Indian entrepreneur Swapnil Srivastav, co-founder of a bamboo children’s clothing brand, shared his experience of obtaining a US visa for tourism purposes but being denied because he was not sufficiently connected to India. “I built a Series A company from scratch, hired over 100 people, was backed by top VCs and investors, and served millions of Indian households through our brand. Clearly, that wasn’t enough,” Srivastav said.While he said he would apply for the visa again because founders are used to hearing “no,” it’s not unusual. Recently, several Indian entrepreneurs faced US visa rejections over the same issue.“I run a company in India and I have been working almost 24 hours a day for the past five years. Most importantly, I still have my parents and family with whom I enjoy spending time. Trust me, I have plenty of reasons to go home! Swapnil explained his relationship, adding that he received salary from the company and had evidence of sufficient funds.
Why Indian Founder’s US Visa Denied
The Indian founders ran the company and paid their employees in the country, but the visa officer believed this could also be done in the United States. Therefore, there is no guarantee that an entrepreneur traveling to the United States on a B1/B2 visa will not change his or her mind and try to settle in the United States. Married founders with children in India are believed to have stronger ties to India than single founders whose parents live in India.When Swapni sought advice, it was suggested that he could book a ticket for an event in the United States and tell the visa officer that he would be attending the event. “This eliminates a lot of problems and makes the process smooth. As it ensures that once the event is completed, you will fly back to your home country,” the user suggested.
