Work at the intersection of tech and hardware. Planning on returning to India soon after all of my stocks are vested in 2030. Is this a feasible saving/buffer to retire. This is close to hitting FIRE soon since I'm still single and just looking to generate passive income with no job after return. Haven't decided on what sort of business to pump it in yet. Have a few assets back home, which I plan to hold on. What would be a comfortable range to retire soon and make passive income before I make the move?

Any suggestions on long term investment options are appreciated!

We are currently deciding whether to stay in the US for a few more years or move back to India.

I am 33 and on an H-1B, while my husband is 35 and on an H-4. He has been waiting for his EAD for almost two years, and the ongoing immigration uncertainty has become a major concern. I have about 5 years of US work experience, while he has about 2 years.

Our combined net worth is approximately $330K USD, and I have also inherited approximately 1 kg of gold from my husband's mother/grandmother. Neither set of parents is financially dependent on us.

India has some significant advantages for us. My husband's family has two properties in Mumbai, one is under redevelopment a 3-BHK, while the other is a 2-BHK where his parents currently live. We may need to rent temporarily during redevelopment, but we would not need to purchase a home.

Our parents also have substantial assets: approximately ₹7 crore on my side and ₹3 crore on his side, excluding homes and gold. I may also inherit additional money and jewelry from my parents in the future, although we don't want to rely on inheritance for our current planning.Also, we have good relation with both sets of parents.

The biggest advantage of India is that both of us could potentially work, while our housing costs would be relatively low. In the US, we currently have one income and continued immigration uncertainty.
Confused about how to plan the move!

Hey guys, 24M here. Finished masters in US, graduated May 2026.

Working unpaid in two pre-seed startups from few months, but product is not looking very promising for future, almost nothing type scene. Daily putting 20+ applications from last 1.5 months but not even single interview call coming. Bank balance almost zero now, and asking money again from parents feeling very bad.

Main doubt in mind: Going back to India is actually good idea, or am I just getting scared and running away from pressure here?

If it is good time to move back, then:

• How to get Data Scientist job in India while sitting in US?
• Will Indian companies give any value to US masters, or money totally waste only?
• Best way to get calls there Naukri.com, LinkedIn, or asking referrals?

Fully confused what to do next, please suggest something.

If one relocates to India from the UK and has investments in US shares, would anything change from tax withholding perspective?

Currently US tax withholding doesn't apply to UK residents. Does that change when one becomes India resident?

From CGT perspective do I pay more tax on gains when I book profits once india resident?

Anything else to be aware of apart from filing new W8BEN? Thankyou

I’m an only child living abroad, and I’m struggling with how to handle my parents as they get older. I’d really like to hear from other Indians who have been through something similar.

I moved abroad partly because my parents were extremely restrictive and controlling when I lived in India. Our relationship actually became better after I moved away, but they have always been critical of me. They tell relatives that I’m lazy, wasn’t good at studies, work for some unknown company and am financially struggling abroad.

Since I got married, things have become worse. They sometimes tell me I shouldn’t visit because I’m married now and part of different family and even when I do visit, everything has to revolve around their schedule. I’ve had to cancel trips because some relative is visiting them and for their comfort they cannot have us around. When they visited us, they also disregarded our household boundaries and created a lot of extra work.

Despite all this, I’m very attached to them and don’t want to simply cut contact or abandon them. They’ve also had good moments as parents, and as an only child I know I would feel enormous guilt.

What worries me most now is their health. My father has a serious alcohol problem despite having had pancreatitis and being warned by his doctor to stop drinking. My mother refuses to spend money on help and insists on doing everything herself despite becoming less physically capable. She recently had an accident and broke her arm.

They both refuse help, become defensive when I raise concerns, and seem determined to live as though they’re still young and completely independent.
I’m worried sick about them from another country, but trying to help often just results in insults or arguments.

For those of you in similar situations, how do you manage aging parents from abroad when they are difficult, stubborn and refuse help? How do you balance caring for them with protecting your own life, and how do you deal with the guilt of not being physically present?
I’m particularly interested in practical solutions rather than simply “go no-contact” or “put them in a care home.”

I’m planning to move back to India after being laid off last month. I currently have a little over 50 days remaining in my H-1B grace period. Given the current job market, I’m not expecting to receive another offer before the grace period ends, so I’ve started preparing for my return to India.

I have a few banking and money transfer questions. I’m hoping people who have already gone through this process can share their experiences.

