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India techie's F-1 visa ‘Refused’ for a this very reason, Redditor weighs in
Indian students are experiencing confusion with F-1 visa applications, receiving 'Refused' status on the CEAC portal without clear explanations.
Indian students applying for F-1 visas are facing a new and confusing hurdle: a sudden ‘Refused’ status on the CEAC (Consular Electronic Application Center) portal, even when the visa officer keeps the passport and no formal rejection notice is given.
One applicant at the U.S. consulate in Mumbai recently shared their experience on Reddit. “F1 Visa Interview - 'Refused' Status [Mumbai] Had my F1 visa interview on July 1 at the Mumbai consulate. The officer kept my passport and said they need to do social media screening. CEAC status now shows 'Refused,' but I wasn’t given a 221(g) slip. Anyone faced this before? What should I expect next? Do I still have a chance?” the Redditor wrote.
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HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.
No 221(g), no clarity, US student visa applicants left in limbo
Multiple students have reported the same sequence: a seemingly normal interview, passports retained by consular staff, and then, suddenly, a “Refused” status with no 221(g) slip and no clear explanation. For many, the only hint comes from the consular officer saying something vague about “social media screening.”
“Anyone who had an interview on or before 27th June and is yet to receive an update on their F1 visa application after receiving the 221(g) social media vetting form? Please update so that we can get to know about the timelines,” another Redditor urged.
This appears to be a consequence of recently intensified screening procedures, reportedly driven by updated U.S. visa rules under the Trump-era policies that still linger in practice. These policies call for enhanced scrutiny of applicants’ social media profiles.
Another Redditor shared, “I'm 31 years old with 7 years of experience in IT infrastructure and cloud support engineering. I'm from India with 3 years of experience here on OPT,” now left in a “breadcrumbing” situation in a never ending loop of rejection.
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To be clear, a “Refused” status on CEAC doesn’t always mean the visa is denied outright. Often, it just means the application is undergoing further review.
