A former Microsoft employee, who once won the highly coveted H-1B visa lottery, has returned to India, saying the visa regime limited his ability to become an entrepreneur and forced him to rethink the “American Dream.”Hemant Shetty spent about 11 years in the US after moving there for higher studies in 2015. Speaking to American Bazaar, he spoke about his decision to leave a high-paying tech job and resume his career journey in India. He was selected in the H-1B lottery on his first attempt and went on to work in the healthcare sector in the US before joining Microsoft in Seattle.Shetty noted growing uncertainty regarding the H-1B system, especially travel disruptions and administrative delays that have affected his ability to move freely between countries.“Recent disruptions to the H-1B program and cancellation of interview appointments mean that travel to and from the United States is no longer easy for visa holders,” he told American Bazaar.This uncertainty became more personal when travel was disrupted, he said.“I was supposed to visit India in January 2026. I had also booked an appointment months in advance. But then my appointment was rescheduled to 2027.”Shetty said family circumstances also played a role in his decision, especially his father’s health.
This made long periods away from home increasingly difficult.Beyond personal reasons, he said there are structural limits to obtaining an H-1B visa, especially for those who want to build businesses.“I wanted to pursue my own business ventures, which I wasn’t able to do because of the restrictions that come with the H-1B visa. All of those reasons combined and I felt it was the right time to move,” he told The American Bazaar.He added that he had always viewed his stay in the United States as temporary due to the long green card backlog.“Our plan was to return to India eventually because we had no real path to a green card due to the EB-2 backlog.”Shetty described his time in the United States as professionally rewarding, but said the complexity surrounding immigration rules and job security created stress, especially during industry layoffs and visa policy changes.“The first reason is the fragility of travel,” he said. “After the $100,000 visa fee and social media vetting rules, the reality of H-1B life has changed and travel has become a high-risk gamble.” He added that the delay in visa appointments kept him away from his family for long periods.“My visa appointments have been postponed by a year, effectively preventing me from visiting my home and my parents for a year. Taking my parents’ health into consideration, this kind of uncertainty is no longer a price I want to pay.”He also cited the emotional stress of remaining tied to visa conditions.“The visa stress is real. The 60-day period in times of industry-wide layoffs is excruciating. No professional should have to uproot their entire life in two months.”He said the decision did not happen suddenly, but rather accumulated over time due to visa uncertainty, family needs, and his long-standing desire to start his own business.Despite stepping away from a high-profile role in the US tech industry, Shetty said he returned to India with a positive mind and plans to build a startup. He chose to share his experience because many professionals face similar dilemmas but often struggle in silence while balancing stability and ambition.