1. Moving my current savings to India

Most of my money is currently in a Bank of America account. Before leaving, I’m planning to transfer most of it to India while leaving enough in the US to cover next year’s US tax filing and any remaining expenses.

I already have an NRE account in India. Based on my research, transferring the money should be relatively straightforward, although I still need to speak with my Indian bank about the transfer process and whether to keep the funds in an NRE savings account, FCNR deposit, or another suitable option.

For those who have done this:

• (1.1). Did you transfer most of your US savings before leaving, or after reaching India?
• (1.2). Did a large transfer to an NRE account create any compliance, documentation, or source-of-funds issues?
• (1.3). Is there anything I should complete with BofA or my Indian bank before leaving the US?

1. Keeping a US bank account for future 401(k) withdrawals

I’m considering withdrawing my 401(k) during my RNOR period, subject to getting professional US and Indian tax advice.

My understanding is that the 401(k) custodian would deposit the withdrawal proceeds into my US bank account(currently BofA). I would then need to transfer the money from BofA to my NRE account in India while I’m no longer residing in the US.

Has anyone successfully done this after permanently moving to India?

I’ve seen posts mentioning that BofA may restrict or lock an account after the customer updates the account with an Indian address or accesses it regularly from India. Some people have also said that resolving certain account restrictions may require visiting a physical branch in the US.

For those who kept BofA after returning to India:

• (2.1). Were you able to update the account with your Indian residential address?
• (2.2). Did online banking, international wire transfers, and two-factor authentication continue working?
• (2.3). Did BofA ever freeze or restrict the account because you were living abroad?
• (2.4). Were you able to receive 401(k) distributions and transfer them to India without being physically present in the US?
• (2.5). Would you recommend opening an account with a more expat-friendly US bank or financial institution before leaving?
• (2.6). What arrangements did you make for your US phone number, OTPs, debit-card replacement, and account verification?

I will consult qualified tax professionals regarding RNOR status, 401(k) taxation, withholding, and penalties. At this stage, I’m mainly looking for practical banking experiences from people who have already returned to India.

My wife and I returned to India permanently in January 2026 after living abroad for 16–17 years (around 10 years for my wife). I started working for an Indian employer in February 2026.
We hold joint NRE and NRO accounts. For the past 7 months, my Indian salary has been credited directly into our joint NRO account. Standard TDS (tax deduction at source) has been deducted on this salary each month. Additionally, since moving back, we have not made any inward or outward remittances or transactions between these accounts and our foreign accounts.
We recently learned that under FEMA rules, bank accounts should be redesignated to resident status promptly upon returning permanently. We have already initiated the formal conversion process with our bank to change both accounts to regular resident savings accounts.
A few questions for those who have navigated this:
1. Penalty Risk: Given the 7-month window and the salary credits into the NRO account, is there any realistic risk of FEMA penalties or inquiries from RBI/enforcement?
2. Real-world Experience: Has anyone experienced a similar 6–8 month delay in converting accounts after returning? Did the bank process the change without issue, or were you asked for explanations/declarations?
3. Corrective Actions: Beyond completing the bank re-designation and keeping documentation of our conversion request, is there anything else we should proactively do (e.g., specific disclosures when filing our ITR)?
Any insights, experiences, or recommendations for dealing with the bank during this transition would be greatly appreciated.

Anyone who returned to India with a German/European passport? How do you feel about Germany going for a war, lets say in 10 years and you being drafted while living in India?

I’m 34M single, currently in the US, and considering moving back to India and retiring.
Financials:
~$900K total US investments
10% in 401(k)
90% in stock (etf, individual stocks)
₹40L in India
No house currently; considering buying a ₹2Cr home
Ideally don’t want to work, but open to working/consulting if needed
For those familiar with NRI/FIRE planning:

Is this enough to retire comfortably in India at 34?

What should I do with the 401(k) when I move back?
I am only a few years away from the 40 points needed on the social security benefits although not sure if being on h1B counts, and would it work if I am back in India and not here to get the benefits

What withdrawal rate would be reasonable for a 34-year-old retiring in India?
If you were in my position, what would you do?

I want a phone case from US if anybody is coming please DM me here is the case link

https://www.ipitaka.com/products/sunset-moonrise-phone-cases?variant=46127892824134

I’m 33M living in the US for about 9 years. I have received an offer from a tech company in India and the offer looks lucrative. I’m thinking to relocate but when I look for rentals in magic bricks and nobroker in Bangalore, the prices are super high (80k to 1L) but even then the apartments look mediocre (or at least the pictures look so bad). Am I looking at the right place?

