Indian Man Rejoices As He Finally Gets US Student Visa After 13 Rejections

• Prasanth, an Indian civil engineering student, sat through 14 F-1 visa interviews at consulates in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai
• Visa officers grilled him repeatedly about his history of rejections, with one asking if he planned to commit a crime in the US
• His final interview in Hyderabad lasted 50 minutes and included a detailed technical question about constructing a 20-storey residential building

An Indian civil engineering student who dreamed of studying in the United States endured one of the most gruelling visa journeys imaginable, sitting through 14 separate F-1 student visa interviews before finally receiving approval.

Prasanth shared the full account of his ordeal in an NRI social media group, describing each interview and the questions he faced at consulates spread across five Indian cities over several years.

From Mumbai to Chennai: 13 Doors That Closed

His first two interviews, held in Mumbai and Hyderabad respectively, covered standard ground: his reasons for wanting to study in the US and the details of his chosen programme.

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Both ended in rejection. By the time he reached Delhi for his third attempt, officers had already begun flagging the pattern of refusals.

From that point, the growing list of rejections became a subject of the interviews themselves. Visa officers repeatedly asked Prasanth why he had been turned down so many times before, a question he could not fully answer because consulate staff are not required to explain their decisions.

The rejections continued in Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi, and Chennai. During one Kolkata interview, an officer who appeared impressed by his long-term business aspirations suggested he explore applying under an Extraordinary Ability visa category.

In Delhi, an officer posed a technical challenge, asking how he would approach constructing the Burj Khalifa. Prasanth answered in detail and was still turned down.

At a particularly low point, a frustrated officer asked whether his determination to reach the US was because he intended to commit a crime. He said no, and kept booking slots.

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The 50-Minute Interview That Finally Said Yes

His 14th interview, held once again in Hyderabad, took a noticeably different turn. The visa officer reviewed all 13 previous rejection records and told Prasanth she recognised his sincerity and admired his persistence.

She then asked him to walk her through the full construction planning process for a 20-storey residential building containing five apartments per floor.

The session ran for roughly 50 minutes. Prasanth had arrived early and waited for hours before his name was called.

By the time the officer confirmed she would approve his application, he was the last person remaining in the consulate that day. Staff and those present broke into applause.

Prasanth later described the occasion as his "golden day."

His account drew widespread congratulations online, though some users questioned whether it was realistically possible to secure that many interview slots within India's heavily oversubscribed consulate booking system.

Prasanth did not address those doubts directly, but his detailed, interview-by-interview account remained consistent throughout his post.

Source: YEN.com.gh