What is 214b Visa Rejection: Top Reasons
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As per the US law for Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 214(b) is integral for rejecting US study and travel visas based on applications. In the process of offering F-1 visas to international students to study in the USA, there is either a visa granted or rejected. Those who are granted a visa in the USA can proceed to plan their travel to the USA while those facing rejection through the 214(b) section, will have to reapply for their respective visas.
There are multiple reasons for those applying for US student visas to face 214(b) US visa denial, especially for those applying for F-1 visas. This happens if they are unable to convince consular officials of their reasons to study in the USA or they are not very firm about their return to their home country and other US visa rejection reasons which will be elaborated on in this article.
What is 214(b) Visa in USA?
Under the law of Immigration and Nationality Act of the USA, there is a section in this law denoted as section 214(b) which states that an international student or visitor entering the USA is a potential immigrant and unless he/she proves stronger ties with the home country and shows a willingness to return is granted a visa else, section 214(b) is imposed which is visa rejection.
Once applicants are granted a visa for studying in the USA, he or she is required to abide by the rules and follow all instructions carefully. In case of infringement, applicants’ visas can be terminated and can be stamped 214(b) before leaving for the country.
US 214(b) Visa Rejection Reasons
Following is a list of 214(b) refusals for those who are unable to get through the US visa interviews or are even rejected at the application submission stage:
1. Unwillingness to return home:
This is one of the major reasons for 214(b) visa rejection and this is clearly a violation of the visa granting process in the US where those who show the slightest disinterest in returning home are not granted a visa and are rejected.
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2. Interview Inadequacies:
Those applicants who are unable to describe themselves or give accurate information about themselves in the visa interview, are more or less stamped with section 214(b) visa refusal. Thus, it's mandatory to be clear with what the applicant has submitted in the application form and answer accurately.
3. Improper information communicated on application:
In case, consulars are unable to understand what the applicant has mentioned or submitted, especially in a local language, plus he/she also fails to explain the details, then there is a chance of 100% visa refusal in the USA.
4. Financial insufficiency:
If the applicant has proved the financial ability in the application but fails to explain to the visa officers how they will support their stay and education in the USA, their visas may be rejected as per the 214(b) section of visa refusal.
5. Economic disparity in a country:
This is one of the major causes of 214(b) visa denial. There may be cases, where the maximum number of applications may get rejected commonly at large because of large economic disparity in a particular country and students cannot afford to stay and study in the USA.
6. Unnecessary extended stays in the USA:
In case the applicants extend their stay in the USA unnecessarily their past record will come into the picture and they may not be able to travel to the USA for their intended study or travel and section 214(b) will be imposed.
7. Change of visa status:
Cases where applicants apply for a certain visa supposedly a student visa and then they apply for an H-1B visa and suddenly get their visas upgraded can be considered as fraudulent and may cause 214(b) visa denial.
8. Close relatives residing in the USA:
Applicants whose close relatives reside in the USA and whose information has been mentioned in the applications are most likely to be stamped 214(b) visa refusal. In such cases, applicants may be helped to get a permanent visa or may get shelter once their visa expires.
9. Fraudulent travel plans:
In cases where applicants already hold a visa from another country and still wish to get another country’s visa granted, the USA, in this case, may lead to a rejection based on section 214(b) unless the explanation is not appropriate as to why the applicant wishes to study in the USA.
10. Repetitive applications for immigration:
The US consulate is prompt with past records and in case of multiple applications filed for immigration may be finally rejected based on section 214(b) for infringement of rules of multiple applications in the USA.
11. Student-related issues while studying in the USA:
At any point in time applicant’s visa can be rejected in case they do not comply with the rules and regulations of the US university like low attendance, non-completion of English language pathway courses’ credits, etc.
12. Amidst medical emergencies:
Those applicants who are bearing a child or have any other severe complications may also be denied a visa to the US, maybe because they would get a permanent visa to stay on while they have kids or if they are in the middle of a crisis and there is no other option but to stay on in the country. Thus, this also invokes section 214(b) rejection in such cases.
Hence, the reasons are more or less limited to the above-given circumstances of the applicant applying for a visa to the USA and these reasons may result in 214(b) denial. There may be other reasons too, but these are more or less summed up for a student visa rejection through section 214(b).
214(b) Visa Refusal Samples
Following are two recent F-1 visa interviews that have been rejected by the visa officer in the US consulate:
214(b) Visa Refusal Sample 1:
Interviewee: Hello, good morning
Visa Officer: Good morning, Pass me your I-20 form and your passport, please
Interviewee: Yes, sir
Visa Officer: Why are you going to us
Interviewee: I'm going to the US to pursue my Master's degree in computer science at Cleveland State University in Ohio
Visa Officer: How many colleges did you apply for?
Interviewee: I applied for Cleveland State University and Pace University
Visa Officer: How many admits have you got?
Interviewee: I got admitted to both colleges.
Visa Officer: Why these universities?
Interviewee: The course curriculum offered by Cleveland State University has a dedicated career track in machine learning with the latest subjects of Big Data and Parallel Data processing systems, advanced computer architecture, and artificial intelligence
I can also add extra certification to the research field under the guidance of Dr. Lin who is working on integrating humans into the loop system in machine learning, which would really add a positive value to my career goals
Visa Officer: What's your CGPA?
Interviewee: 6.83 on a scale of 10
Visa Officer: So do you have personal funds?
Interviewee: No, sir, I don't have personal funds. My parents are my sponsors, and in addition to that, I have taken an education loan.
Visa Officer: What do your mother and father do?
Interviewee: Mother is a housewife, and father is a retired government officer.
Visa Officer: What's your father’s annual income?
Interviewee: xyz lakh sir
Visa Officer: Place your right hand 4 fingers, and your visa is rejected.
