‘India has its challenges but…’: Ex-Microsoft pro quits ‘American Dream’ amid visa uncertainty – The

“I feel free,” says Swapnil Sagar, a former Microsoft professional, who left behind what many call the American dream and returned to India after a decade in the US, citing visa uncertainty and job instability as the main reasons behind his decision.Sagar, an Indian technology worker who spent about a decade in the United States, returned to India after a long period of career ups and downs and repeated immigration-related stresses. In an interview with American Bazaar, he spoke in detail about his journey from India to America and back again, including study, work, setbacks and eventual relocation.“My decision seemed irrational to many. But I wanted to be free from the constant visa hassles and a life of job insecurity.

“Life in India is full of challenges but I feel more free,” says Swapnil Sagar.Sagar’s journey began in India, where he worked at Accenture before deciding to pursue graduate studies in computer science. He moved to the United States to study at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “Let me start at the beginning,” Sagar says.He added: “I had a good career in India. I was working with Accenture, I was single and doing well.

But I wanted to study and was particularly interested in computer science, so I decided to apply for a master’s degree in America. I chose UIC in Chicago for its excellent computer science courses.He was initially able to work under F-1 status and later in STEM OPT, but his long-term plans were disrupted by recurring visa uncertainty. “The real U.S. visa reality started to unfold when my H-1B application was submitted,” he says. “My H-1B visa was not received on the first two attempts, so I ended up taking advantage of all three years I had spent working in the STEM field.”Even after he was finally selected in the H-1B lottery, his situation changed again. “I was happy when my H-1B visa was received for the third time, but as I was preparing for my real work roles in the US, my employer fired me during the visa processing time. The same employer who applied for my H-1B! And my H-1B was cancelled.”Despite the setbacks, he rebuilt his career, working in different companies before landing a position at Microsoft.

During this period, he married and bought a house in Houston, which was a stable phase of his life. However, this stability did not last long. “In May 2025, Microsoft laid off me out of 10,000 people,” Sagar says.After discharge, Sagar and his wife doubted their future. His wife, who was on an H-4 visa and unable to work, also influenced their decision. He cited frustrations with paperwork, visa dependency, and uncertainty in the U.S. system.“I felt that America was no longer the same place where I came to study,” he said. “Most of my productive hours were wasted filling out various forms and documents that did not provide stability.”Eventually, the couple decided to return to India and settle in Bengaluru, where their families reside. “I miss the fresh air and smooth journeys to destinations. Also, the work culture in India can be stressful, but despite that, I feel free, as my life is not governed by visas and my wife and I have our parents close by,” he said.Sagar is now again working as a software developer in India. He says he still thinks about his time in the United States, but believes the move brought him a sense of control and closeness to family that he values ​​more than his previous life abroad.