‘Visa refused in 60 seconds’: Indian techie with Rs 1 crore salary shocked on rejection, triggers debate

A senior Indian tech lead’s hopes of attending a leading tech conference in the United States were dashed when his B1/B2 visa application was denied in under a minute at the US Embassy in New Delhi. Sharing his experience on Reddit, the applicant described the abrupt interaction, saying the visa officer asked just three questions before handing over a refusal slip. 

“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,” he wrote, seeking feedback from the community. “I’m trying to understand what went wrong and how I can improve for next time.” 

The tech professional said the officer inquired about the purpose of his trip, his prior international travel, and whether he had any connections in the US. He was scheduled to attend the Kubecon + CloudNative Con 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia — a key event for professionals working with cloud-native technologies. “It is important that I attend this conference to stay up to date on the latest events or movements in this field,” he said. 

He recounted past travel to Lithuania, the Maldives, and Indonesia. When asked if he had family or friends in the US, he replied in the negative. The officer issued a refusal under Section 214(b), which commonly applies when applicants fail to prove they have compelling reasons to return to their home country. 

Despite this, the applicant believed his credentials made a strong case. “I’m employed in India with a stable job for the last 11 years. I make close to a crore annually and have an eight-month-old daughter, so I had very strong motivations to come back to India,” he noted. He had already paid for his travel and accommodation, pointing out that the event was not available for virtual attendance. 

The US Department of State emphasizes that visa issuance is not a right but a discretionary privilege. Denials under Section 214(b) often stem from insufficient evidence of strong home ties or inconsistencies in the application. 

Now, the tech lead is looking to reapply and has turned to the online community for suggestions on improving his chances next time.