Amid H-1B visa fee hike, man who returned to India shares why he’s happier — and richer

The shockwaves from US President Donald Trump’s proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee for every new H-1B visa petition are still being felt among Indian professionals. The hike, seen as a major barrier for mid-level workers, has left many questioning whether the American dream is worth the cost. But while panic spreads over visas, one Indian man’s story is going viral for a very different reason — he left the US voluntarily, moved back to India, and today claims he is far wealthier and happier.

The Reddit user, posting under r/returnToIndia, revealed that he first moved to the US in 2008 during the peak of the global recession to pursue a Master’s degree, despite doubts from friends and family. He landed a job before graduation and received his H-1B visa in 2010, working at a Big 4 firm for over a decade.

Post covid decision

By 2020, however, the stress became unbearable. “I was burnt out — managing four projects during COVID while being the sole earner,” he wrote, noting that his wife had just completed her own MS.

That Thanksgiving weekend in 2020, he made the life-changing decision to resign, sell his US house, and return to India. He had savings of approximately $650–700 at the time. After a brief four-month break of “video games and worrying the family,” he reconnected with an old contact, landed a consulting project, and eventually turned that into a thriving consulting business.

Earning the fortune

Four years later, his net worth has doubled to $1.4M, he employs 10 people, runs passive businesses including a salon and massage equipment venture, and lives happily in a Tier-2 city near his parents’ home. “India is growing fast. If you have some savings, don't be afraid. There will be adjustments, but they fade,” he wrote.

This story comes at a time when Indian professionals are facing tough choices — pay the steep new visa fees, shift jobs back to India through remote work, or consider relocating to other immigration-friendly countries like Canada, Germany, and Australia. The Redditor’s example shows that returning home can also be a path to financial growth and personal fulfilment, especially with India’s economy booming and entrepreneurial opportunities expanding in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

The viral post drew mixed reactions. Many praised him for taking the bold step and “finding happiness closer to family,” while others pointed out that not everyone has the financial cushion to make such a move work. “You had savings, only 1% could even possibly have. Maybe that’s why people are enticed about US life, it gives them the chance to be that 1 per cent with no generational wealth,” one commenter wrote.

Still, the story serves as a powerful counter-narrative to the fear surrounding Trump’s policy changes, showing that leaving the U.S. is not necessarily the end of the dream — for some, it’s the beginning of a better one.