B1/B2 Visa Revoked -Traveler Finds Out at Airport

Getting a U.S. visa can be challenging, but imagine having it canceled without any notification. That’s what happened to an Indian traveler. They received a B1/B2 visa in 2017, used it for a brief trip to the U.S., and returned home. However, just a few months later, their visa was revoked—without any email, phone call, or letter.

The shock hit in 2019 when they were about to board a flight with a layover in New York. the airline informed them that their visa had been canceled two years prior. The U.S. embassy only confirmed this after they reached out via email. By that time, they had already lost money on tickets and were left in the dark about the reason for the revocation.

In 2019, they reapplied, but instead of receiving a straightforward answer, their application got stuck in administrative processing for five years. No one requested additional documents, except for the DS-5535 form. In 2025, they applied again and found themselves under administrative processing once more. This time, the embassy retained their passport, leading to uncertainty—was this a positive sign or just another prolonged wait?

The confusion deepened during a second interview in Delhi when officers asked intricate questions about the applicant’s family. Their father, who has held a U.S. visa for 22 years, also faced administrative processing when he renewed his visa in 2022. Could an old business trip to Iran in 2013 be the reason? No one knows, and the embassy isn’t providing any answers.

This situation isn’t just an isolated incident—it highlights a broader issue of visa transparency. If a visa is revoked, travelers should be notified immediately, rather than discovering it at the airport years later. For those traveling for work, these delays can lead to significant complications.

A FOIA request (Freedom of Information Act) might provide some answers, but even that process is sluggish. Retaining someone’s passport without a clear approval or denial seems unjust. The U.S. visa system is now more unpredictable than ever, but this case underscores the need for clearer rules, quicker responses, and improved communication. No one should have to wait 5 years to get an answer.