A Reddit user who returned to India from the United States over visa stress says he regrets the move, triggering mixed reactions online.Source of news ; Hindustan times
A candid Reddit post titled ‘Regret moving to India’ has sparked a discussion online, after a user shared a deeply personal account of returning to India from the United States and regretting the decision.
n the post, the user explained that the move back to India was driven largely by visa anxiety in the US. Describing years of uncertainty around renewals, timelines, lawyers and waiting periods, the user said the stress eventually became overwhelming. Moving back home, they believed, would bring peace of mind, familiarity and emotional comfort. Instead, the experience turned out to be far more difficult than expected.
“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 further listed several challenges of daily life in India that they said felt far more draining after spending years abroad. These include air and noise pollution, garbage in public spaces, lack of civic sense, chaotic traffic, and a bureaucracy that “makes you feel helpless and small.” According to the user, the constant disorder and inefficiency result in 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.
Social media reactions
The post has sparked a discussion online. 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 lndia too after living 10 years in the US and Canada and honestly, l feel great. Only difference is l earned way more than what I’m earning here now but l have peace of mind. The complaints you’re making seems like your personal problem as we as indians are used to it- nosey people, pollution, noise etc are part and parcel of life if you grew up in india. Returning back was the best decision in my life and l feel great. Can visit my friends, relatives, parents whenever l 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.