r/USVisaIndians

Hi we had applied for tourist visa for me wife and daughter from India.Interview in Chennai 2/7/2026. Travel history singapore. My brother is green card holder.The following questions w

ere asked after which it was rejected Should we reapply

1. Purpose of visit

2. What do you do asked to my wife and daughter as well

3. Monthly income

4. No of employee

5. Travel history

I have payed my non deposit amount to two colleges, I am an Indian applicant however I am unable to get visa slot my last date to join b school is by 25 july, i left my job my rented house and shifted back to hometown i have no idea what to do ahead is there any hope to get visa slots for july? What shall I do?

Guys i got my admit from neu a few weeks back, and with all documents sorting and gathering, it took me a while to apply loan and get my I20. I’m supposed to get it within this week, and then im gonna apply for a slot. Is there any hope to get a slot in July/august? Will i be able to get my visa in time for classes starting in September?

My interview is in Jan. Im employed,25/M, a doctor, gng to visit uncle and tourism for 21 days. Primary salary is 45-50k per month another 50-60 from outpatient clinic as cash. Can i sponsor myself or choose someone else as sponsor? How to tackle no travel history ?

Hi everyone,

Looking for some opinions on what may have led to my recent B1/B2 refusal and whether I should apply again for another business trip.

Background:
- Indian citizen
- Applied from Delhi, India
- B1/B2 Visa
- Went to the U.S. in 2018 for my Master’s, Completed my Master’s and Worked on OPT and STEM OPT and moved back in Feb 2024
- Never applied for H1B (I know it is weird)
- Enrolled in a PhD program at the University of the Cumberlands and worked under CPT while enrolled
After about a year, I decided not to continue the PhD and voluntarily returned to India in 2024
- I informed my university that I wasn’t planning to return, requested my SEVIS to be terminated, and moved back because I genuinely wanted to continue my career in India

I’ve been working in India ever since and currently work as a Senior Product Manager for a U.S.-based company

Purpose of travel:
My company sponsored me to attend the AI4 Conference in Las Vegas, where I was also scheduled to speak about the technical aspects of one of our products.
The visa officer never looked at my employer letter or conference invitation.

These were almost all the questions asked:
Officer: Why are you going to the USA?
Me: To attend the AI4 Conference in Las Vegas sponsored by my company.
Officer: What is this conference?
Me: I started explaining that it’s an enterprise AI conference, but he stopped me midway.
Officer: Why are you being sent by your company?
Me: I’m the only technical Product Manager on my team, and I have a speaker session where I need to talk about the technical aspects of our product.
Officer: Have you ever traveled abroad?
Me: Yes, I have stayed in the U.S. before.
Officer: You did a PhD?
Me: Yes.
Officer: From the University of the Cumberlands? Because of Day 1 CPT?
Me: No, because of the coursework flexibility.
Officer: Why are you being sent by your company?
Me: I repeated the same answer.
He then asked for my old passport, looked at my previous U.S. visa, typed for a while, took my fingerprints, and finally said:
“Sorry, I can’t approve your visa.”
I received a 214(b) refusal.

After thinking about it, I realized my answer to “You did a PhD?” may not have been clear. What I meant was that I had enrolled in a PhD program but did not complete it. I dropped out after about a year and voluntarily returned to India. Since the officer didn’t ask any follow-up question, I simply answered “Yes,” and now I’m wondering whether he interpreted that as me saying I had completed the PhD.

I genuinely returned to India of my own choice, withdrew from the program, and have been working here since 2024.

Now my company has another team offsite coming up in Portland, and they’re asking me to apply for a B1/B2 visa again.

I’d really appreciate thoughts from people who’ve been through something similar.

- If you were in my situation, would you apply again for the Portland offsite, or wait longer before reapplying?
- Has anyone with a similar background eventually been approved for a B1/B2 visa?

Looking for constructive feedback and similar experiences. Thanks!

I have been trying to book a slot for 3 weeks now.

First week I tried myself and all i could see were 1-2 consular slots released sometimes but they were gone in milliseconds. I was mostly looking at night as I have office in day time.

Then I hired an agent through which my office colleagues have booked a slot last year in August and they got appointment within a week.

I am following up with the agent and he is not able to book a slot for me even after 2 weeks. Me and my wife will be travelling so 2 slots are required. When I ask him he says that there is some issue with the portal and he is not able to submit the slots.

Now already three weeks have passed and I don't know if the agent will be able to book a slot or not. I am also looking at the alternatives and checkvisaslots looks like they are offering slot booking service for 12K per person. Are they good ? I have checked the reviews and see rebiews like got appointment in few days etc. Need help here as time is running out for me and I have to travel my August end by max.

Where can I get the updates about F1 slots opening in India? I still haven’t got a slot and I’ve been trying for 2 months now. Please help me out! I don’t know when they are opening the slots.

