Indian woman lists 4 reasons why she prefers San Francisco over Bengaluru: ‘Wasn’t about to tie myself to H-1B’

Viba Mohan, who is from Bengaluru, explained why she believes moving to the US is the best decision for her career and personal growth.

A Indian woman who recently received an O1 work visa for the United States has explained why her move out of Bengaluru to the US is the best decision for her personal and professional growth.

The Indian woman from Bengaluru got an O1 work visa in the US.

Viba Mohan, a product designer, listed four reasons why she decided to make the US her new home for the next few years. Citing culture as her Number One reason, Mohan said she appreciates the "wild, relentless optimism" in the US.

"Everyone’s stoked about the possibilities, and if you fail, you just try again! The second is craftsmanship. It’s all about perfecting your craft, and that vibe is contagious" she said in her post on X (formerly Twitter).

The second compelling reason is safety, both in the professional space as well as on the streets.

"It’s a breath of fresh air to work without tiptoeing around a colleague who’s obsessed with you and has zero boundaries. And the freedom to go for a walk or a run without always looking over my shoulder?" she said, adding that living in a safe place not just makes one feel calmer but also more productive.

Mohan also explained why she did not consider applying for the much sought-after H-1B visa for high-skilled workers, popular among tech workers from India.

"The visa game is a nightmare. I knew I wasn’t about to tie myself to a H-1B or drop a fortune on a master’s degree to move here. Getting the O1 and the freedom that comes with it made this so much easier," she said.

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Lastly, Mohan compared the start-up ecosystem of Bengaluru and San Francisco, saying India's IT capital's start-up space is dominated by fin-tech and e-commerce.

"Bangalore’s got some brilliant minds, no doubt! But the tech scene? It’s often about fintech, last mile, e-commerce—you know, the usual suspects. It’s changing, which is awesome, but the problems I’m most interested in? They’re still being solved in SF," she said.