A 32-year-old employee who relocated to India after spending close to nine years in the United States has ignited an online conversation about reverse migration, belonging, and lingering uncertainty. Writing on Reddit under the heading NRIs returning back to India and questioning the decision, the Hyderabad-based professional described how losing his job while on an H-1B visa compelled him to leave America and resettle in his hometown. Five months after the move, he admits the emotional weight of that transition is only now becoming fully apparent.
He explained that visa complications forced his departure after he was laid off from his role in the US. Although he believed he had mentally prepared himself for the shift, the permanence of the decision feels more real with time. Nearly a decade abroad had shaped his routine, independence, and worldview, making the return more complex than anticipated.
During his years in America, he accumulated meaningful experiences and spent much of his adulthood living independently. He acknowledged that life overseas was not flawless; there were stretches marked by loneliness and a lack of deep personal bonds. At several points, that isolation prompted thoughts of moving back to India. Even so, he appreciated the standard of living and professional environment he had built there.
Before relocating, he focused on the advantages awaiting him in India, particularly the comfort of being close to family and longtime friends. He believed he understood the drawbacks as well, including pollution and civic challenges. However, readjusting has proven tougher than expected. While he values staying with his parents, he sometimes feels as though he has been transported nearly a decade into the past, reliving an earlier phase of life. That sensation has revived his desire to return to the United States.
Adding to his restlessness, several friends are now heading to America through company transfers. His former partner, with whom he recently ended a relationship, is also preparing to move there. These developments have intensified his internal conflict.
Although he did not exhaust the full six-year term of his H-1B visa and lacks an approved I-140 petition, he feels anxious about the feasibility of going back. He has secured employment in India and hopes his current organization might assist with a future transfer, though he remains uncertain about the process.
Responses to his post were varied. One commenter who had returned after more than a decade abroad suggested that settling back can take about a year, especially during emotionally turbulent periods. Another advised him to value his time in India, noting that opportunities in the US remain available and that perspective often changes with time.