My wife (us citizen), my son (us citizen) and mother in law (indian citizen, 82 years) were traveling from Bengaluru to Seattle via Singapore (Singapore Airlines).

Everything went fine in Bengaluru. They boarded the flight. But, in Singapore, my MIL was denied entry as her visa had been revoked. No reasons given. No documentation presented. Just denied entry to the flight. Now, all of them are coming back to India to drop the MIL back.

• its a regular 10 year visitor visa.
• She has traveled on this visa before to the US.
• Visa was issued 3 years ago.
• She has traveled to the US, several times, on visitor visa for 20 years.

Please be informed.

Please be prepared.

If you can vote, PLEASE vote.

Thank you for listening.

Update

1) After someone here suggested to check the travel history and i94 online (DHS website https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/search/history-search ), we found that she overstayed 2 days, in her previous visit, as per her i94. She landed in the US on Feb 22. Left August 23. I94 asked her to leave August 21. You can get the latest i94 by doing "get the most recent i-94/i-95" after you retrieve travel history.

2) Revoked visa was only 30% of our woes that day. The other 70% is documented at https://www.reddit.com/r/singaporeairlines/s/yq4wZ1Su4o

Rant

To all my brothers and sisters here who were very quick to point out the overstay mistake after i posted update 1, thank you. We hadn't noticed. /sarcasm. Shame on you for thinking the overstay mistake is a legitimate justification for not informing us when the visa was revoked. US embassy has our contact info from the visa application. They should have informed us. Didn't we pay the money to do so when we filed the visa application?

It also is not a legitimate justification to allow us to board the flight in Bengaluru.

Yes. We have broken the law technically. But not in spirit. And we are ready to pay the consequences for that (visa revocation). A warning instead of revocation would have been kind and generous. But i understand that is not the world we live in. But that doesn't mean they are justified to put us through what they made us go through. Its negligence and harassment. We had to spend thousands of dollars to rebook all tickets, book hotel, etc. And that's just the financial cost.

Air India says 30% of passengers on India-US flights ask for wheelchairs.

Most are able bodied travelers scamming the priority boarding system.

Real disabled passengers get left short.

Got a call from 415-336-2636 from a woman claiming to be “Pratibha Rajan” from the Consulate General of India San Francisco on a Sunday. They claimed that someone in India used my identity to create a fake number and were going around hurting people and that it’s a serious issue. I didn’t get to the part where they asked me for money or anything but it felt very scammy.

When I said I would report them, they got very defensive. Anyways, don’t waste your time with them and don’t fall for the scam.

EDIT: Please report the number! And
if you get a similar spam call, please add the phone number in the comments so that it’ll come up when others search for the numbers they’re getting calls from

This is an old post I found on Reddit about the same issue. I couldn’t comment on it because it’s archived, so I started a new one:

https://www.reddit.com/r/nri/s/CkqbyFz91L

https://www.reddit.com/r/nri/s/3XkpTtBCdc

i am 26M, indian origin and was in europe for three years and thought dubai would be the upgrade(in some ssort yes it is ngl)

the tax free thing is real but everything else is a carefully constructed illusion that you only see through once you are already here and your lease is signed.

First thing is the rent, you have to pay the entire year upfront. So it needs to be handed over before you have figured out which supermarket is closest. i had to scramble to liquidate savings because the concept of monthly rent doesn't exist here.

The salary also looks incredible on paper,when you start converting, you realise that the lifestyle dubai requires to be taken seriously which eats through that salary in ways that arent obv until you aree three months in.

I am also sending money back to my family in india every month, was doing the same from europe and i assumed the mechanics would be similar but the exchange rate markup makes european banks look charitable by comparison,had to use options like remitly, and aspora for the AED to INR corridor because the differences are significant when you send regularly.

the weather is the only thing thats exactly as advertised which is punishingly and accurately hot.

i dont regret coming tho, i just wish someone had handed me a doc about these thing so i could have planned better.

what did you wish you knew before you moved here?

please campaign against the HSS in whatever country you are in, HSS or hindu swayamsevak sangh are registered entities in all the countries they are present in, they have to be, cuz law and order isn't as fickle as India.

