Refused
Why you were refused
Section 214(b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act states: "Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for a visa, that he is entitled to non-immigrant status." This means that most visa applicants must convince the Consular Officer of the following:
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that he or she intends to return to his or her home in India following a temporary stay in the United States,
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that his or her financial situation is such that he or she can afford the trip without having to seek unauthorized employment in the U.S.,
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that the travel is for legitimate purposes permitted by the applicant's visa category.
Applicants overcome this presumption of immigrant intent by showing that their overall circumstances, including social, family, economic and other ties to India, will compel them to leave the U.S. at the end of a temporary visit or study. "Ties" are the various aspects of life that bind you to India, such as your family relationships, employment, and possessions. In the case of younger applicants who may not have had an opportunity to establish such ties, U.S. law considers educational status, school grades and long-range plans in India. As each person's situation is different, there is no single criterion that shows compelling ties to India.
Section 214(b) ineligibilities are not permanent. If you have new information or if your overall circumstances have changed significantly, you may reapply. The exceptions to this section of the law are applicants for H1-B, H-4, L-1, L-2, R-1, R-2 visas.
Some further guidance about refusals:
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Qualifying for a visa is NOT just a matter of providing more documents. A visa decision is not simply based on documents. Rather, the visa interview itself is critical. All documents listed on our website or in our telephone messages are suggested documents that allow you to apply for a visa and allow us to make a proper decision. No one document or information guarantees visa eligibility.
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The I-20 does not entitle you to a visa. Students must show that they intend to leave the U.S. after they finish their studies. An I-20 is one of several documents that allow you to apply for a student visa, but cannot guarantee your eligibility. Students may be ineligible if it appears that their primary purpose is an indefinite stay in the U.S. for themselves or their family.
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Some ineligible applicants seek help from a "visa consultant." Be careful. If you do decide to hire a consultant, remember that you alone are responsible for the accuracy of the information in your application. Presenting fake documents will result in a permanent, lifetime ineligibility for entry to the United States.
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Once an officer has determined that an applicant does not qualify for a visa, the applicant should not re-apply unless there are significant changes in the applicant's circumstances or information that were not presented during the first interview. Applicants providing identical information after a refusal are highly unlikely to succeed in obtaining a visa during the second interview.