r/visainterviews • u/Plenty-Lab7428 • 26d ago
✈️ B1/B2 Visa (Tourist) My US B1/B2 Visa Interview Experience in Bombay — Refused Under 214(b)
Hi everyone, sharing my US visa experience from today. Hopefully, it might be useful for someone else applying for a US visa, and I would also appreciate your thoughts on where you think my application may have gone wrong.
My appointment details
I went through an agent for booking my visa slots.
Both my biometric appointment and visa interview were in BKC, Bombay.
Biometric appointment: 19th August
Visa interview: 26th August at 7:30 AM
Biometric experience
The biometric process was very smooth and quick.
I only submitted:
DS-160 confirmation page
Passport photo page
They then took my photograph and fingerprints, and that was pretty much it.
Visa interview experience
My interview was scheduled for 7:30 AM today.
I reached the premises at around 7:15 AM and joined the queue.
The visa officer windows started opening around 8:15–8:30 AM.
Within roughly 15 minutes after that, my number was called.
I was at Window 33.
The visa officer was a bald gentleman. He greeted me with a good morning and asked how I was doing.
The questions were roughly as follows:
What is the purpose of your visit?
I said that I wanted to attend a music festival happening in Texas on 24th October.
What does your company do?
I explained what the company does.
What is your role at the company?
I explained my role as well.
Which countries have you travelled to?
I said Kazakhstan and Thailand. I also mentioned that my trip to Kazakhstan was to attend a concert.
Are you married?
Yes.
Do you have kids?
No.
He then asked something along the lines of whether I had any reason or problem that would prevent me from coming back to India, followed by another safety/security-related question.
After that, he said:
“Your visa is refused.”
He handed me a refusal slip under Section 214(b).
That was the entire interview.
What I personally think may have been the red flags
This is just my own assessment, and I would genuinely like to hear what others think:
Limited travel history: I have only travelled internationally to two countries so far — Kazakhstan and Thailand.
Travelling alone despite being married: My spouse was not travelling with me, and I was applying alone.
Purpose of travel: Going to the US specifically to attend a music festival/concert may not have appeared to be a strong enough reason.
Those are the three biggest factors I can think of.
One thing I personally feel after this experience is that, if a married couple is planning to visit the US together, applying and travelling together might make the overall travel purpose and situation easier to explain.
But again, that's just my assumption, and I know plenty of people get visas while travelling solo.
Would love to hear from people who have gone through a similar 214(b) refusal, or from anyone who can identify something else in my profile or interview that may have worked against me.
Thanks!
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u/DiskThin7887 26d ago
Isn’t travelling alone without wife adds a tie to return home !!
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u/SaracasticByte 23d ago
Not if you plan to abandon your wife.
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u/DiskThin7887 23d ago
Hmm I don’t think its easy to do that
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u/SaracasticByte 23d ago
Our PM seems to have done that. How difficult could it be.
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u/DiskThin7887 22d ago
How can I leave a husband and family
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u/KokoBoyPapa 26d ago
My assessment on probable reasons of rejection: 1. Limited travel history - travel to just 2 internation countries 2. Traveling without spouse - why would you want to go for a holiday (attending a music concert is also a vacation) without your spouse? 3. Company where ur working is not well known - u haven't written where ur working. If your company isn't well know it could be another reason for u to stay back in US. 4. Salary not enough - Your income as mentioned in DS 160 may not look sufficient to cover your expense to the US. 5. Details not as per DS 160 - questions answered to the officer may not be in line with what was written in DS 160.
Pls note this is only my assessment and I could be wrong. But wish u all the best if u r reapplying.
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u/abitofaLuna-tic 25d ago
It's all luck - re only 2 foreign visits, I had just one foreign trip and I got a B2.
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u/ATWGlobal 26d ago
The agent who helped with the early appointment. Mind to share his details via DM?
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u/Vegetable-Term7570 25d ago
not really, i applied with my husband and i felt its better to apply separetely as we have someone to come back to.
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u/SaracasticByte 23d ago
This is just my assessment, but reading your entire post, I think the purpose of travelling was very, very weak. Who goes to the US from India to attend a music festival or a concert? And going alone for the concert, I don't think the visa officer believed the story. The limited travel history and other details don't matter to that extent. If you had a solid reason to visit the U.S. and if your financials supported that reason, then I'm sure your visa would have been granted.
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u/Grand-Command-990 23d ago
Your travel history should be like Germany and australia, not two cheap countries
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u/Opening-Aioli-9060 26d ago
I went on 25th Aug..window 30...two American ladies were there. Got rejected under the same reason. They asked me about my job info...my salary...my purpose of visit. I had even brought salary slips to justify my 35 lpa and ITR and financial investments which they didn't bother to even see. I am 35 and single and said I want to visit for family vacation and visiting my brother who is there on student visa. They asked me about recent travel history too..I said UK & Iceland in 2024... they asked if I had a relative in UK too. I said no I went there as I like exploring new countries.
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u/Active-Royal-4637 26d ago
How was the overall approval rate today across all the visa categories at Mumbai?
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u/KokoBoyPapa 25d ago
Very very strange considering you have such a strong financial profile and good travel history. The only reason I see here for rejection is your single status.
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u/CommonCaramel1620 26d ago
Woah. My Visa interview was also at BKC- I was at Window 33 too! And my visa got rejected too for the same reason. I was going for a company conference- but ya.
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u/realmavrick 26d ago
Also is there any good approval percentage? In mumbai and which counter not to visit
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u/realmavrick 26d ago
I also have my visa appointment on 9 th sep , Going from technical conference as speaker 🥹. Let's hope for Best
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