E-Paper
US visa challenges: Indian techie denied B-1 visa despite strong credentials, full company sponsorship
A Mumbai candidate shared his B-1 visa rejection experience, despite being qualified and prepared for a business visit to the US.
US visa crackdown: A candidate from Mumbai, India, recounted his experience of rejection on social media, illustrating the difficulties faced in securing B-1 visa approval, even when the applicant is thoroughly prepared and genuinely believes they are a suitable candidate.
What is B-1/B-2 visa?
Visitor visas are classified as nonimmigrant visas intended for individuals seeking temporary entry into the United States for business purposes (B-1 visa), tourism (B-2 visa), or a combination of both (B-1/B-2 visa).
In a Reddit post, a 33-year-old engineering project manager stated that he possessed over 12 years of experience and had been invited by his US company for a one-week visit in February. However, HT.com cannot independently verify the authenticity of the Redditor's claim.
According to the applicant, the trip was entirely funded. He had an official invitation letter, hotel accommodations arranged by the firm, and a well-defined purpose, which was to train his American colleagues on AWS, GCP, and other technical processes, as well as to participate in several client meetings.
B-1 visa rejected: What transpired during the interview?
His interview was set for 7:40 am. When it was his turn, the officer initially inquired about the purpose of his travel to the US. He clarified that he was there to facilitate knowledge transfer as part of his company's ongoing initiatives.
The next inquiry was about the particular training he would deliver to the US team. He provided details regarding the technologies and responsibilities he would manage. The engineer further noted that he would engage in multiple client visits.
However, the interview concluded unexpectedly. The officer delivered a brief statement, saying, “Sorry, not acceptable now,” and denied the visa.
Redditors react to B-1 visa rejection post
Several people commented on the post explaining possible reasons for visa rejection.
“You said client visits - client work is not allowed on B1. Only internal meetings and conferences,” one person commented.
“A few things.…There are no perfect candidates. Anybody can get denied. Invitation letters are a waste of paper. They almost never look at them. You mentioned “client”. It may have given suspicion,” another user said.
A third Redditor chimed in, “Its a B1. You are clearly working. You need a different visa. How did you even think that you are the “perfect” candidate,” while the fourth one said, “For onsite work you have to get an H1B or L1. Face to face training is work. No way around it. You can do this on a B1, lots of people have done it, but unfortunately its fraud.”
