Woman Leaves the US Despite Having an H-1B Visa

Despite having a six figure salary and an H-1B visa, a 28 year old Indian origin woman has decided to leave the United States and return to India. According to a Business Insider report, Disha Lamba moved to the US in 2021 to pursue a master’s degree in computer engineering at New York University. She later built a successful career, joining CVS Health as a data scientist in 2024, and also secured an H-1B visa through the lottery process.

However, Lamba gradually decided that staying in the US was no longer the right choice for her. She said loneliness and the difficulty of staying connected with her parents in India because of the time difference affected her emotionally. She also found the restrictions associated with the H-1B system challenging, particularly when it came to changing jobs, pursuing additional income opportunities, travelling frequently or taking a career break.

Lamba resigned from her job in May 2026 and returned to her parents in Gurugram. She is currently taking a short career break and considering new opportunities in India, including the possibility of starting her own business. Meanwhile, proposed changes to the H-1B system in the US include higher visa related fees, removing the 60-day grace period for workers who lose their jobs and changes to employment authorisation for H-4 visa holders. Such proposals could have a significant impact on many Indian H-1B families.