'Visa stress is brutal and real, but don’t move back to India,' says man who regrets returning from US

THE Donald Trump-led US administration has ramped up scrutiny of the visa process, leaving several people in a state of anxiety and fear. “Visa stress is brutal and real,” but a Redditor has advised Indians not to move back to escape “visa anxiety.” “Please pause and reconsider,” he added.

The Redditor, who was in the US, had recently moved to India and is now regretting the decision. The uncertainty around renewals, timelines, lawyers, and waiting periods were the factors that pushed him to take the decision, thinking that relocating back to his hometown would bring peace and emotional comfort. However, his experience proved to be much harder than expected.

I made a big mistake

“I made a big mistake which I regret a lot. Yes, visa stress in the US is real. But I massively underestimated what I was giving up and overestimated how much ‘home’ would compensate for it,” the user wrote.

The user went on to outline several everyday challenges in India that they said felt far more exhausting after spending years abroad. These included air and noise pollution, garbage in public spaces, a lack of civic sense, chaotic traffic, and a bureaucracy that “makes you feel helpless and small.” The user added that the persistent disorder and inefficiency lead to mental fatigue that “never really switches off.”

“On top of that, the social side has been surprisingly worse than I expected. Relatives are extremely nosy. There’s zero concept of personal boundaries. Everyone wants to know your salary, marriage plans, why you’re not doing XYZ, and feels entitled to comment on your life choices. It’s suffocating if you value privacy or independence,” the post read.

The user also questioned a common narrative about NRIs returning home. While many people publicly say they are happy after moving back, the user alleged that private conversations often reveal a very different reality.

“A lot of them admit they regret it too. They just don’t say it out loud because of family pressure, ego, or fear of admitting they made the wrong call,” the post claimed.

“I’m not saying the US is perfect. Visa stress is brutal and real. But if you’re thinking of moving back to India only to escape visa anxiety, please pause and reconsider. You might be trading one kind of stress for a much heavier, more permanent one. If you’ve been abroad for a long time, you’ve likely changed more than you realize. India hasn’t changed at the same pace,” the user concluded.

Here’s how social media users reacted:

The post has garnered numerous responses. Here are some of the reactions:

One Reddit user commented, “Everyone has gotten so used to it that nobody sees it as a problem. No one cares where their tax money is going.”

“Strange. I moved back to India too after living 10 years in the US and Canada and honestly, I feel great. The only difference is I earned way more than what I’m earning here now, but I have peace of mind. The complaints you’re making seem like your personal problem, as we as Indians are used to it — nosy people, pollution, noise, etc., are part and parcel of life if you grew up in India. Returning back was the best decision of my life and I feel great. I can visit my friends, relatives, and parents whenever I want, check up on them, and experience the little pleasures in life like catching up with old friends and being myself without posturing and putting up an act,” commented another.

“India is good if you can earn well and use your already tax-deducted money to get facilities that you should have gotten from tax money,” wrote a third user.