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Indian man claims US F-1 visa rejected after officer said 'you’re already successful’
The man said he went into the interview well-prepared, only to be rejected in under three minutes.
A Reddit post has caught the internet’s attention after an Indian professional shared his F-1 visa rejection experience for an MBA program in the United States. In the Reddit post, titled ‘F-1 Visa Rejection – Officer Said “You’re Already Successful’, the man claimed that he has worked at Amazon as a Senior Investigation and Risk Specialist for over four years. He said he went into the interview well-prepared, only to be rejected in under three minutes.
“The officer asked me about my work experience and why I chose this MBA. I explained my goals, but after looking at my profile, he said: ‘You’re already successful’ and handed me the rejection slip,” he wrote. According to him, the rejection indicated that the visa officer felt his current career trajectory was already strong enough, and that he lacked a convincing reason to leave it behind for full-time study. “Maybe my answers didn’t clearly connect why this degree is critical for my next career step in India,” he reflected.
Key takeaways for others in similar situations
The Redditor added that applicants with stable jobs need to demonstrate that their chosen program is not a detour but a necessary step toward bigger goals. “If you have a stable job and good career progression, you need to show the officer that your current success is only a stepping stone - and that your chosen program will directly help you achieve a specific, higher goal that you can’t reach without it,” he wrote.
The man now plans to reapply, with a revised approach. “This time I’ll focus on explaining why now is the right time for this degree, showing the specific skills I will gain from my MBA that I cannot get through my current job, and making it clear that I’ll return to India for senior leadership roles where this degree gives me a competitive edge,” he said.
Also Read: Indian man's emotional confession in US goes viral: 'I want to go back, they don't accept us here'
Social media reactions
Reacting to the post, one user explained, “Unfortunately, unless you enroll in a much more reputable school, I don't think your visa will get approved. City University of Seattle ranks VERY low, and the visa officer can smell BS if you insist that enrolling in such low-ranking school can help you upskill when you have already worked at Amazon. FYI they are cracking down on these schools and those that offer "Day 1 CPT." I think you should consider enrolling elsewhere before reapplying for your visa. Best of luck.”
“You need to apply to a better, reputable school. From the officers POV, you’re trying to stick around by applying to a cheap, low ranking school,” commented another.
“The struggles of being brown. He’s afraid you’re going to get a high paying job in the US. It would’ve been fine if you were Canadian,” wrote a third user.
