A Reddit post detailing repeated US visa rejections for an Indian family has sparked discussion online about how difficult it can be to secure a visitor visa even after multiple attempts and stronger documentation.“Parents denied US tourist visa 4 times over 9 years from India — what are we doing wrong? Is there any hope left?” the Reddit user wrote, describing their long struggle to bring their parents to the United States on a short visit.According to the post, the parents applied for a US B1/B2 tourist visa four times over nearly a decade and were refused each time under Section 214(b), which is commonly used when officials are not convinced applicants will return to their home country. The user said they were “honestly at a loss 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, planned around the user’s graduation, was also denied. After that, the family waited nearly eight years before trying again in 2026 for tourism and a family visit, but the outcome remained the same. The user said the gap was intentional and explained that the parents tried to make their case stronger in the meantime by building travel history, including trips to Canada, Singapore and Malaysia. “They took time, improved their profile, and tried to address potential concerns, yet the outcome is still the same,” they wrote.In the most recent interview, the user said the process was extremely short. The officer asked only two questions before issuing a refusal. “That’s it. The officer typed for a few seconds, looked at the screen, and handed over the 214(b) refusal,” the post said, adding there were no questions about finances, employment, or ties to India.The parents’ background was also outlined in detail. The father runs a construction business with government-linked projects, while the mother is a homemaker. The family also has good ties in India, including a dependent elderly grandfather and another son who lives and works there. The parents are financially stable and plan to fund the trip themselves, according to the user. “They genuinely only want to visit me and travel for a short period,” the user wrote.However, the user expressed concern that US-based family connections may be affecting outcomes. They have lived in the US since 2016, are now married, and have settled there. The father also has a sibling who holds a US green card.“What’s frustrating,” the user wrote, “is that we waited 8 years before reapplying, their profile is objectively much stronger now, yet the decision seems to be made in seconds without even discussing their ties.”