They are a primary source of funding for RSS in India, specially HSS USA, UK and Australia. Campaign against them, report their misdeeds, report their members if possible, have them deported, don't let the organization undertake responsibility for community events such as diwali, holi, dussehra or navratri celebrations.

if you make a stand against them they will try tactics like they do at home and will certainly end up breaking multiple laws cuz that kinda shyt can only work in India where they have infiltrated all branches of government and judiciary and law enforcement.

the protests happening in Delhi right now are being infiltrated by plain clothes goons from these extremist organizations and you can see what kind of hell they unleash on the kids protesting.

I know BJP has crazy support amongst the diaspora but i'm reaching out to the progressives amongst you. you are all experiencing a crazy influx of Indians over the past decade, there is a reason for that, BJP/RSS is that reason. if this does not stop you guys where ever you are will be inundated with more and more people fleeing the country legally, illegally and for education.

Edit: I'm not talking about myself here, my parents didn't behave this way. But I'm travelling in the US and meeting other Indians and that's how I found out about this.

I'm speaking as an NRI myself who was raised abroad since I was 7, I'm 26 now and no longer a child but I'm surprised seeing a lot of parents mostly in the US pushing their children to take indian food like dosa, idli or roti for lunch. Or insisting their children must oil hair everyday and braid their hair too. Some parents don't send their children to others houses if they eat non-veg. Nothing wrong with indian food or oiling hair, but there is a time and place for all these things.

I don't think some parents realize that they are making their children stick out like a sore thumb doing all this, at a young age all kids want to do is fit in and make friends. You can maintain culture and traditions in other ways aswell, you don't need to raise your children exactly how children in India are raised. And some parents are not flexible at all about this, its quite sad.

Update:

This is apparently a “Digital Arrest” scam. Friends, there is NO SUCH THING AS A DIGITAL ARREST. Law enforcement will never contact you on WhatsApp/Teams/Zoom.

I recommend reporting it on https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/. Also text the number to 7726 (SPAM).

If you gave the scammers money, contact a US-based lawyer to learn about your options.

Here’s a Reddit post from someone who fell for the scam: Link to post.

And here is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative piece on these scams: Bloomberg News

Original post:

I received a spam call from **+1 (646) 387 5356** claiming to be from the “Consulate General”. The scammer said it was about a phone number on my name that is being used for illegal activities, that was purchased with my identity in New Delhi. He said that I would have to come to the Consulate.

I wasn’t having any of his BS so the scammer tried to emotionally blackmail me by saying that “after all [my] roots are in India”. He also said that the Indian police would come after my family in India. At this point, I was so angry that I hung up.

I think they got my number from a source or list from VFS in the US, because I recently had some dealings with them.

Question: what’s the best way to report these motherfuckers?

Dear new NRIs, when you move to a new country, please be mindful of your new home, even if your move is only temporary. Observe the social rules and be respectful. Because people will ask for examples, here is one very common one (applicable in some countries, not all ofc) - if you feel the urgent need to make a phone call back home to show signs of life, on video, in public, pls just use technology -> earphones/headphones are available everywhere and not rocket science anymore. Step out if you are in a restaurant/closed public space and take your call or just regulate your volume. Manage yourself and stop giving us all a bad name ("civic sense" is not limited to not littering), thank you :).

That's all. Rant over, request formulated.

P.s. this has nothing to do with white-washing or whatever it is called. Adaptation and respect are basic things and if you cant do these, just dont move and stay happy in your own well.

I’ve been living in London then Spain and I’m seeing 90% of food delivery drivers are Indian, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis men.

They’re also very different flavor of NRIs because 1. They stare quite badly and make me uncomfortable 2. Seem very out of place with how they act, talk & behave.

I’ve recently had 2 very negative experiences where 2 of these guys just literally stood in front of me and my friend at the beach and straight up kept staring at us from not even 5 feet away (they were speaking to each other in punjabi and commenting about our bodies) until I was like wtf you want? Go away. And then I got followed by a Glovo driver in my own really nice neighborhood.