Hi all,

I am an Australian citizen planning to visit to the USA. Just wanted to know whether they ask questions about civil court judgements in eSTA or visa application, as I had a civil restraining order against myself here which is expired more than a year ago without any breaches. Can an eSTA or visa be denied on these grounds? Please advise. Thank you.

My family and I are visiting the U.S. for vacation, but we also have meetings with an immigration attorney and a business owner to explore a possible FUTURE E-2 business. We won’t be working or running a business on this trip.
If you’ve been in a similar situation, what did CBP ask you at the airport? Did you mention the business meetings? Any tips?
We have European passports but were born in Iran, so we’re also wondering if that led to any extra questions.

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone who's been through the U.S. visa process can help.

I recently submitted a new DS-160. For the question "Person/Entity Paying for Your Trip", I selected Present Employer.

After submitting, I downloaded the printable DS-160 copy. I noticed that the line:

>

is completely blank. My previous DS-160 (where I had selected Self) correctly displayed "Self" in the PDF.

A few additional details:

• The field is mandatory, so the form wouldn't let me continue without selecting an option.
• I clearly remember selecting Present Employer.
• I had a brief (2–3 second) internet connectivity issue while filling and saving the application, but the submission completed successfully, and I received the confirmation page without any errors.

Has anyone experienced this before?

• Is this a known issue with the DS-160 printable PDF?
• Could the electronic DS-160 still contain the correct value even if the PDF leaves it blank?
• Should I submit another DS-160, or am I worrying unnecessarily?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has encountered the same issue.

Thanks!

I wanted to share my experience because this community helped me a lot during my preparation and I hope this helps someone.

My profile at a glance

• Indian passport holder, female, 30 years old
• Married, husband traveling with me (he already had a valid US B1/B2)
• Product Manager with ~9 years of total work experience
• Monthly household income ~₹8 lakhs
• Extensive international travel history: Switzerland, France, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore (all returned on time, all tourism)
• 2016 B2 refusal on record (applied as a student with no income — very different circumstances now)
• No prior US travel

The day of the interview – Chennai consulate

My slot was at 9 AM but I reached the consulate at 7:45 AM and was let in immediately. There's an airport-style security check at the entrance, straightforward. After that you're in the waiting room.

A few things I noticed while waiting:

• There were separate queues for people who needed translators
• I waited about 15 minutes for my turn
• I could see several rejections happening at the counters before me. Not going to lie, that messed with my confidence a little
• The first window seemed to have the most approvals, and the VO there sounded cheerful and efficient. Most interviews at that counter were wrapping up in under a minute
• The other counters had people doing a lot of explaining. Some interviews went 7 to 10 minutes, which looked stressful
• I was quietly hoping I'd get called to the first counter

And I was! 🙏

The actual interview

She took my passport and asked:

1. What is the purpose of your visit?
I would like to visit New York for a short vacation of two weeks with my husband.

2. Does your husband already have a visa?
Yes he does.

3. Do you have relatives in the US?
Yes, we have relatives staying in California but we're not planning to visit them this time.

4. Have you travelled abroad?
Yes.

5. Where?
Switzerland, France, Italy, Japan... (she cut me off here)

6. Were all these for tourism?
Yes.

That was it. She asked me to place my fingers on the scanner and said — visa is approved.

No documents were checked or asked for. The whole thing was under two minutes.

A few things I want to highlight for people who are nervous:

• The 2016 refusal did not come up at all. Not once. Your current circumstances matter far more than your past. If your situation has genuinely changed, own it and move on.
• Documents. I had everything organized and ready — bank statements, salary slips, employer letter, travel history, the works. None of it was asked for. But I would still say carry it all. You don't know which counter you'll get.
• Travel history is gold. I genuinely believe my international travel history across Europe and Asia did a lot of the heavy lifting. If you've traveled and returned on time every single time, that speaks for itself.
• The waiting room is the hardest part. Watching rejections before your turn is psychologically tough. Try to stay calm and remember that every case is different.
• Arrive early. I got in before my slot time with no issues.

TLDR: B2 approved at Chennai. 5 questions, under 2 minutes, no documents checked. Previous 2016 refusal was not raised. Strong travel history and stable employment likely helped. All the best to everyone waiting for their turn — it's not as scary as it feels

Hi everyone,

​I’m looking to connect with anyone who interviewed for an F1 visa in June at the New Delhi Embassy and got hit with a 221(g) administrative processing delay—specifically those who had their passports returned and were asked for additional documents.

​My classes start soon, and I am getting incredibly anxious tracking the CEAC portal. Here is my exact timeline so far:

​June 17: Interview at New Delhi Embassy (8 AM slot). VO retained my passport and handed me a 221(g) slip. Portal changed to "Refused" (Case Last Updated: June 17).

