3 questions and visa denied: Indian student in US says parents were not allowed to attend her graduation

An Indian student in the US took to Reddit and expressed her woes as her parents were denied a tourist visa from the Mumbai consulate. Of late, several incidents of Indians, including entrepreneurs, being denied tourist visas to the US have been reported. Visa officers have the right to reject visa applications of any individuals if they find during the interview of the applicant that they might not return to their own country and continue staying in the US. There are other reasons too for visa denials, including past law enforcement cases.

The Indian student said her parents were only asked three questions and based on the answers they decided that her parents should not be granted tourist visas to the US. "They were asked only three questions. Purpose of visit, what does your daughter study and where do you stay? That's it and they rejected the visa," the student posted. "I don't understand how from these 3 questions it decided that my parents don't have strong ties back home," she wrote.

Reactions to the Reddit post

Some offered insights on why the visa request was not granted, some offered suggestions that they should not reapply immediately, some simply trolled.

• "I think a lot of visa officers are confused as to why two parents would drop everything to visit a ceremony that many students don't even bother attending. Is this a cultural difference perhaps?" one wrote.
• Some users pointed out that saying 'we are going to visit our daughter for graduation' is not enough. The parents must give a detailed picture of the degree, the college and how they have been supporting their child's education. They also must mention that they have to be back in India by some specific dates because of some work in India.
• One opined that visa applicants are judged on their own merits. "If your parents cannot afford to pay on their own, they will not qualify for a visa. Your parents must prove they can pay not just for their airfare and incidentals, but also to cover any unforeseen emergencies. What would happen if your parents required hospitalization?" the Redditor wrote.