‘It’s inhumane’: How a clunky US visa system has kept Indian H-1B holders away from their families

I was teary when I decided to write this piece. Now, after 20 minutes of squirming in my seat while staring at a blank screen, I’m not sure where to start. It’s an emotionally difficult situation to explain.

Let me try. I’m Indian. I work in Silicon Valley. I’m authorised to work in the US on an H-1B visa, which allows foreign workers to be temporarily employed by US firms. As per the regular process, you need to visit a US consulate – ideally in your home country – to have your visa stamped on to your passport.

Now the trouble is, the US consulates in India, and indeed most parts of the world, have not been fully operational since the onset of the pandemic. As a result, I’m in this odd situation where I can’t re-enter the US if I were to leave. Turns out I’m among at least tens of thousands.

Significant impact

So what’s the big deal with not being able to get your passport stamped? It doesn’t hamper your ability to continue working. But you can’t leave the US knowing you’ll be able to return. One, it stands to impact your employment and your career. This could mean missing on a work assignment…

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