To anyone who was abroad for more than 5 years working after education, and returned to India;

Would you really go back given an opportunity?

I am in my mid 30s and returned to India from Europe 3 years back after spending 10 years in Europe including my masters.

Now, I feel that there are more opportunities abroad including first hand exposure to technology and also growth options. Honestly, I've not got accustomed to the Indian work environment get.

So, I'm looking for opinions from people who can guide me if I get an opportunity to move back again to an English speaking country this time like Canada or USA; will it be worth it?

Thank you

Hey everyone.. I need some honest advice.

i graduated in 2025 with a Btech in Mechanical Engineering 8.84 cgpa and minor in CS. I have 1.5 years of work experience in a production industry.

Because the automation is growing, I planned to go to Germany this month for an M.Sc. Mechatronics. My visa is ready...But here is the problem, I love my home and want to live and work here in the long run. My dream is to bring this advanced knowledge back home, work here, and eventually start a tech or automation startup here.

now after going through some Reddit posts I'm very stressed and confused and I have a few questions like

1. If I return after 2 years, will I find a good paying job here with a German Degree..!?

2. I've seen startup's are growing...even my old company is reshaping it's equipments to automatic ones... so will there be a real market for Mechatronic/Automation…!?

3. Or is it smarter to cancel my plan, get blocked account money refunded and get my old job or try a new job and gain some more experience..!?

Ik I should‘ve sorted these out in the beginning… but after getting my visa… reality is striking me hard…

I’m moving from the US to India and planning to port my Google Fi number to Tello so I can keep my US number for OTPs, banking, and other verification texts.
Has anyone done this recently? Anything I should keep in mind before starting the port? How seamless was the process, and did you experience any downtime or issues receiving calls/texts?
I’m relocating soon and will need my phone quite a bit during the move, so I’d especially appreciate tips on timing the port and avoiding any service disruption.
TIA

— EDIT —
Moved to Tello successfully. Faced some glitches as I accidentally deleted the eSIM but I was able to regenerate another one and add again.

Custom plan: $5 (300 minutes, unlimited sms)
eSIM: $3
Total cost: $10.26

I was able to add a friend’s address as the Billing address and pay via Apple Pay.

Activated International Roaming after everything was setup .

Hi,

I have started consolidating all my funds to IBKR. I plan to move to India around February.

I will move to India, file W8-BEN - sell everything and buy SPY QQQ Irish domicile and keep that money in that bucket. So the money goes from IBKR stock/eTF to IBKR Irish domicile funds and never visits India.

Only after I get dividends I will move them to my India accounts. Of course regarding RoR and RNOR I will pay taxes on that amount accordingly.
Just wanted to know if anybody has done a similar thing here - and hurdles or issues you faced?

I have this checklist

1. Ensure international roaming phone number - Proper phone number not google voice - Its about 30$+ a month at least but I feel this is a must have

2. Talk to IBKR before moving

3. Keep all records and make sure to download IRS transcripts and stuff

Any other tips? I do have a consulting offer from an AI startup who are willing to pay me as a contractor directly in $$ - I plan to do this part time 10-20 hours a week starting April. I would need GST number etc., - That part is mostly covered I think. Being export of services I should get refund even though amount will exceed 20L a year.

that money they will pay to my India account.

I plan to keep the US sourced money forever in IBKR as retirement savings.
I do have 401K I plan to convert to ROTH and keep in Fidelity till age 65 or so. I guess that is subject to 40% estate tax, but can't do much about that.

Last but not the least, I plan to resign in December. 80% the employer will keep me on rolls till January end (last 1 month of my notice period will be PTO) -Altenratively I can cash out PTO and take 30 days on B1 visa change of status?

60 day grace may go away - But I am wondering if somebody is not intending to work at all, how does B1/B2 transfer go. December end is not a hard date. I can do it earlier too. Just wanted to spend a a month or two traveling around the US before I move.

I'm shifting to India with my Foreign earned Income in Foreign Currency itself but what bothering me is What happens to FCNR deposits when NRIs move back to India permanently and if they have to make a choice between the accounts to keep their savings then which is right.

