Information for a Visa Denial
Individuals who want to secure a visa must make an appointment and be interviewed by a consular officer at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The consular office will review the application and information and make their decision to approve or deny the application based on standards established in U.S. law. If a student is denied, in most cases, they should receive a reason regarding which section of the law the decision was based on.
Reasons a U.S. visa might be rejected:
- Indicate one's desire/plan to remain in the US after graduation
- Lack of financial evidence to support oneself during one’s educational career
- Intended university or degree program looks suspicious or fraudulent
- Have a large number of family members currently residing in the U.S.
- Failure to be truthful or the consular feels a student has not been truthful
- Submission of documents which look suspicious, missing, or incomplete
- Unprepared for the interview and/or providing unsatisfactory answers
- Inadequate English language skills
- Miscellaneous reasons which are not always obvious
If a student's visa application is rejected, they have the option to reapply. Students who reapply should make sure all their documents are in order and try to identify what NEW or ADDITIONAL information they may need to provide for the next interview based on the questions they were asked. Be sure there is something NEW, UPDATED, or DIFFERENT from the first visa interview.
RESOURCES:
US Department of State—Bureau of Consular Affairs
Path2USA