Sociolinguistic Perspectives on Language Barriers in US Student Visa Interviews

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-539-3_5How to use a DOI?

Keywords

sociolinguistics; language barriers; visa interviews; student visa interviews; U.S

Abstract

This study explores sociolinguistic perspectives on language barriers encountered during U.S. student visa interviews, a crucial yet understudied area impacting international student mobility. U.S. visa interviews, conducted primarily in English, often pose challenges for applicants from non-English-speaking backgrounds. These interviews are high-stakes interactions where linguistic proficiency intersects with sociocultural expectations, potentially influencing visa outcomes beyond the merits of the application itself. The purpose of this research is to analyze how linguistic factors such as accent, fluency, pragmatic competence, and discourse style shape the perception of credibility and eligibility in the context of student visa interviews. The study also examines how sociolinguistic mismatches between applicants and visa officers may result in misunderstandings or negative judgments. A qualitative method was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 100 former student visa applicants from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Discourse analysis was used to examine recorded mock interviews and participant reflections on their experiences. Relevant U.S. consular interview guidelines were also reviewed for context. Findings indicate that applicants with non-standard accents or limited pragmatic fluency often faced implicit bias or misinterpretation, despite meeting academic and financial requirements. The research highlights the gatekeeping function of language and the critical role of sociolinguistic competence in high-stakes institutional encounters. This study concludes that increased awareness and training for visa officers on sociolinguistic diversity could mitigate language-related inequities. It also suggests the need for policy discussions around fairness in the visa interview process.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Trinh Thai Cuong
AU  - Tran Thi Kim Tuyen
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/17
TI  - Sociolinguistic Perspectives on Language Barriers in US Student Visa Interviews
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Culture and Humanity in the Era of Rising and Integration (ICDHV 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 44
EP  - 63
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-539-3_5
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-539-3_5
ID  - Cuong2026
ER  -