Overview
- Kidbea co‑founder Swapnil Srivastav said a consular officer on June 9 refused his B‑1/B‑2 visitor visa under Section 214(b) and told him he had "not enough ties to home country."
- Srivastav posted the rejection on X and highlighted that his Series A kidswear brand employs more than 100 people and reportedly generates about $12 million in annual recurring revenue.
- Section 214(b) places the burden on applicants to prove they will return home and consular officers commonly look for family dependence, immovable property, liquid assets, or a clear short‑term visit purpose.
- Srivastav’s case joins multiple recent public accounts from Indian founders and senior professionals who say visa officers give less weight to business success than to fixed assets or time‑bound travel plans.
- The U.S. State Department plans a limited pilot starting July 1 that will let some B‑1/B‑2 applicants pay an optional $750 fee for faster interview slots at selected posts, a procedural change that does not alter visa admissibility standards.