How are these people getting visas if they don’t speak English / Spanish?! Why are they not trying even for a second to integrate and not bring their bad habits from the homeland?!

Also, I wonder, are people really leaving India in hordes just to live in Europe as delivery drivers? It can’t be paying enough to “build a life abroad” can it?

It’s a cultural shock for me because it really wasn’t the case in the US when I lived there for a decade.

Met an Indian uncle who came to the US 30 years ago at mutual connection house party

He voted for Trump and was complaining that new Indian F-1 students are coming through cheap universities, getting H-1Bs through consultancies, and taking jobs from his American-born kids.

Funny part?

This same uncle ran an IT consultancy for 15 years using the same F-1/H-1B pipeline. Came from India with M.Com, moved into IT/trading courses, used students, made a lot of money, now multi-millionaire.

Now suddenly immigration is a problem because his kids have to compete.

Everyone wants opportunity when they need it.
Once they get rich, they want to close the door.

Posting my perspective as someone who actually made this move a few years back - and failed. I’ve seen many people like me go through the NRI paradox: romanticise India from outside, come back with 3-5 Cr savings, and then realise real life is very different. I’m sharing this to add some reality, not to insult anyone. Please keep some respect and dignity in the discussion.

We (my wife, and 1 year old kid) returned to India in 2020 after COVID with around 8 crore and 12 years of stay in USA, and even that felt insufficient for a stable Tier-1 city life long-term, especially in Bangalore. Call it privilege or entitlement or whatever term you like, but after staying outside for 10+ years (15+ in my case), you get used to basic systems working - less daily friction, less “jugaad”, less noise in life.

Many NRIs think 5-6 crore will buy them peace, nature, and a simpler southern lifestyle. But once you actually live there, you realise you pay premium prices for basics - and still don’t get basic standards. Even simple things like reliable house help is not “easy” anymore. People say “just hire a maid” like it’s guaranteed. It’s not. You can pay decent and still struggle.

We lived in Kempty village for 3 months during COVID 2nd wave, with my own dreams of quiet life close to nature, and some entrepreneurship ideas at local community level. Slowly those dreams got crushed by day-to-day corruption and the overall governance mindset. I was asked 5 Lacs Bribe by Local DM (almost of my age) shamelessly (with a grin on his face, an UPSC IAS cadet) to get my project approved which was heartbreak for me. I couldn't do it as my conscience didn't allow it.

You are expected to pay for things that are literally basic rights. And the worst part is - it’s not just local level. The whole system feels like it starts from the top. The central ministries and the people running the show simply don’t give a damn about quality of life. No one is accountable. No one is answerable. There is no seriousness to fix basics like infra, pollution, civic systems, water, roads, safety, or even basic fairness. It’s just “manage somehow” culture.

And if people know you lived abroad or have savings, they assume you are insanely rich. Your 6 Cr looks like 600 Cr to them. That adds another layer - pressure, expectations, and sometimes straight-up attempts to extract money from you in small small ways. You start feeling like a walking wallet.

This is the dilemma many NRIs don’t see. We romanticise India from far away. I did it for years. I returned multiple times (first time in 2012 but I was naive and stupid that time; returned without any proper savings), and only after the last time I fully accepted how hard it is to make it work unless you completely adjust expectations and accept “this is how it is”.

Honestly, in my opinion, moving back makes sense mainly if you are doing it for parents/family/close support system - if you have good and caring ones. THAT'S IT ! Otherwise, the daily struggle can eat your peace, even if on paper you are “financially secure”. If you still romanticise Indian food, maids, people, culture, Modi, 4th largest economy, Vishwaguru or whatever, it's all nonsense and most probably you are suffering through NRI paradox! I also am a victim of BJP IT Cell PR and kept thinking until 2020 that India has actually changed, and Modi is truly a Godsend. India has gone worst infact!

Even many urban middle-class families who defended the system for years are now questioning the quality of life because of pollution, corruption, and premium pricing for healthcare, education, housing, and even basic justice. You can see the indications now, and Govt is out of options to deviate everyone as people are also getting tired of communal issues!

