US visa rejected in 40 seconds: What can be the reasons?

The United States of America has made its immigration rules stricter since Donald Trump took the oath of office as President. Indians who are already residing in the US and those who are applying for one are worried about their future in the country. Meanwhile, an Indian man has shared online his experience of being denied a US tourist visa within 40 seconds after the interview. The story shared on Reddit has now gone viral on social media.

The man who had applied for a B1/B2 tourist visa was handed a refusal slip immediately after being asked three questions. The rejection has caused an abrupt end to his plans to visit Florida for two weeks. According to the Reddit post, he was asked just three questions: ‘Why do you want to travel to the US?, Have you travelled outside India before?, Do you have any family or friends in the US?’ The man replied that he had no experience travelling outside and that he had a girlfriend who resides in Florida. A report in a major national daily states that the Indian man was rejected the visa after this.

Meanwhile, people have been pointing out the major reasons why he may have been denied a US visa. One user commented that his lack of international travel and his revelation that he has a girlfriend in the US are the major red flags that could have denied him the much-anticipated trip to the US. Having a partner in the US is considered a stronger tie, which is often a sign of potential overstay. Besides, the applicant may have failed to demonstrate stronger ties to India and convince the officer that he would return. Although the applicant has a stable job in India, his limited international travel experience and mention of a girlfriend in the US may have raised concerns for the visa officer. Some others said that the incident highlights the unpredictability of US visa approvals.

Another Reddit user commented that providing incorrect or contradictory statements about the nature or purpose of the travel would make the visa officer suspicious. Most people have been saying that the man should have been more sensible and shouldn’t have mentioned the girlfriend. Meanwhile, some others advise him to focus on building an impressive travel profile by visiting Europe or other Asian countries.