US rejects B1/B2 visa for Indian techie earning ₹10 million in under a minute

An Indian tech professional’s plan to attend a major industry conference in the United States came to an abrupt halt after his B1/B2 visa request was rejected at the US Embassy in New Delhi. He shared his experience on Reddit, sparking widespread discussion among IT community members.

The applicant, a senior technical lead specialising in Cloud Native platforms, revealed that the visa denial occurred in less than a minute, after only three questions.

“I had my B1/B2 visa interview at the US Embassy today in Delhi, and I was rejected in less than a minute after just three questions. I’m trying to understand what went wrong and how I can improve for next time,” he wrote.

During the brief interview, the officer asked about his reason for travel, prior international trips, and whether he had any contacts in the US. He explained that he intended to attend KubeCon + CloudNativeCon 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia, which he described as essential for staying updated in his field.

The applicant mentioned previous travel to Lithuania, the Maldives, and Indonesia, and confirmed he had no family or friends in the US. He was issued a 214(b) refusal slip, a common category linked to failure to demonstrate strong ties to the home country.

He expressed surprise, noting his stable job in India for 11 years, an annual salary of close to ₹10 million, and an eight-month-old daughter, which he believed strongly tied him to returning to India.

“I had very strong motivations to come back,” he wrote.

The tech professional had booked flights and accommodation for the Atlanta event, which was not available for live streaming.

“I had planned everything to attend it in person,” he said.

He asked the Reddit community for advice on improving his chances before reapplying, citing the abrupt denial despite his professional and personal background. The claims, however, could not be independently verified.

The US Department of State emphasises that a visa is a privilege, not a right, and approval depends on the officer’s assessment. Under Section 214(b), a visa may be denied if the applicant fails to demonstrate strong ties to their home country or if there are discrepancies in information.

Even minor perceived lapses or inconsistencies can result in a denial, illustrating the subjective nature of visa assessments.