The Aporia
Ghosh, P. (2026, September 21). Father diamond businessman in Gujarat, mother runs NGO: Redditor with Rs 49 LPA salary denied F-1 visa for Harvard MBA, says paid agent Rs 5 lakh for appointment. Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/father-diamond-businessman-in-gujarat-mother-runs-ngo-redditor-with-rs-49-lpa-salary-denied-f-1-visa-for-harvard-mba-says-paid-agent-rs-5-lakh-for-appointment/articleshow/134389889.cms
Ghosh, Poulomi. “Father diamond businessman in Gujarat, mother runs NGO: Redditor with Rs 49 LPA salary denied F-1 visa for Harvard MBA, says paid agent Rs 5 lakh for appointment.” Times of India, 21 Sept. 2026, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/father-diamond-businessman-in-gujarat-mother-runs-ngo-redditor-with-rs-49-lpa-salary-denied-f-1-visa-for-harvard-mba-says-paid-agent-rs-5-lakh-for-appointment/articleshow/134389889.cms.
Ghosh, Poulomi. “Father diamond businessman in Gujarat, mother runs NGO: Redditor with Rs 49 LPA salary denied F-1 visa for Harvard MBA, says paid agent Rs 5 lakh for appointment.” Times of India, September 21, 2026. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/father-diamond-businessman-in-gujarat-mother-runs-ngo-redditor-with-rs-49-lpa-salary-denied-f-1-visa-for-harvard-mba-says-paid-agent-rs-5-lakh-for-appointment/articleshow/134389889.cms.
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A Redditor from Gujarat, whose father is a diamond businessman and mother runs an NGO, shared her experience of being denied an F-1 visa despite securing admission to Harvard for her MBA. The Redditor claims she paid around Rs 5 lakh to an agent just to get the visa appointment at the US Embassy in New Delhi. During her interview, the visa officer questioned why she would leave her high-paying job as a consultant at a Big-4 firm earning Rs 49 LPA (Lakhs Per Annum) to pursue further education.
The Redditor stated that she intended to join the family business eventually and did not plan to settle in the US after completing her MBA. However, the visa officer was skeptical about her intentions and denied her visa application despite congratulating her for being accepted into Harvard. This incident raises questions about the rigorous scrutiny applied by U.S. immigration authorities even when applicants have strong academic credentials and substantial financial backing.