‘They can’t visit home for years’: Doctor explains stress faced by Indians stuck in US visa limbo

After Indian student’s death in US, doctor flags rising stress among young migrants

Amid reports of a recent Indian student’s death in the US due to a heart attack, a doctor has flagged rising stress levels among young Indians living abroad, linking it to prolonged visa uncertainty and forced separation from family.

In a post on X, doctor Sunita Sayammagaru said she has seen several such cases, where young people move to the US for higher education but remain stuck in limbo for years due to visa hurdles.

According to her, many students fail to secure an H-1B visa even after completing multiple degrees, including double master’s programmes. With no clarity on their immigration status or career stability, they are often unable to travel back to India, fearing they may not be allowed to re-enter the US.

As a result, they stay on building lives abroad, getting married, raising children, while their parents remain in India, meeting them only occasionally during weddings or short visits to care for grandchildren. Over time, even these visits reduce, deepening the emotional distance.

Despite outward appearances of success and happiness, the doctor said many of these young professionals carry deep, unresolved stress. “Their hearts still beat for India,” she noted, adding that the inability to visit home even once in 10–15 years becomes a silent psychological burden.

What is x+1 syndrome?

She also highlighted what she called the “x+1 syndrome,” a cycle where people keep postponing their return, telling themselves that things might improve next year. “The next year never comes,” she wrote, explaining how hope turns into prolonged indecision.

Social pressure further compounds the problem. Some fear being judged if they return to India, as coming back from abroad is still seen by many as a failure. Drawing from her own experience, the doctor said she was repeatedly questioned about her decision to return from the UK, with people assuming visa trouble rather than personal choice.