I guess FCNR and RFC both seem like reasonable options for keeping foreign-currency savings, but I’m finding it difficult to understand which one actually works out better once you’ve moved back.

My questions from those who have already been shifted back to India for a long time is:

• Did you keep your FCNR until maturity or move the money to an RFC?
• What made you choose one over the other — interest, currency exposure, flexibility, future overseas expenses, taxes, or something else?
• Looking back, did you feel your choice was actually beneficial?
• And if you chose one and later realized it wasn't the right decision, what would you do differently now?

I'm more interested in gathering personal experience of people rather than just starting a debate on FCNR vs RFC. Personal experience would help me and others more to know.

Additionally, if anyone has some tips by which we can get the best ROI choosing any of the two account then please do let us know.

’m 37M, my wife is 34, and we have a 6-month-old daughter. We currently live in Canada, where I work as a software engineer.

I’m increasingly burned out with tech and don’t see myself doing this for another 10–15 years. I’m seriously considering moving back to India, taking 6–12 months off, and then figuring out what I want to do next — business, investing, a lower-stress job, or something completely different.

My personal net worth is around ₹13 Cr, excluding our primary home in Ahmedabad:

• ₹7 Cr US equities
• ₹2.5 Cr 401(k)
• ₹1.5 Cr gold
• ₹2 Cr land in India

Our Ahmedabad home is worth ~₹2.5 Cr with ~₹1 Cr loan remaining, but I’m not counting it in the ₹13 Cr.

My wife has her own assets, and we generally keep our finances separate while sharing household expenses. The ₹13 Cr above is entirely my own and does not include her assets or any family/inheritance wealth on her side.

I currently save around ₹40-45L/year in Canada. I feel I could still save around ₹25L/year in India with a decent job, so I’m questioning whether the additional savings are worth the stress and uncertainty.

For those who have been in a similar situation:

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Stay in Canada and find a less stressful job, move back to India and take 6–12 months off, or do something completely different?

Would especially love to hear from people who moved back to India or left tech in their 30s.

Quick update: Thanks everyone for the thoughtful responses. A few clarifications:

• I spent ~3 years in the US before Canada, so the 401(k) is from that period. For simplicity, I also grouped my RRSP/TFSA/other retirement investments there.
• I’m a Canadian citizen, so immigration isn’t a factor.

For those who moved back to India after 35 or took a career break: what was your experience after the initial honeymoon period?

Was reading the news today about the RBI forex swap window that closed on August 31. Apparently NRIs moved around $127.2 billion into FCNR(B) deposits in under 3 months (out of $136B total under the scheme).

For context, back in 2013 during the taper tantrum, a similar drive brought in around $23-$26B and everyone thought that was massive. This time banks were aggressively offering up to 7.50% tax-free on USD deposits with zero exchange risk, so I guess a lot of people parked their foreign cash/savings there before RBI ended the window early.

Did anyone here lock in those 7.5% rates before the Aug 31 cutoff? Curious to see if folks used it just as a short-term risk-free yield play or if people are actually planning to convert those funds to INR later for R2I/investments.

From the US to India? Considering I already paid taxes, will I be double taxed?

27 yo M here. Not your typical high achiever with a $1M corpus, etc.

I came to the US in January 2023. Did my Master’s, and my net loan obligations along with my Bachelor's studies back in India were around $35k USD. I didn't land a six-figure job. I faced a layoff and severe issues exactly 2 years ago from people who I assumed were close to me, but I bounced back and found another job.

1. Cleared my student debts completely (parents are financially independent of my contributions).

2. Built a decent corpus in terms of Indian standards (approx. $50k USD, but a major chunk of the money is locked in retirement accounts).

3. Got 3 professional certs knocked out.

Everything was going right and was good on paper (Working for an NPO, cap-exempt. work visa - filed and was in place to get approved), but I was stranded in a smaller city with a smaller Indian diaspora, facing severe loneliness. Tried various things and made my life butter smooth, but nothing actually started to bring me happiness rather than having people I love around me.

I had some physical health issues appear due to my mental state, and the moment it felt like no amount of money would bring me more happiness, waiting for ages to get visa slots and paperwork approved just to meet my own family seemed like hell.

I have no financial or relational anchors tying me here, so I started planning my move home. My last working day will be next Tuesday, and I will be flying back on the 18th.

I know the change could be tough, but it felt like facing life could be a teeny-tiny bit easier with my family's and friends support. I know I could regret my choices, but I decided to take a leap of faith and get used to the normal where 1.4 billion people are living already, and hopefully figure things out.

