused a US visa and obviously I’d answer honestly, but I can’t seem to find many real experiences from people who were previously refused under another nationality and later became eligible for ESTA through British citizenship.

At this point I honestly don’t even know whether to feel hopeful or prepare for another refusal.

Would appreciate any advice or similar experiences.

I had my B-1/B-2 visa interview at the US Embassy in Delhi last week and it was approved. I wanted to share my experience for anyone who is nervous or unsure about what to expect.

Biometrics appointment was at Shivaji Stadium Metro Station on the concourse level. It is inside the metro itself so it is easy to find. You only need three documents for biometrics - appointment confirmation letter, passport, and DS-160 confirmation page. They took my photo and fingerprints. The whole thing took about 5 minutes.
Interview was on a different day at the US Embassy. You cannot bring any electronic gadgets or bags inside. There are locker services near the metro station or you can leave your phone with local vendors outside. I saw many people doing that.
Once inside, they did another quick biometric check and then I went to the interview queue. There are Hindi and Sikh translators available if you need them.
The interview took about 2 minutes. Here are the questions the officer asked me:
What is the purpose of your visit?
What do you do for work?
Where exactly are you going in the US?
Which customers will you meet?
How long will you be there and why that length?
What is your current CTC or salary?
I answered each one briefly and directly. No long explanations. The officer did not ask to see any of my supporting documents even though I brought everything - employment proof, invitation letter from my company, bank statements, and visa fee receipt. My visa was approved on the spot.

A few things I noticed that helped:

• I dressed neatly but not overdressed
• I answered in English clearly
• I kept my answers short and stuck to the facts
• My hands were visible and I made eye contact

For context, my company sponsored my trip for business meetings. But many people around me were there for tourism and also got approved.

Hope this helps someone who has an appointment coming up.

Hi,

My mom came to stay with me in 2019. During the COVID pandemic I applied twice for her visa extension. UCSIS was closed. We got a notice to do finger printing for the first visa extension and got it done. The follow up mail for the second finger printing came after she had left for India. Finally my mom left on March 2021 after getting the moderna vaccine. Her visitor visa has expired and she is going for her visa appointment on May 20th. Does she need to also submit the visa extension documents she sent to UCSIS and responses received from UCSIS? I am afraid there is a possibility her visitor visa may get denied because she overstayed during the pandemic. Did you have a situation where your parents visa got denied because of overstaying during the pandemic?

I had my B-2 visa interview at the New Delhi VAC last week and was rejected under 214(b) for insufficient ties to my home country. The whole thing lasted less than three minutes and the officer did not ask to see any of my documents.

Here is my profile:
Age: 26
Occupation: Software engineer working for a large company for the past 3 years
Annual income: decent salary for India
Marital status: single
Property: I invest most of my savings in equity and mutual funds, so no real estate
Travel history: none internationally
Purpose of trip: two weeks to meet a friend and do some sightseeing
The officer asked me three questions:
Why do you want to go to the US? I said to meet a friend and travel to a couple of cities.
How much do you make in a year? I answered honestly.
What is your job and how long have you been working there? I answered.
Then the officer said I am not eligible for the visa right now and to try again when my situation changes.
I am really frustrated because I do not understand what situation change they are looking for. Even after two years, I will still be a software engineer. I still will not own real estate because I prefer investing in the stock market. I cannot get married just to get a visa.
Has anyone with a similar profile actually gotten approved? What did you do differently? Did you wait longer? Travel to other countries first? Bring different documents?

I saw online that other young single professionals are getting rejected too. At this point I am wondering if I should even bother reapplying.

I entered the US on a B2 visa, applied for a Change of Status to F1 within the US, and was just denied. I want to re-enroll for the Fall semester, but I need active F-1 status to start.

My lawyer said that because I have a prior B2 visa and a recent US denial, I might not qualify for the standard F-1 interview waiver based on the new pilot program rules. The consulate websites seem vague about whether a Change of Status denial counts as a visa refusal that disqualifies you from Dropbox.

Does anyone have recent experience going back to India for F-1 stamping after an internal COS denial? Did the consulate make you go through a full interview, or were you allowed to drop your documents? I am trying to figure out how much time to take off work.

I just got my B2 visa approved today 😭✨ and I genuinely wanted to come back here and thank this community.

Date: 11 May 2026

Venue: Chennai Embassy, India 🇮🇳

Age: 24, F

A few weeks ago, I was spiraling because I realized I had mentioned “fiancé” in my DS-160 without knowing it could be seen as a potential immigrant intent red flag. My fiancé is currently in the US on F1 OPT, and I genuinely thought I had ruined my chances.

I spent HOURS reading experiences in this subreddit, learning how to answer honestly while still being concise and clear about my temporary travel intent. It helped me a lot mentally.

Interview questions:

VO: Have you ever felt any threat to your life in India? Me: No

VO: Do you think there will be any harm to your life upon your return? Me: No

VO: What is the purpose of your trip to the USA? Me: I’m planning a short 2-week trip to visit my fiancé in Michigan in October. He is currently on F1 OPT and moving back to India in March. We also plan to visit New York for sightseeing.

VO: Have you travelled outside India? Me: Yes, to Oman and the UAE.

VO: Purpose of travel there? Me: Tourism.

VO: What do you do? Me: I work full-time as a data engineer. I build and maintain data pipelines for my company and have been working there for 3 years.

VO: Do you have any other family or friends in the US? Me: No.

And then… approved 😭✨

I think what really helped me:

• good travel history,
• confidence,
• smiling naturally,
• keeping answers precise and honest,
• and doing mock interviews on ChatGPT and tailoring answers beforehand. That genuinely helped me feel prepared.

When he said “your visa is approved,” I literally showed all 32 teeth 😭 and the VO was so sweet,  he smiled back the exact same way.

I was SO excited walking out that I almost jumped on the stairs and the watchman smilingly told me: “No jumping, no running” 😂

To anyone stressing because you mentioned boyfriend/fiancé in DS-160: don’t panic. Just be honest, calm, and confident.

Thank you again to everyone who shares their experiences here. You genuinely helped me get through this process 💛

I forgot to add my LinkedIn account on my DS160 and added only IG and FB Profile on the form.

I have paid the fees and waiting for the portal to work to scheduled my appointments.

Do I need to resubmit the form ? What do I do ?

Applying for B1/B2 from india

OFC: Mumbai

Consular: Mumbai

Visa Type: B1/B2