The Human Behind the Visa
As many of you have seen, there has been an ongoing bashing of the H-1B system on Twitter which has specifically been bashing Indians through racist and deeply personal attacks belittling their accomplishments, caliber, and integrity. The short version of it is that almost all of the attacks involve “Going back to India”.
We could spend hours dissecting stats, policy violations, or isolated cases of abuse, but here’s what often gets lost: Behind every visa is a human being. Someone trying to make a better life for themselves, often under intense pressure.
A human who:
Feels the weight of constant pressure at work
There’s no room for mistakes. Losing a job doesn’t just mean finding another one. It’s a 60-day countdown to either rebuild your life or abandon it entirely. Hyper-analyzing micro-interactions to get any piece of information you can.
Spends vacations renewing their visa instead of unwinding
Every few years, time off isn’t for exploring the world or recharging , it’s for standing in line at a consulate, navigating endless paperwork, and hoping for approval to return.
Dreams of a break that feels impossible
After years of grinding, 2–3 months to reset seems like a distant dream that can jeopardize everything.
Checks immigration updates like it’s a second job
The hope for a green card is both the goal and the source of constant anxiety, coupled with the paranoia of keeping every date and document in perfect order before every trip.
Misses family while enduring long, uncertain trips to see them
Visiting family often involves 30-hour flights, complicated approvals, and the sinking realization that you’re missing so much time with them.
Misses being part of family milestones
Birthdays, weddings, engagements, anniversaries, graduations. Life moves on without you because the risks and costs of returning home are too high.
Works harder just to stay in place
Every promotion feels like a gamble. Every job search is harder. Every opportunity comes with the question: “Will they sponsor my visa?”
Holds back dreams because of restrictions
Many visa holders can’t start businesses, freelance, or explore opportunities outside of their employer’s control. These dreams are shelved indefinitely.
And yet, the question comes:
“So, if all this is a problem, why don’t you go back?”
It’s a question every visa holder has heard at some point. It sounds so simple, almost like a solution to all the struggles. But for many of us, going back isn’t returning to what we left — it’s starting over in a place that has changed, just as we have. It’s a decision that carries its own weight, complexities, and sacrifices.
It reminds me of holding my first visa in 1997 as a child, not understanding what it meant to leave everything familiar behind. In 2017, it was time for me to paint on my blank canvas.
Educational Investment
I came back to the U.S. in 2017 to finish my undergraduate program, transferring all my credits and investing significant time, money, and effort into a world-class education. Leaving now would mean throwing away years of hard work and connections.
Professional Growth
My time on OPT and STEM OPT allowed me to work with groundbreaking companies like Legalpad, Convoy, and Outgo, gaining invaluable skills and experience. These opportunities not only shaped my career but also gave me the chance to work alongside some of the brightest minds, solving problems that matter. Each role reminded me why I took this leap — to grow, to contribute, and to create something meaningful. The opportunities I’ve had here and the ones I’m working on now wouldn’t exist anywhere else.
Community and Belonging
Over the years, I’ve built a life filled with friends, a professional network, and memories that feel like home. Leaving means starting over and losing all of that.
Quality of Life
Reliable infrastructure, clean air, and access to basic comforts like drinkable water are things I didn’t fully appreciate until I lived here. The workplace culture, while not perfect, has given me autonomy and growth opportunities I value deeply.
Perception Back Home
Returning often means being treated as an outsider. You’ve changed, and so has the place you left behind. It’s a bittersweet challenge of re-learning norms and adapting to a life that feels both familiar and foreign at the same time.
Personal Growth
Living abroad has transformed me. I’ve grown apart from old friends and formed new ones. I’ve built a version of myself that I don’t want to lose.
Passions and Dreams
I’ve found hobbies and passions here that are part of who I am now. The culture of innovation inspires me daily, and I’m still chasing the dream that brought me here — to do work that matters in a place that values it.
This is just my story. There are roughly 1 million workers on H-1B, L-1, and O-1 visas each carrying their own weight, sacrifices, and dreams.
The daily internal battles of temporary workers are hard to comprehend unless you’ve lived them: the fear of losing everything, the longing for home, the weight of uncertainty, and the relentless drive to make it all worth it.
“The immigrant has to bridge these two worlds, living comfortably in the new and bringing the best of his or her ancient identity and heritage to bear on life in an adopted homeland.”
— Ban Ki-moon
Immigration is the ultimate act of love — for the family you leave behind, for the dreams you carry, and for the life you’ve yet to create. It’s tearing yourself apart in the hope that one day, the pieces will find a way to fit again. It’s standing at the edge of everything you’ve ever known, walking away, and praying that the sacrifice will someday make sense. It’s a longing that never fades, a home that no longer exists, and a heart forever divided between what was, what could be, and what might not.
And to those whom have helped me along the years (the list would be in the 100s), you know who you are, thank you so much for your support. ❤️
If you know someone on a visa, ask how they’re doing. It’s exhausting in ways words can barely capture, and I can’t imagine there’s a single one among us who would say otherwise. If this story resonates, share it. We all carry pieces of each other’s journeys, and empathy is what makes it worth it.
