Posted on 10/06/2025 9:20:58 AM PDT by marcusmaximus
A heartfelt post by an Indian professional on Reddit has sparked a wave of emotional discussion among expats navigating the uncertainty of life after their US student visas expire. The user, who identified himself as a 32-year-old currently on a STEM OPT visa, opened up about feeling “lost” and conflicted as his time in the US nears an end.
In his post, the user shared that he came to the US in 2021 on an F1 visa and had planned to continue working through a Day 1 CPT program after his Optional Practical Training (OPT) period. However, after his project was ramped down and he was released from work, his plans came crashing down with just a few months left before his visa expiry.
“Honestly, I’m struggling with mixed emotions… it almost feels like I messed up somewhere — like I failed to make the most of the chance I had,” he wrote. “I know rationally that success doesn’t depend on staying here, but deep down these lingering thoughts keep bothering me — that I somehow missed out on golden opportunity.”
The post quickly gained traction among members of the Reddit community, many of whom shared similar experiences or offered words of encouragement.
One user wrote empathetically, “Think about this: when you set out to get your degree, was your goal to be happy and well employed? Or was it to simply live in the US forever? The two are not the same! You can still make good money and lead a happy life anywhere in the world, including India.”
-snip-
A third user offered a starkly different opinion, arguing that returning to India would be a “step backward.”
“You could have stayed in the US and maximised your earning potential. The peace of mind people talk about will evaporate
(Excerpt) Read more at businesstoday.in ...
![]() |
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
Go back home and make India great for once...................
“Feelings. Nothing more than feelings.” One of my most hated songs.
1. Cricket matches that you can attend in person.
2. Women wearing pretty dresses.
3. People doing open defecation (11% of population), often near drinking water sources.
Feeelings! Woe woe woe Feelings!
Number of H-1B visa beneficiaries approved in fiscal 2025, by company”
Amazon — 14,667
Tata Consultancy Services — 5,586
Microsoft — 5,1989
Meta Platforms — 5,123
Apple — 4,202
Google — 4,186
Cognizant Technology Solutions — 3,681
Deloitte Consulting — 3,180
JPMorgan Chase — 2,440
Walmart — 2,390
“The worker visas that President Trump says now require $100,000 application fees fill a tiny portion of the U.S. workforce but include high-value jobs concentrated among some of the biggest technology companies in some of the wealthiest coastal states.”
Source: Who Uses H-1B Visas the Most, in Charts Wall Street Journal, 22 September 2025
Send them all back.Hire AMERICANS or make them pay under PDJT plan.
If all nations lifted themselves up, it would be a far different world.
You forgot the parade of thousands of dead bodies floating down the Ganges river.
I wish the 100K would be an annual fee.
Remember the storm of criticism that flew at PDJT when he referred to certain places as s***hole countries?
Here’s a citizen of India who is afraid to return to India. What does that say about India?
The Ganges ...
The Grungies, or the Gagmees, or ...
Now cut down on the number of foreign students....or don’t automatically grant them OPT visas. While we have 750,000 H1Bs, we have over 400,000 OPTs. Take the few best and brightest but get rid of all the cheap foreign labor.
The US working class hasn’t had “peace of mind” since all of this immigration started in STEM 30 years ago.
Schadenfreude.
Gunga, We already know the problem
They only want the Money nothing else
You ALL need to go back.
If you're feeling hate, listen to The Offspring cover of Feelings, you'll feel better.
We have been getting some great news about Indians going back to India but I’ll hold off for awhile to see how it pans out: hopefully we get rid of most of them (I know we are stuck with a bunch because they became actual citizens)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.