Types of Visa Refusal

There are many reasons why a visa would be refused. Reasons include being convicted of a crime, having overstayed your visa previously in the US, or having committed fraud. The kind of refusal that 95% of the applicant's experience is called 214B.

According to the law, every visa applicant is presumed to have immigrant intent unless they can convince the visa officer otherwise. Strangely, this is opposed to the rest of the US legal system. The applicants are considered guilty until they can prove themselves innocent. Visa officers can always just say, “I am not convinced by this applicant so I am going to refuse them under 214B.”

Another type of refusal is the 221G. This does not mean that you have been refused, it’s just that that refusal is pending. When you see 221G that means your case is still being worked on.

Most Common Reasons for Visa Denial

The most common reason people are denied is that they don’t have the funding for their studies. Most of the visa applicants that are happening right now are for students if they don't think that you can actually afford their course of study.

If someone goes to their visa interview and they fill out the DS160 form accurately and the officer asks them about the purpose of travel and you say “study," you have done nothing to influence their thinking. They already know from your form that you are traveling for your studies. If they ask you that question to sway their opinion, they are thinking to issue a visa to that person or not.  Simply by saying the word “student,"  you have lost that opportunity. You have to bring your character to life in front of them and let them know what kind of student you are and what kind of family you come from.

If a student got excellent grades and great academic records, but their family doesn't have great finances, one option would be to pursue getting a loan. Another student may be going to a lesser-known school in the US and might not get wonderful grades, but their family is solidly middle-class or upper-class. Their assets, savings, and investments highlight this student’s financial situation.

Next Step After Visa Denial

If you have been refused you need to talk to an expert to find out what may have been your problem. Get a new plan, and a new strategy, practice it, and go in again. Some people get refused for a reason that's not going to allow them to get their visa in the near term. There are some students that unfortunately have been caught up in OPT - companies that weren't legitimate and they were associated with them for a certain amount of time which resulted in a visa getting revoked.

How to Better Prepare for Next Visa Interview

An officer’s first question will be “What’s changed since your previous visa interview?” If nothing has changed since the previous refusal, that means you should rely on the previous officer's decision. Your answer should be truthful and answered in a way that boosts your case. You could say something like, "I don't think that I presented my funding for my Ph.D. program the last time and the officer didn't know it. Today, I brought all the letters that show that I have got full funding for my Ph.D. program!"

What is Argo Visa?

Argo is the first and only company in the world that's made up completely of ex-visa officers who worked in the embassies and consulates doing visas. With years of experience, they know the visa officers' mindset, how to make your job easy, and what information to put prioritize. They will help you prepare for the visa you need to study or work in America!