A 25-year-old Indian man has shared his heartbreaking experience of life in the United States, revealing that he is now returning to India after five years, feeling exhausted and defeated by a series of setbacks involving jobs, visas and immigration procedures.
The man, who posted his story on Reddit, said he moved to the US in 2021 at the age of 21 to pursue a master’s degree. After completing a six-month internship, he secured a full-time position at a startup and worked there for nearly a year.
Initially, things appeared promising. He was selected in the H-1B visa lottery on his very first attempt. Although he had opportunities to switch to better-paying roles, he chose to stay with the startup out of loyalty to the CEO, who had hired him after his internship and placed trust in him.
However, just four months after obtaining H-1B status, he was laid off.
Under US immigration rules, H-1B workers are generally given 60 days to find a new employer after losing their jobs. The man said he failed to secure another position within that window and switched to a B-2 visa to maintain legal status.
Soon after, he received a Notice to Appear from immigration authorities, triggering removal proceedings. According to him, the legal battle lasted for three months and consumed nearly all of his savings. Despite the financial and emotional toll, he eventually won the case and was allowed to remain in the country.
He later landed another job, but said the process was disrupted by a government shutdown. His employer was unable to file the required Labour Condition Application in time, forcing him to apply for an extension of his B-2 visa while simultaneously filing an H-1B change-of-status petition.
The applications remained pending for more than a year. While his original B-2 application was approved, the extension request was ultimately rejected.
“Now I am being told I have to leave the country immediately. I do not know how to process any of this,” he wrote.
The timing, he said, made the situation even more painful. He lost his job just one day after his parents received B-2 visas to visit him in the United States.
The young man said he has sold his car and most of the belongings he spent years acquiring and is preparing to move back in with his retired parents.
He had hoped to return to India with professional experience, financial security and stability. Instead, he says he is coming back burdened with student loan debt, no savings and uncertainty about the future.
“I thought I would return with success and stability. Instead, I am going back with nothing,” he said, adding that his pet dog is currently the only thing keeping him going through the difficult phase.
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