The visa rejection reasons in the USA are not usually not elaborated on during the visa interviews, it is for the student to assess the reason and reapply if they wish to but keeping in mind the mistakes that must be avoided at all costs to avoid re-rejection of the visa.
214(b) Visa Refusal Sample 2:
Visa Officer: Good morning
Interviewee: Good morning.
Visa Officer: Which University you are heading to?
Interviewee: I am heading to the University of South Dakota to pursue my Masters.
Visa Officer: Why this University?
Interviewee: This University offers me an embedded course in Computer Science and Information Science which is directly aligned to my career path to become a data engineer Also, the university has a high-performance computing centre and network security labs which will be used during the course. Also check out: 221(g) Visa Refusal.
Visa Officer: Which universities have you applied for?
Interviewee: I have applied to four Universities & I named them.
Visa Officer: How many admits have you got?
Interviewee: I got 2 admits - the University of South Dakota and the University of Colorado
Visa Officer: What was your undergrad course?
Interviewee: I have done my undergrad in the computer science department.
Visa Officer: What was your CGPA?
Interviewee: I have scored 6.8 on a scale of 10
Visa Officer: You had any backlogs
Interviewee: Yes ma’am, I had 3 backlogs in my 3rd year and I cleared them in the next semester.
Visa Officer: Are you working currently?
Interviewee: Yes ma’am, I am working as a software developer in XYZ Company.
Visa Officer: Who is funding you?
Interviewee: My parents are funding me with their savings of 40L and they have net assets worth 1cr.
The same is the case for this interviewee as they are unaware of the reason for visa rejection, thus they will have to reapply but will have to avoid the already committed mistakes. Do read about: What to do after visa rejection?
214(b) Visa Rejection Re-Apply
Applicants who have got a visa rejection under section 214(b) for the USA will have to figure out the reason for visa denial first. The next step is to apply for a visa in the USA again and not repeat the same mistake. Applicants must ensure that they furnish enough proof of their return to their country of origin and not in any case specifically wish to stay on for permanent residency or look for job opportunities to support one’s living in the USA in the application or during their F-1 visa interview.
Q: Â What GPA is needed to go to Ohio State?
Q: Â Is MIT costly for Indians?
MIT is not costly for Indian students. Applicants can study BTech program at affordable tuition fees as compared to other BTech colleges in the USA. The MIT BTech fees is around INR 50 L to INR 52 L.
Q: Â Is Texas A&M Commerce a good university?
Texas A&M Commerce is regarded as one of the top public universities across the United States. Moreover, the Texas A&M Commerce ranking 2024 under the category of Best Colleges is National Universities is #369. Also, the acceptance rate of this university is 42%. Additionally, the university offers the best academic programs, expert faculty, job & placement, and more. Besides, Texas A&M University-Commerce also offers over 130 academic degrees for its students.
Q: Â What GPA is required for the University of South Dakota?
The University of South Dakota expects a GPA score of 2.5 from undergraduates and 3 from postgraduates on the 4-pointer scale. Along with the GPA scores, undergraduates must meet the basic eligibility and submit an ACT score of 21 or higher and an SAT score of 1070 or higher. In addition, they must submit the required documents, such as academic history, transcripts, letters of recommendation, English language scores, and more.
Q: Â Is University of Minnesota Morris hard to get into?
According to various sources, University of Minnesota Morris has an acceptance rate of around 78% making it moderately selective for admissions. Some of the general admission requirements for international students are given as follows:
- Overall Student's GPA
- Letters of Recommendation
- High School Class Ranks
- Additional Academic Record
Students are required to apply for admission according to the deadlines given on the official university website.
Q: Â What are the requirements for admission into Purdue?
Purdue University application must have the following components:
Undergraduate Admissions
- The application itself
- Purdue-specific questions from the application
- Self-reported high-school grades
- Self-reported SAT or ACT scores (if applicable)
- Application fee
Steps to apply for Purdue University Undergraduate Courses
- First of all, complete and submit a Common application as per the Purdue University application deadlines
- Make sure that Purdue University receives all material required to complete the application
Graduate Admissions Steps
- Firstly, check Purdue University entry requirements
- Then, create an application account to start the application
- Choose the campus and course as per the preference
- Then, submit the results of the tests needed for the graduate program
- Prepare the additional documents based on the graduate program
- Lastly, pay the non-refundable application fee to submit the application. Purdue University graduate application fee is USD 75 for international applicants
Q: Â Is it expensive to study in UT Tyler Texas?
Annual tuition fee required to pursue a degree course at Indiana State University is around INR 15 L on an average, which can be considered affordable as a study abroad option. Students can refer to the table for course-specific fees requirements:
| Courses | 1st Year Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
BBA (5 courses) | INR 10 L - 15 L |
MBA/PGDM (4 courses) | INR 12 L - 14 L |
BSc BTech (5 courses) | INR 15 L - 18 L |
MIM (3 courses) | INR 12 L - 14 L |
BBA (4 courses) | INR 15 L - 17 L |
BSN (1 course) | INR 15 L |
BSc (1 course) | INR 15 L |
Q: Â Is Canada or USA cheaper to study?
International students are more likely to receive financial help or scholarships from Canadian universities than from American ones, which is quite uncommon. Furthermore, tuition at Canadian institutions is typically 27% less expensive than that of US universities. However, some United States universities offer international students Financial aid and other scholarships that help them to study in the United States.
Aishwarya is a professional Writer currently working as a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. She has over 5 years of experience and is skilled at creating Online Content with leveraged knowledge i... Read Full Bio
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There is no minimum GPA score for UG admission at Ohio State. However, International students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale or equivalent) for graduate admission. Applicants may submit a standardized test score (GRE or GMAT) if their cumulative GPA is below 3.0 for the last degree.