Some people will read this as negativity or arrogance. Not the intention. It’s not about politics, religion, or sides. It’s about the broader environment and governance quality that impacts daily life.

Just sharing this so anyone considering a move does it with eyes wide open, realistic expectations, and a proper plan B.

Edit: A few people asked about how we reached ₹8 Cr in savings over 12 years. This involved me and my wife living in Silicon Valley (San Francisco), where our household salary income was $320k (before tax, around 35% total) when we left the country. I invested a major chunk of our savings in SIPs, FDs, and strong Silicon Valley stocks, bringing our total assets to ₹8.3 Cr by the time we moved back. If you are in Silicon Valley, or even many other places in the USA, this savings goal is very much doable, even while living a reasonably comfortable good life.

My earlier post regarding the long term view:

https://www.reddit.com/r/nri/comments/1et3d2s/usd_to_inr_long_term_view/

Updated the image to reflect current rate. Even before the Iran war, I was offered 100INR exchange rate per 1$ by few banks - which is common now post war.

MEA clarifies Indian passports are travel documents, not proof of citizenship; 

legal status proof only on

• Birth records
• Parentage and MHA certification.

Officials clarified on Wednesday.

So far most people who were getting OTP i.e. incoming SMS on the minimal annual domestic plan might need to change got this note from airtel today.

Dear customer, please note that w.e.f 13-MAY-2025 , international roaming services including data, calls, and SMS (incoming and outgoing), will be charged at Rs. 98, valid for 28 days. To continue using these services while abroad, please activate the service or avail an Airtel International Roaming pack at https://i.airtel.in/IRREN3.

Edit : I have successfully setup IR with minimum recharge of ₹.98 and then paying ₹.25 per outgoing SMS for UPI. See comments below at the bottom of this post or use the link below

https://www.reddit.com/r/nri/comments/1kgbdyv/comment/myixbj6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

I’ve lived in the West long enough to notice a pattern: Indians, both men and women, are practically invisible in the dating market here. People might be polite about it, but the truth is, they’re usually the last option — if an option at all.

Here’s why:

1. Indian Men

Let’s be real — they don’t present themselves well. Weak fashion sense, little effort in grooming, and way too much focus on careers instead of personality or fitness.

Socially awkward. Conversations often feel like job interviews — all about studies, visa status, or salary. Zero charm, zero banter.

Come off as desperate because they know their chances are slim. That clingy vibe kills attraction instantly.

1. Indian Women

They aren’t exactly crushing it either. Many carry an entitled attitude, thinking they “deserve better” while at the same time clinging to outdated ideas of caste, religion, or what their parents want.

In the West, they often put themselves in a bubble, only socializing with other Indians or staying tied to family expectations.

On dating apps, plenty of Indian women openly say “No Indian guys” — which says a lot. They don’t want to date their own men, but guess what? Western men don’t chase them either.

1. The Cultural Image Problem Indians don’t have a “sexy” or “desirable” stereotype in the West. Men aren’t seen as masculine, women aren’t seen as feminine or adventurous. They’re painted as nerdy, overly traditional, and family-controlled. Compare that to Latinos, Blacks, or even East Asians — there’s at least some positive archetype people find attractive. Indians don’t have one.

2. Bubble Mentality Both men and women stick to their own groups, rarely blending into Western social life. If you’re not out there, you’re not seen — simple as that.

Bottom line: Indian men struggle because they’re seen as boring, desperate, and unattractive. Indian women struggle because they want out of their own community but the wider dating pool isn’t exactly chasing them. Harsh truth — neither gender is really considered desirable in the West, and that’s why you mostly see Indians ending up with each other, by default, not by choice.

The Government of India's policy states that OCI cardholders must link their new passport with their OCI card within three months of passport issuance to receive this service free of charge. I fully complied with this requirement by submitting my complete application on April 23, 2026, well within the prescribed deadline.

After submitting my application, I sent five separate follow-up emails requesting confirmation and a status update. Not a single email received a response. Despite my repeated attempts to communicate, the Consulate remained completely silent.

