H1b Visa Fears Leave Indian Couple Worried About Flying Back To Mother In Law With Cancer Might Lose Jobs Uscis

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The person shared that he and his spouse both had H-1B visas, meaning they both worked there, and noted that they needed 'stamping. Sharing the urgency of the situation on the Reddit post, the individual wrote “we need to visit India as soon as possible since my MIL is suffering from advanced stage of cancer.”

“Unable to decide if only my spouse should travel and I should stay here in US or we both should travel,” he wrote, noting that it would be ideal for him to travel back with his wife to offer support to her at a time when the woman's mother was suffering from ‘advanced cancer’. However, he noted that his wife was ultimately fine even if he stayed back while she traveled to India to take care of her ailing mother.

Outlining his prime concern, the H-1B holder continued “due to visa uncertainty we both might lose our jobs if there is too much delay in coming back to US.” If a H-1B holder leaves the US they must get a valid H-1B visa stamp at a US Embassy or Consulate. Currently, under the Trump administration, social media screening and other checks have led to massive delays in securing appointments. Not returning to work for a long time could likely lead to job loss, which is likely to have factored into the fear expressed by the H-1B visa holder in this Reddit post.

The man went on to share that they had built a life in the US and did not wish to relocate to India. “We have a house here and 2 kids(middle schooler and a toddler). Living in India at this time is also challenging with a toddler due to extremely hot weather,” he wrote, asking if there were possibilities of appointments opening up soon.

One person commented “So sorry for your spouse. With current conditions and no stamping, there’s a high chance there’s no coming back.” Another added “tough spot. drop everything and go together. jobs, house, visas, they all matter but not more than being there for your spouse when her mom is dying. regret from not going lasts longer than any career setback. emergency appointments do open up, check the portal at odd hours, 2am 3am IST. some consulates release slots in random batches. also call the embassy emergency line directly, explain the medical situation, sometimes they squeeze you in.”

Yet another said “So sorry for your spouse. I would recommend both of you going. This might be the last time you see your MIL. Do you have family that can help watch your kids in India so that you don’t leave them in the US?”.

Meanwhile, some suggested that the wife goes and the man stays back. “Sorry about your MIL. It’s a tough spot to be in for sure. But very easy for people to say leave everything and go. It will all come back. Ummm sorry, no it won’t just come back. You are taking a huge risk with your kids future and comfort Your spouse should definitely go, but you should stay back with kids. Easier to get one appointment than two,” one wrote. Another added “You should stay here with your kids.”

Meanwhile, one claimed that they had a smooth experience in a similar situation. “Just went through this returning to India for a family emergency. We worried about re-entering the US, but it was smooth sailing. The strict enforcement seems to be all show; if your H1B is solid, they let you right back in. Family is what matters most.”

Shuvrajit has over seven years of experience covering US, India, and world news. An English Literature postgraduate from Jadavpur University, Shuvrajit started off covering entertainment, gaming and all things pop culture. There were brief periods away from the media industry, with short stints in content marketing, ed-tech and academic editing. However, the newsroom beckoned and over the last few jobs, Shuvrajit has exceedingly focused on team functioning as well, including tracking news and assigning tasks, working on everyday breaking news, framing detailed coverage plans, and creating immersive and data-driven stories. In his time as a digital journalist, he has covered a Lok Sabha election, multiple state elections, Union Budgets and award ceremonies. He has also helped in planning content for company event panels in the past. For work, Shuvrajit enjoys dabbling with data visualization, editing tools, and AI chatbots and attempts to incorporate AI workflows in everyday tasks. He is deeply interested in geopolitics, sports, films and music. Prompting is a new fascination for Shuvrajit now. Apart from that, he can be found doom-scrolling, sharing memes, or cheering on his favorite football team.Read More