In a recent case that’s stirred discussion across student communities, a Delhi woman’s F1 visa application was rejected after a brief interview at the U.S. Embassy on May 29. Despite being prepared and transparent, her mention of having a spouse in the U.S. may have triggered red flags for the visa officer.
According to her post on Reddit’s r/USVisa, the applicant was asked just three questions before being denied. After submitting her passport and I-20, she was asked about her intent. “I said I’m going to pursue my master’s,” she recalled. When asked why the U.S., she spoke about her work with U.S.-based clients and added that her husband currently lives in the States. She elaborated on her application process and college selections—University of North Texas (UNT), University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), and University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). However, the officer quickly responded: “Sorry, your visa cannot be approved at this time.”
While she was seeking insight into what went wrong, the reaction from the online community was blunt.
One user wrote, “It’s pretty evident why you were rejected… your literal husband is currently present in the US. You explaining how good random US universities are based on your clients is absolutely irrelevant and an odd comment to make… If I was a VO, I’d assume you were just applying for a US visa as a quick way to get into America to be with your husband.”
Another added, “You’re dishonest with your immigrant intent and they can smell it. Maybe don’t game the system and be an honest applicant? What’s this about being close to your spouse? Why don’t you just get a dependent visa?”
The applicant is now considering whether to reapply for an F1 visa or explore the H4 dependent visa route. Her case has turned into a broader lesson for prospective students: sometimes, too much honesty—without the right framing—can work against you in a U.S. visa interview.