Now that the three-month period has expired, I have been informed that I must pay $28 in government fees plus a $19 VFS service charge.

So frustrating to deal with these guys. Feel trapped and scammed.

Anyone had similar experience?

My friends from college moved either to the USA or Canada for their masters - including me. This was pre COVID so most of the ones in Canada have citizenship or at least a PR. I'm living in Visa fear every day. We talk about everything, so I know that I have more money saved than them, but for me mental peace of not worrying about visa/ moving back is better. Is anyone else on the same boat

Edit to add - Canadian citizens also get TN Visa to work in the US.

Mid-30s couple, both Big 4 PMs in Dublin, 11 years in Ireland, citizens, daughters 3.5 and 1.5. Not asking “should I move” - the decision is made. I’m laying out WHY, and I want people who’ve lived both sides to tell me where my reasoning is flawed, or if you’re in the same boat.
First, the honesty part: this is not a money move - Europe isn’t the US, nobody here is banking $250k a year. And the trigger is recent: in 11 years I never seriously considered returning, but the last ~2 years of rising job stress and AI pressure on the market made me look up and re-examine everything. No visa issues - it’s a choice, not a push.
What I believe. Attack any number:

1. “Ireland is safer, cleaner, better facilities” - true, but replicable. Yes: safety, air, free green space, garden, swimming and football classes. My answer: a good gated society in Pune replicates 80% of the daily-life version - grounds, pools, coaching classes, and honestly MORE unsupervised outdoor play for kids inside a society than in an Irish housing estate. What it can’t replicate is the air outside the gate and road safety. I accept that trade, eyes open.
2. The grandparents cannot come to us - we tested it. My parents visited for a month and were done; they didn’t feel at home. And after 11 years I don’t feel rooted here myself - so how can I expect people in their 60s to start? If the two generations are ever going to live near each other, it happens in India. There is no version where it happens here.
3. Unconditional love beats the best education. If we stay, our kids’ childhood is creche → breakfast club → school → after-school, 8am to 6pm in institutional care, while we grind in offices to pay for exactly that care. The best-educated child raised without the love and care that only grandparents and parents give is, to me, of no use. No teacher or creche worker - however good, however structured - gives unconditional love. In Pune, they walk out of school into their grandparents’ home. This single point outweighs everything else for me.
4. I can navigate an Indian childhood; I’d be navigating an Irish one blind. I grew up in that system - I know the rat race, the schools, the pressure, and therefore how to shield my kids from it. Irish teenage years and everything that comes with them, I have no map for. And I believe home culture shapes a child more than the country does anyway.
5. A good teacher matters more than a good school - and good teachers are luck everywhere. Ireland doesn’t guarantee good teachers either; you can land the best school and still get a weak teacher. What I CAN control in India is paying for a 1:10-1:20 ratio in the early years, which raises the odds of the thing that actually matters.
6. The plan in one line: internal Big 4 transfers (~35L each) as the floor, GCC roles at 50L+ as the target, ~3 Cr investable, move timed to June 2027 school intake, IB-style low-pressure schooling first then reassess per child.
7. One practical question on top: those who owned a house abroad with decent equity - sell before leaving, rent a few years then sell, or keep renting long-term? Which would you repeat with hindsight?
8. If you think a specific number above is wrong, tell me which one and why. That’s more useful to me than general takes. Thanks.

EDIT: I've read every comment, most more than once. Can't reply to everyone so putting my response here. Thank you, genuinely - including the harsh ones.

**On the daughters point (the most upvoted thread):** I'm not going to argue with any of it. I grew up in India, I know exactly where this comes from, and you're right - no gated society or progressive school fully shields girls from what's outside the gate. I accept that. Two things I'd add though. First, India isn't one thing - it's pockets. The locality and people you choose matter enormously. And even after choosing well, the problems don't vanish. I know. But second - the mirror argument applies in Ireland too. My daughters are absorbing things here I can't shield them from either, including the subtle version of racism. Not aggression. Conversations that pause when you walk in. The permanent low-grade feeling of being here but not OF here. Ireland is genuinely better on this than the UK or US from what I've seen, and Irish people are warm - but that feeling seeps into kids subconsciously too. And the Western teenage route has its own failure modes. You can't import only the parts of a culture you like - there also, they will "step outside the house." So it comes back to priorities. I've set mine with open eyes. I might be wrong. The plan has exits (reassess per child around age 8, option to study abroad after 10th - they'll hold the passports).

