Revised green card rules, H-1B visa fee hike, social media vetting forcing Indians to rethink about American dream?

FOR generations of Indians, the United States was much more than a foreign destination for higher education or better-paying jobs.

It was often seen as the ultimate American dream, a place to build a successful career, buy a home, and eventually secure a Green Card, a marker of having built a life in the country.

But that long-held aspiration is facing a period of growing uncertainty. Since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House for a second term, his administration has introduced a series of measures tightening immigration rules, increasing scrutiny of foreign nationals and raising the costs or requirements associated with some of the traditional routes to living and working in the US.

US revises Green Card rules: What we know

Adding further to this uncertainty is the latest Green Card guidance, which came into effect on 18 September. Under the revised guidance issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), most Green Card applicants will now be subject to a public charge assessment.

According to the official document, the changes cover a wide range of applicants, including those applying for Green Cards through family-based or employment-based categories.

Under the revised guidance, most people seeking to adjust their status to become lawful permanent residents in the US will continue to undergo a public charge assessment.

The requirement applies to spouses, children, and parents of US citizens or lawful permanent residents, as well as other eligible family members. It also extends to fiancés of US citizens and certain employment-based applicants, including priority workers, professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability, skilled workers, other professionals, general workers, investors, religious workers, and diversity visa applicants.

Green Card rules, H-1B visa fee hike make entering the US difficult

However, the latest changes to the Green Card rules are not the first or only development that is now making Indians rethink their American dream.

The Trump administration's decision to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications and the launch of a wage-weighted selection system for the H-1B programme in FY2027 have also added to the uncertainty for Indians looking to study, work and eventually settle in the US.

Further, the administration has also stepped up scrutiny of international students and visa applicants, including through expanded screening of social media activity.

According to a July Reuters report, as the US tightens its policies, Indian students are now cooling on the American dream.

Citing education consultant KC Overseas, the report noted that tuition fees in European countries are roughly 50-80 per cent lower than in the US, while lower living costs also reduce the overall expense.

In 2025, India's overseas student outflow declined to roughly 626,000 from 908,000 in 2023, according to government data, amid rising costs in the US and tougher visa rules.

However, the shift does not necessarily mean that Indian professionals are giving up on their plans to build a life in the US.

Indians are rethinking, not abandoning the American dream: Expert

Speaking to LiveMint, Piyush Gupta, Vice President, India and Middle East, CanAm Enterprises, said, "It's more of a rethink rather than abandonment by Indian professionals."

He added that there has been an increase and strategic shift towards the adoption of the EB-5 programme, especially among Indian professionals who have well-established careers in the US.

Elaborating further, Gupta noted, "EB-5 investment under the regional centre programme requires applicants to invest $800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area, which should then result in 10 jobs per investor. This investment makes them eligible to fast-track their Green Card journey from potentially multi-decade to a couple of years for Indian-born applicants. In fact, if the applicant is working in the US, along with their EB-5 application, they can concurrently file for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). This helps them reduce employer dependency while they wait for their Green Card application to be adjudicated."

He believes that while there is increased uncertainty that is now causing anxiety among immigrants, for Indian professionals working with top US companies, the American dream continues to be as compelling as ever.