An Indian software engineer’s dream of pursuing a master’s degree in the United States has hit a sudden roadblock after his F-1 student visa was rejected in what he described as a barely one-minute interview.
The applicant shared his experience on Reddit, saying he was refused a U.S. student visa under Section 214(b), leaving him confused about what exactly went wrong.
“I was refused an F-1 visa under 214(b) today, and I’m genuinely struggling to understand why,” he wrote.
According to the Reddit post, the applicant had secured admission to the University of Maryland, College Park, for a Master of Science in Computer Science programme beginning on August 31. His father was sponsoring his education, supported by a sanctioned education loan of around $58,800, or nearly Rs 50 lakh.
The applicant also revealed that he currently works remotely from India as a software engineer for a San Francisco-headquartered company.
He claimed that his employment would end on July 17, before the start of his master’s programme, and that he had an employer letter stating there was “no intent to employ me during or after my studies.”
But the visa interview, he said, did not even reach those details.
As per his account, the consular officer first asked whether he was unwilling or afraid to return to India. The applicant replied, “No.”
The officer then asked, “Why UMD?”
The student said he chose the university because it matched his research interests in computer vision, offered specialised electives in AI and computer vision, and had research labs aligned with the areas he wanted to explore during his master’s.
That, according to him, was the only academic question.
“The officer then asked me to place one hand for fingerprints, typed for a few seconds, handed me the 214(b) refusal sheet, and said my visa was refused. That was the entire interview,” he wrote.
The applicant said he is an only child and that both his parents live in India. He added that he was not seeking sympathy, but was trying to understand what may have raised doubts in the officer’s mind.
“I’m not looking for sympathy. I genuinely want to understand what may have raised concerns. Since the interview was so short, I’m finding it difficult to identify what I should improve before reapplying,” he wrote.
He then asked other Reddit users whether they had faced similar 214(b) refusals after very short interviews and what they had changed before getting approval in a later attempt.
The post quickly triggered a debate, with several Reddit users pointing to one possible red flag: his remote job with a U.S.-based company.
One commenter said the applicant’s current work arrangement with a U.S. employer could have worked against him at the consulate.
“Look, your remote work arrangement with a US employer is a red flag for the consulate,” the user wrote, arguing that it showed the applicant had strong U.S. employment links and could potentially continue working while studying.
The commenter also suggested that the officer may have viewed the arrangement as a possible way for the U.S. company to avoid regular employment visa routes.
“The consular officer just needs reasonable belief one way or another. Honestly, I don’t see your profile getting approved,” the commenter added.
Another Reddit user made a similar argument, saying the applicant’s employment with a San Francisco tech company may have triggered concerns even before the interview began.
“Your remote employment for a San Francisco tech company was a massive red flag that likely triggered an immediate assumption of immigrant intent on your DS-160 before you even spoke,” the commenter wrote.
According to that user, a software engineer with active ties to a U.S. employer could be seen as someone with both the ability and incentive to enter the American job market after studies.
The commenter further argued that the employer’s letter saying there was no future employment intent may not have been enough to remove those doubts.
They also felt that the applicant’s answer about choosing UMD sounded too generic and did not clearly explain why he would return to India after graduation.
“For your next attempt, you must rewrite your DS-160 to emphasise local career anchors and shift your interview narrative to articulate precise, high-value corporate opportunities waiting for you back home,” the commenter advised.
The Reddit reactions, however, are only user opinions and have not been independently verified.
U.S. consular officers assess visa applications on a case-by-case basis. A refusal under Section 214(b) can be issued for several reasons, including doubts over an applicant’s eligibility, documentation, or nonimmigrant intent.