​June 23: Passport was unexpectedly couriered back to my house with a new 221(g) slip (dated June 18) requesting a printed document containing all my social media URLs.

​June 24: Submitted the social media document along with passport at the Kolkata VAC.

​June 26 (Friday): Document delivered to the New Delhi Embassy around 10 AM. Portal status shifted from "Refused" to Administrative Processing (Case Last Updated: June 26).

​June 30: Case Last Updated date changed again, but status is still Administrative Processing.

​July 2 (Today): No updates since June 30.

​My file was clearly "touched" on June 30, but it hasn't flipped to Approved yet.

​For those in a similar boat or who have cleared this recently:

1. ​How long did it take for your status to switch to "Approved" / "Issued" after your last date update?

2. Any recent New Delhi F1 success stories to help calm my nerves?

​Appreciate any insights or timelines you can share. Good luck to everyone waiting!

My B1/B2 visa was denied in May 2026 when I applied for it for tourism purposes with my family. My parents' was approved meanwhile mine was denied, I was in my last month of internship (medical school) when I got the visa appointment. Then we went to Switzerland for vacation with my family as my Schengen visa was approved. I'm done with USMLE step 1 and I'm preparing for my USMLE step 2 right now, what do I do about observerships? I hear one denial will lead on to more denial. Anyone whos been on the same boat as I am and has gotten it approved the second time, please weigh in. I'm lost as to what to do next, when to reapply and so on...

I’m planning to visit my sister in the U.S., where she’s currently on STEM OPT and working on a contract role. As a professional with over five years of experience, I’d like to spend about three weeks visiting her and exploring some tourist destinations. Could you share what I should be prepared for and any key pointers to keep in mind for my visa process?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

I applied stem opt extension in May 2026, and my status is pending. Not premium processing. My parents and younger sister have a B1/B2 visa interview scheduled at the U.S. Consulate in Chennai. My younger brother is not applying because he will be staying in India to take care of my grandparents.

My parents speak Gujarati and Hindi but are not comfortable speaking English. My sister speaks English.

Will they face issue as my stem opt is pending and what questions they have to face, what they have to take care?

What documents should they carry besides the standard appointment documents?

Please suggest me what to do I am not getting new dates also for next year.

Thank you in advance

Title: Need University Suggestions for MS in AI/ML (Spring/Jan 2027) – Moderate Budget, Good ROI & Better Visa Prospects

Hi everyone,
I’m planning to apply for the Spring (January) 2027 intake for a Master’s in Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Computer Science (AI/ML specialization) in the United States and would really appreciate your suggestions.

My Profile
• Bachelor’s: B.Tech in Computer Science
• CGPA: 7.5/10
• Work Experience: 4 years as a Software Developer

What I’m Looking For
•Universities offering MS in AI, Machine Learning, or MSCS with AI/ML specialization
Medium tuition fee (good value for money)
• Good academic reputation and strong AI curriculum
• Strong internship and job opportunities after graduation and STEM-designated programs
• Universities where my profile has a realistic chance of admission
• Universities that generally have a good record of students obtaining F-1 visas (I understand visas are decided individually, but I’d like to avoid universities with poor credibility or very high visa refusal trends.)

Questions
• Which universities would you recommend for my profile?
•How would you categorize them into:
Ambitious
Target
Safe

If you were in my position, which 8–10 universities would you apply to?

Are there any universities I should avoid due to poor ROI or weak job outcomes?

If anyone with a similar CGPA (around 7.5) and 3–5 years of work experience got admitted, I’d love to hear about your experience.

I’m looking for honest advice from recent applicants, current students, and alumni.

Thanks in advance!

I'll be going for a U.S. visa interview; it'll be me, my wife, and my daughter. Help me prepare.

Disclosure upfront, we're OpenSphere and we handle O-1A and EB-1A cases.

Here's what all 8 had in common.
- Every single one almost didn't apply
- None of the files started strong
- The raw evidence looked ordinary. A judging gig. A press mention. Work people use but nobody wrote up
- What changed was the framing, not the applicant

Extraordinary doesn't mean Nobel Prize. It means meeting specific criteria with evidence framed the right way.

The biggest filter isn't USCIS. It's people counting themselves out too early.

Questions welcome in the comments.

I recently applied for a U.S. B1/B2 visa from India for business meetings with clients. During the interview, the officer only asked, “Why are you going to the U.S.?” I answered that I was traveling to meet business clients. The officer immediately refused my application under INA 214(b) and suggested that I should apply for a work visa instead.

My situation:

• I’m an Indian citizen.
• I’m directly employed by a U.S. startup as a Technical Lead.
• I work remotely from India.
• The purpose of the trip was client meetings and business discussions.
• I previously lived and worked in Japan for 6 years before returning to India.

Has anyone else had a similar experience where a B1/B2 was refused because the officer believed a work visa was more appropriate?