A senior software engineer who has spent a decade in the United States on an H-1B visa is wrestling with one of the biggest decisions of his life. At 37, married with two young children and holding about $1 million in net worth, he says he feels stuck in his current career path.
“I’ve been a consistently strong performer in my software engineering career, getting regular raises and on-track ratings,” he wrote in a post on the r/H1B subreddit. But despite success, the engineer says he has hit a professional wall and wrestles with the feeling that his career has veered away from what truly motivates him: building things.
“To reach the next level of corporate leadership, I need to focus on visibility and internal marketing,” he explained. He added that the thought of having “zero desire” to play corporate politics is central to why he’s unsure about the future.
The visa itself has become part of the dilemma. Being on an H-1B, the engineer notes, limits his ability to start side projects or launch a business while maintaining legal status. “I can’t effectively test the market, I can’t build a distribution channel like YouTube, and I can’t legally start a side hustle,” he said.
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Faced with these constraints, he is seriously considering relocating his family to India where he could pursue freelance consulting and build products on his own terms. The plan he laid out includes lowering living costs and using that runway to explore entrepreneurial ideas. But he is candid about the uncertainty: he doesn’t have “one big idea” yet, and worries about the transition for his kids who are U.S. citizens.
The thread drew many responses from people who have grappled with similar choices. Some encouraged him to take the leap, noting that building in India could offer the freedom the U.S. job structure doesn’t. Others advised patience or a middle path, emphasizing financial security and long-term planning.
One commenter said moving now could be ideal: “You spend another few years and you’re never coming back.” Another warned against leaving without a well-formed plan, noting how difficult it can be to build something meaningful without clear direction.
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“Hey. Was in a similar situation a few years ago. What really helped is talking to a financial advisor or just trying to estimate your expenses when you move to India including what you think you might invest in your business, set aside for kids education, emergency, etc. Multiply recurring annual expenses by 75 minus your age. We even added a cushion of 20-30% on top of that. Once you have the number it helped us work towards securing that and leaving. Otherwise there is no end to “another few years to save,” while the other commented.
Another wrote, “Thinking out loud and far. Since you already have 1M. Why don’t you shoot for EB5 green card with 800K?”
The debate reflects a deeper trend in the global tech community where visa restrictions, work culture, and personal priorities intersect. For this engineer, the decision isn’t just about money or geography. It’s about redefining success on his own terms.