A U.S. visitor visa applicant’s account of a recent interview at the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata is drawing attention online after describing a question that appeared to become the deciding point in the conversation: “Isn’t four weeks too long for a business trip?”
The experience, shared in a Reddit post by an Indian passport holder, offers a glimpse into the kinds of questions business travelers may face during B-1/B-2 visa interviews, particularly when explaining the purpose and duration of their visit.
According to the applicant, they secured a visa appointment in the same month after completing the DS-160 form and attended the interview at the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata.
Before the interview, the applicant observed around 25 people waiting ahead and noticed a contrast in approval patterns.
READ: ‘I voluntarily returned to India’: Indian professional seeks answers after B1/B2 visa refusal (July 4, 2026)
“From what I observed, most visitor visa applications from parents traveling to visit their children were being approved. However, many business visa (B1/B2) applicants were getting refused. Out of roughly 20 business-related cases that I saw, only one or two were approved,” the Reddit user wrote.
The applicant said visa officers were routinely asking business travelers questions such as, “Why are you traveling to the US?”, “What is your role?”, “Which company do you work for?”, “Can I see your invitation letter?”, “What is the size of your company?” and “What does your company do?”
However, when it came to their own interview, the conversation was shorter than expected. The officer asked about the applicant’s role, employer, intended length of stay, previous international travel and ties to India.
The exchange took a notable turn when the officer questioned the proposed duration of the visit.
“The only question that seemed to concern the officer was my planned stay of about four weeks.
The officer asked, ‘Isn’t four weeks too long for a business trip?'” the applicant wrote.
The question stands out because it suggests that the length of a planned business visit can draw additional scrutiny, even when the purpose of travel is otherwise clear. Rather than treating the duration as a routine detail, the officer sought a specific justification for why a month-long stay was necessary.
The applicant said they explained why their work required a four-week visit and outlined the planned business activities during that period.
“I explained why my work required me to stay for four weeks and justified the duration based on the business activities planned during my visit. After hearing my explanation, the officer was satisfied,” the post said.
Another detail that surprised the traveler was that no supporting paperwork was requested despite carrying a complete set of documents.
“One thing that surprised me was that the officer did not ask to see a single document. I had carried a complete file with my invitation letter, employer documents, itinerary, salary slips, and other supporting papers, but none of them were requested,” the applicant wrote.
According to the post, the interview ended with the officer saying, “Your visa is approved. You’ll receive your passport within about a week.”
The Reddit user concluded by advising future applicants to remain calm, answer only what is asked, and be prepared to clearly explain their role, travel purpose, ties to India and the reason for the planned duration of their stay.