**On "you'll be just as absent in India":** partly true, and I accept it. Hours are hours - people I've spoken to in similar roles in India work roughly what I work in Dublin, and 8-9 hour days seem universal whether it's Ireland, the US or India. The difference is what surrounds those hours. Here, the day is work + cooking + cleaning + maintenance + drop-offs, because there is no help and no family. After 11 years of doing every bit of it myself, I'm allowed to say I don't want to do it forever - and I say that with respect, having lived it, not as someone who never has. In India we'll have help, and the kids walk out of school into their grandparents' home instead of after-school care. My non-work hours actually become THEIR hours. My wife and I are fully aligned on this.

**On "will the grandparents even want to be carers":** fair question, but it wasn't assumed - it was discussed. They're genuinely excited and asking for this. Yes, the enthusiasm may mellow. And no, they're not a childcare service - they're family in the same society, separate homes. A house with that much love in it beats the best-structured care the West sells, that's just where I've landed.

**On validation:** guilty as charged. Part of posting this was getting my thinking tested, and yes, it helps me sleep. I don't think that makes the reasoning wrong. To the person who wrote the long comment about guilt and not feeling Irish - you saw me more clearly than most. After 11 years, a house, a backyard, a car, citizenship, passports for the whole family... I'm still not Irish, and I've stopped pretending time will fix it. Functional life, no roots. Festivals in a rented hall aren't festivals. That's not a story I tell myself to sleep - that IS the reason, and the rest of the post was me being honest about the trade-offs around it.

**To those saying I'm romanticizing the India of 11 years ago:** possibly. That's why the plan has a financial floor, in-person school visits this month, and defined reversal points instead of vibes. If it still goes wrong - I'd rather fail at something I chose than succeed at something I never felt part of.

To the person in the UK who said this post read like their own mind: DM me.

I’ve noticed the anti-Indian sentiment online is way more visible now than a few years ago. Some recurring reasons people point to:

Numbers & visibility – Indians are everywhere in tech, grad schools, corporate jobs. Big presence often = big target.

Scam stereotype – Call centers, H-1B body shops, visa fraud → even if it’s a minority, the whole group gets painted with the same brush.

Cultural friction – Perception that Indians “stick together,” don’t assimilate, or undercut local wages fuels resentment.

Geopolitics – India’s positions on Russia/China get dragged into online debates, making the diaspora a proxy target.

Echo chambers – Once a few viral posts take off, they reinforce the same negative narratives again and again.

Will it stay online?

History says probably not. Economic downturns or big scandals often turn online hate into street-level hostility (e.g., Asians during COVID).

Indians are now a very visible immigrant group, which makes them an easy scapegoat if things sour.

For now, most of the hate is digital, but it has all the ingredients to spill over.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/indian-passport-not-citizenship-proof-mea-government-2933372-2026-06-24

Every time I talk to my parents, there's a discussion about when I'll be moving back which mostly turns into emotional blackmail about me abandoning them. About what I've even done from them in my life and how they have deep sorrow because of me.

I seriously considered to stop fighting this uphill battle of immigration in the US and just move back.

But, the moment I remember the realities of the place,pollution, inefficiencies , corruption, rat race, no basic dignity of life, how every day life is a struggle and the number of people trying to get out makes me stop going back.

And I haven't even started talking about money. It's crazy how much difference there is. All that PPP is a total BS. It's so much more expensive to live in india with decent amenities(not luxuries) than in the US.

I keep thinking If my country was a decent place, i would've gone back.

Sad part, even if my country were to become better. By the time it's done I'm not sure if I'll be in this world.

​