"Still Trying to Understand Why": Startup Founder's US Visa Rejected Despite Investor Invite and Past US Education

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 08:44am on 04 Feb 2026,Wednesday India Global

Bengaluru startup founder Dhananjay Yadav questioned the US visa process after his application was rejected at Delhi's US Embassy on February 3, despite having clear business purpose and international experience. Yadav, NeoSapien co-founder, was invited by investor Hari Valiyath from US-based Pyxis (raised $200M+) for investor meetings and B2B partnerships. During the interview, he stated his travel purpose clearly, but faced questions about his minimal startup founder salary, though his company sponsored the trip. Yadav emphasized he previously studied in the US, worked in Berlin, and had no overstay intentions. His social media post sparked debate about unpredictable visa screening, with entrepreneurs describing interviews as "mood-based" rather than logic-based, sharing similar frustrating experiences. (PC: NDTV)

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