New Delhi: A 25-year-old funding banker from Mumbai, who had set his coronary heart on watching the FIFA World Cup in the USA together with his father, has been left heartbroken after his US B1/B2 visa was denied beneath part 214(b).
After attending the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar together with his father, he had been eagerly planning a follow-up journey for years. The dream was to expertise the joy once more, this time on American soil.
He at the moment earns Rs. 2 lakh per thirty days post-tax. Each element of the journey had been fastidiously mapped out. The keep was speculated to be 4 weeks lengthy, although solely three weeks had been accepted by his employer.
His match attendance relied on the tickets he might safe. Alongside the best way, he hoped to meet up with a childhood good friend primarily based in Seattle, who’s a US citizen. His father supplied to pay for the airfare. All different bills could be dealt with personally.
Regardless of the planning, the visa interview on the consulate led to 60 seconds.
“Hello Sir, good morning,” he started.
“Hello, good morning. Objective of go to?” requested the visa officer.
“I’m big soccer fan. I had been to the WC in Qatar in ‘22 with my dad who had promised he would attempt to ship me wherever the World Cup occurs subsequent. It’s within the U.S., so I need to go,” he defined.
“How lengthy?”
“I wished to remain for 4 weeks, however my boss didn’t comply with it and I can go for a max of three weeks.”
“Which cities?”
“All of it relies on what match tickets I can get. Not sure which of them I can get, so it’s completely up within the air.”
“Anybody in US?”
“Childhood good friend. He’s a US citizen, works in Seattle.”
“Who’s going to sponsor?”
“Dad goes to sponsor my air tickets, the remaining on my own.”
“The place do mother and father keep? The place do you keep?”
“Dad and mom in Delhi. I’m in Mumbai as a result of I work there.”
The consular officer paused briefly after which delivered the decision: “I’m sorry, you’re rejected.”
No follow-up questions. No queries about his job, revenue or prior journey document.
The applicant stated he left the consulate in disbelief. “I’m devastated,” he shared later on-line. The publish shortly drew consideration and led to dialogue throughout social platforms.
‘You’re A Strolling Crimson Flag’
Many individuals weighed in on-line. A number of identified flaws in how the applicant offered his case.
One remark learn: “4 weeks keep, however you stated three as a result of your boss didn’t approve. No fastened plans. Might have stated ‘I’m planning to look at Crew A vs Crew B at X metropolis.’ Childhood good friend who’s a US citizen? Excessive likelihood they assume he’s your potential sponsor. Incomes Rs 2 lakh, however dad sponsoring? Enormous purple flag.”
One other wrote: “If I used to be your interviewer, I’d reject you too. An excessive amount of data. Hold it easy. Simply say ‘tourism / soccer’. Don’t clarify your dad’s involvement. Say you’ll go to 2-3 cities and have tickets. This sounds too imprecise.”
Many others echoed the identical message: be exact, present monetary independence and take away ambiguity.
A person suggested: “You earn Rs 2 lakh a month. Even when your dad helps, simply say you’re paying. That’s necessary. Don’t carry up your dad except requested. Decide a few matches. Say you purchased tickets. It provides legitimacy. Now it appears like you haven’t any actual plan.”
Extra recommendations adopted.
“Keep away from mentioning particular mates like your US citizen good friend. Simply say ‘assembly mates’. Don’t say your depart was denied for 4 weeks. Say you’re going for 3. 4 weeks within the US raises eyebrows. Visa officers need confidence. They’re accountable if somebody overstays,” wrote a person.
The dialog continued with others chiming in on the significance of readability and certainty throughout interviews.
(This text is predicated on a private expertise shared on social media. All opinions and data quoted belong to the unique poster.)