The process started on a positive note — an initial screening with the recruiter where I clearly mentioned my need for visa sponsorship. I proceeded to a technical round with two LeetCode-style problems, followed by a full panel interview with a senior engineer, an architect, and a director. Everyone I interacted with was respectful and technically sound, and I left those conversations feeling optimistic. After that, I was invited for an onsite “meet and greet” with the team, which went smoothly. Shortly after, the recruiter extended a verbal offer, along with compensation details — stating that the numbers were non-negotiable and that I needed to respond quickly as the team was eager to move forward. That’s where the experience took a disappointing turn. Despite having explicitly discussed visa sponsorship early on, I was told only after the verbal offer that they were “still figuring out” whether they could sponsor. This lack of clarity continued for three weeks, with the recruiter stating that they were waiting for an SVP (based in India) to approve — and that she simply wasn’t responding. Eventually, I received a call saying they wouldn’t proceed with me due to sponsorship issues. While I understand that hiring decisions can be complex, the way this was handled felt incredibly unprofessional and disheartening. It’s disappointing to go through multiple rounds of interviews, invest time and energy, get a verbal offer, and then be dropped due to something that should’ve been clarified up front