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Despite stating that they intended to attend their granddaughter’s engagement, the couple was refused for not mentioning their true purpose.
The couple was travelling to attend their granddaughter’s engagement. (Representative Image)
An elderly Indian couple was denied visas at the US Consulate in Mumbai on June 11. The case, shared on Reddit, has sparked widespread online discussion, highlighting the importance of clear and concise communication during the interview process for B1/B2 tourist visa applicants. Despite stating that they intended to attend their granddaughter’s engagement, the couple was refused for not mentioning their true purpose.
“My grandparents went for a visa interview on June 11th, and they got rejected,” wrote the original poster, adding, “I don’t know why they got rejected. Please tell me.”
The Reddit user further shared the full exchange between the visa officer (VO) and their grandparents.
“VO: Why do you want to go to the US?
Grandparents: Because my daughter lives (there) and I am going to my granddaughter’s engagement.
VO: Why isn’t your granddaughter getting engaged in India?
Grandparents: Because her future husband lives there and she lives there, so why should she get married here?
VO: How long ago did your daughter visit you?
Grandparents: 2 years ago
VO: How long will you stay there?
Grandparents: 15–20 days
VO: Sorry, we cannot give you the visa at this time. Here is the 214(b) letter; you can read what your mistake was.”
The couple received a rejection letter under Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, which typically means the applicant did not demonstrate strong ties to their home country. It also implies that the applicants did not clearly explain their true purpose and duration of stay in the United States to the satisfaction of the consular officer.
The incident has sparked a wider conversation among Reddit users. It prompted hundreds of responses, with many offering insights into their similar experiences and offering advice.
A user commented, “They should’ve just said, ‘My granddaughter’s wedding’… The VO might’ve seen this case as ‘My daughter lives there, my granddaughter lives there, and we’re going there as well.’”
“My grandma got a visa back in 2017, and she was asked those questions which she answered concisely. She was concise with her answer to the purpose as well and had no issues. All they’ve got to do is prove that they have ties to their country and be concise with their answers,” said a user.
Another wrote, “Maybe try another time and just ask them to be concise and answer to the point. I know it’s easier said than done a lot of times, so good luck.”
“The VO should’ve asked more questions like, ‘Do you have any other kids? Who pays for your living? Who’s covering your trip?’” An individual pointed out the lack of detailed questioning.
An account remarked, “Maybe in DS-160 there was different information about how many days (they were) going to stay there vs (what they) answered to the visa officer.”
A few days ago, a student applying for an F1 visa at the US Consulate in Hyderabad received an unexpected rejection under Section 214(b). In April 2025, they applied to numerous US colleges for a master’s programme in data science. The Visa Officer (VO) initially asked normal questions about their education and university choices but soon transitioned into a surprising and challenging technical quiz.
Despite the applicant’s unambiguous response, the officer chose to refuse the visa and urged the individual to reapply.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
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Delhi, India, India
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