More and more, Indian individuals are using social media to vent their anger about how many US tourist visa applications are turned down, even for people with secure employment and good credit. An Indian man told a story during a conversation with American vlogger Jaystreazy that has gotten a lot of attention and started a viral debate.
The Story of the Friend from Delhi
Vlogger Jay posted a video on the event with the title “Told to See His Own Country First.” The Indian man in the video, who says he has been to 29 Indian states himself, talked of a strange thing that happened to a buddy.
The companion, who was born in Delhi, was denied a US tourist visa after he told the interviewer that he had never been to any other part of India. The man says that the embassy worker told his friend directly to “explore his own country first” and then apply for a US visa.
This story is similar to a regular reason why Indian applicants are denied visas: they don’t convince the consular officer that they have “strong ties to the home country” and plan to return, which is a legal requirement under INA Section 214(b). Visa officers may see a lack of travel history, either internationally or within the country, as a sign of weak ties or a risk of overstaying.
People on social media had different reactions.
People online reacted right away, with some agreeing and others not believing it:
Some people praised Indian tourism and said that the officer was unintentionally boosting it: “Bro just directed revenue to Indian tourism.” Traveling costs money, and when you spend money from another country, it’s merely income. Another person agreed that India is quite attractive, saying, “To be honest, there are so many beautiful places in India, like Uttarakhand, Himachal, the mountains, Kerala, Leh Ladakh, and many more.”
Criticism of the Policy: Some people thought the response was “cringey” and not proper for a visa officer. They said it makes it harder for people to move throughout the world: “I don’t agree with the (see your country before you see mine) ideal.” You’re holding down progress in these countries as a whole. A third commenter said the story was too bizarre to be true: “That would be a crazy thing for a visa officer to say.”
Skepticism: Some people were quite doubtful and said that the event looked more like a “movie scene” than something that really happened at the US Embassy.
The story shows how hard it is for Indian candidates, even those with established backgrounds, to get a US visa because the procedure is so complicated and sometimes based on personal opinion.