B2 Visa experience

[YT2411]

Profile: Both parents retired from Govt service. I am on NIV for the past 1.5 years

What is the purpose of Visit?
Tourism - mentioned few cities in East Coast

Which city are you going to?
They said they will land in my place and tour other cities from here

How long do you plan to stay?
3 months. My father proactively mentioned that they need to return to India by June 2018 as he had his parents' ceremony that he wanted to do with brothers and had a few pilgrimage trips lined up in India in August with his spiritual volunteers group

Which company is your son working in US?
Answered

How long?
Answered

Do you have grandchildren?
Answered

VO: Your Visa is approved

They did not ask for a single document except passport. 

Tips from my research and preparation:
1. Take time and fill DS160 correctly, State the truth. Stick to what is mentioned in DS160 while answering the VO
2. Primary purpose of the visit is tourism only. They should know 4-5 tourist spot names. Preparing a tentative itinerary and explaining them helps
3. Prepare a strong personal reason for return - having own house is not sufficient
4. Retired people seem to have an advantage. Singles or young individuals are at high risk of rejection as there is a high chance that they could settle down in the US
5. Visa officer is trained to suspect everyone who is applying for B2 has an intent to stay back in the US and not return to the home country. So the entire responsibility lies on the candidate to convince in the few minutes they get with the VO. This is purely subjective
6. Dont overcoach parents, but train them. Clearly explain them the process, do a couple of mocks. Ask them to be as natural as possible. They cant lie naturally, the fake reasons wont be at the top of their mind, so never train them to do that
7. Documents hold meager value, but they have to be kept handy if asked for
8. You cannot sponsor B2 visa, you can only pay for the trip. So make sure whoever is paying has a healthy bank account. Depositing few thousand dollars overnight will not help. Plan and accumulate steadily
9. Your status seems to matter at times. If you are 6 years maxed out and on approved I-140 (without GC), and your parents are applying, their approval is at risk. However if you havent maxed out, bur waiting on an extension or RFE, your status wont impact their visa