A Reddit post detailing repeated denials of a US visa to an Indian family has sparked an online debate about how difficult it is to get a visitor visa even after multiple attempts and stronger documentation.“Parents were denied US tourist visa 4 times over 9 years from India – what are we doing wrong? Is there any hope?” a Reddit user wrote, describing their long struggle to bring their parents to the US for a short visit.According to the post, the parents applied for a B1/B2 US tourist visa four times over the course of nearly a decade, and were denied each time under Section 214(b), which is typically used when officials are not convinced that applicants will return to their home country.
The user said they were “honestly confused at this point and looking for real, unfiltered advice.”The first two applications were made in 2017, when the parents intended to attend a wedding and visit family. Both were rejected. A third attempt in 2018, which was planned around the user’s graduation, was also rejected. After that, the family waited nearly eight years before trying again in 2026 for tourism and family visits, but the result remained the same.
The user said the hiatus was intentional and explained that the parents had tried to bolster their case in the meantime by building up a travel history, including trips to Canada, Singapore and Malaysia. “They took some time, improved their image, and tried to address potential concerns, but the result remains the same,” they wrote.In the last interview, the user said that the process was very short. The officer only asked two questions before issuing the refusal.
“That’s it. The officer typed for a few seconds, looked at the screen, and handed in the 214(b) denial,” the post read, adding that there were no questions about finances, employment or ties with India.The background of the parents is also explained in detail. The father runs a construction company with government-related projects, while the mother is a homemaker. The family also has good connections in India, including an elderly dependent grandfather and another son who lives and works there.
The parents are financially stable and plan to finance the trip themselves, according to the user. “They really want to visit me and travel just for a little while,” the user wrote.However, the user expressed concern that family connections in the United States might influence the results. They have lived in the United States since 2016, and are now married and settled there. The father also has a brother who holds a US green card.“What’s frustrating is that we waited 8 years before reapplying, their profile is now objectively much stronger, yet the decision seems to have been made in seconds without discussing their relationships,” the user wrote.