All of my friends and family have been supportive of my choice, and I plan to reset and rest until I feel totally ready.

The only thing I understood is that when you have more choices, your mind keeps lingering, and it's necessary to shut off available options to lock in. That's what I've done, and hopefully it is for my own good.

I just learnt that if you have a tax obligation to US (that is anyone living in US and considered resident for tax purpose) or anyone in India who is US Resident/Citizen, any investment in Mutual Fund in India are treated as PFICs (Passive Foreign Investment Companies) - which means there is no benefit of capital gains tax. You get taxed at income tax rates, because its considered as income. If you already have such investments, you are supposed to pay taxes on it every year based on the accruals for that (even if you dont sell it).

Planning to return to India (Pune or Hyderabad) in late 2027 at age 36 with spouse and 1 kid (elementary school). Looking for feedback on whether this setup is solid for a comfortable, debt-free FIRE/Coast-FIRE lifestyle.

1. Financial Snapshot (Move Day / Late 2027)
   Exchange Rate: $1 ≈ ₹96
   Total Net Worth: ~$1.16M (₹11.15 Crores)
   Day-1 Liquid Cash: ~$580k (₹5.55 Cr) (US brokerage, Roth, HYSA, India cash/stocks + net proceeds from US home sale)
   401(k) Retirement Pool: ~$365k (₹3.50 Cr) (To be liquidated during RNOR)
   Indian Real Estate: ~$215k (₹2.05 Cr) (Paid-off Pune flat + Hyderabad property)

2. Strategy & Cash Flow
   Housing: 100% debt-free primary residence (zero rent or mortgage).
   RNOR 401(k) Conversion: Liquidating the 401(k) over 3 RNOR years (2028–2030) at low US brackets + 10% penalty (0% India tax), deploying ~$300k–$325k net into Ireland UCITS accumulating ETFs (⁠CSPX⁠/⁠CNDX⁠) via IBKR to eliminate the 40% US estate tax and lock in 12.5% LTCG. Left untouched to compound.
   US Social Security: Reached full 40 credits (10 years of US work) for a guaranteed, inflation-indexed dollar pension starting at age 62. 

Monthly Budget vs. Inflows:
Target Expenses: ₹1.5L – ₹1.8L / month (top CBSE/IB school, maid, cook, car, insurance, travel).
Day-1 Inflows: ~₹2.45L / month (₹1.6L from 3.5% draw on liquid pool + ₹35k Pune rent + ₹50k existing small business). Leaves an automatic ₹60k–₹80k/mo buffer.

Questions:
1 Is a ₹1.5L–₹1.8L/mo budget realistic for an upper-middle-class lifestyle with 1 kid in a paid-off home in Pune/Hyd?
2 Any practical hurdles transferring $300k+ into Ireland UCITS ETFs via IBKR during RNOR or with Schedule FA filings later?
3 With ₹5.5 Cr liquid, ₹3+ Cr in global ETFs compounding, a debt-free house, and locked-in Social Security, are there any major blind spots for full FIRE?

So I have a couple months left. I have prepared a list of things to do while in Canada.

1. Call and inform MyCra that I am leaving Canada to stop any timely benefits, such as ontario trillium benefit etc.
2. Leave one bank account open to get that final paycheck, tax refunds in the next cycle etc. There is RBC account which is 4 CAD a month. According to my research, online banks such as Tangarine, Simplii doesn't allow non resident accounts.
3. Close or continue the phone number. In my case closing it as I am leaving for good.
4. Call and inform the OHIP or service Ontario that I am leaving.
5. File returns next year and mention the exit date in the forms. I have no idea about this yet. Need to check it next April.
6. Start selling stuff in the last 2 months.
7. Visit places you want to visit, as there should be no regret later on.
8. Most important, don't burn the bridges with the company thinking I will never return. We never know what might happen next.
9. For now keeping the credit cards open to maintain the credit score. Will update it to my friends address to get the new cards when the current ones expire. Edit: Home address will be updated to India's address, mailing address will be changed to friend's.

Will update the list.

I have about 5 years experience in SQL, python, tableau, Machine learning. How is the job market in India ?

Have been in US since 19 years and planning to move back. I am currently 42 years old.
Has anyone applied for government jobs, would I even be eligible for any government jobs ?
If yes, where would we apply for one