I've spent 5 years building a life in the US. Even with an H-1B, I don't feel secure enough to buy a home or start a family.
Madhur Mehta worried about his US visa status. When he was selected in the H-1B lottery, "it was like someone had taken a 100-pound weight off my mind," he told Business Insider.
Madhur Mehta relocated to the United States in 2021 to pursue a master's degree in science and business analytics from UT Dallas. Post-graduation, he joined Amazon in 2025, hoping to secure an H-1B visa. However, the government's alteration of the H-1B lottery selection process raised concerns about Mehta's future plans. Despite landing a program manager role at Amazon, Mehta, a 35-year-old Indian national living in Seattle, feels uncertain about buying a home or starting a family due to visa uncertainty.
He has been in survival mode since his arrival in the US, constantly planning B and C options in case he wasn't selected for the H-1B visa. The uncertainty surrounding visa rules could potentially upend his life, preventing him from purchasing a house or starting a family. Mehta's fiancée, also an Indian national, faces similar visa challenges, which complicates their plans even further.
Written by urgent.news from Business Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
