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H-1B visa row: Indian-origin CEO's advise to stranded workers triggers online outrage, ‘This sounds very desperate’
Indian CEO Vijay Thirumalai addressed the H-1B visa situation, with many stranded in India due to delays caused by new US regulations.
Indian-origin CEO Vijay Thirumalai addressed the current H-1B situation, noting that several Indians have found themselves stranded in India after traveling to their homeland to have their visas stamped.
Amid major changes in H-1B policies, their interview appointments have been postponed for at least six months due to the State Department's social media vetting process, which commenced on December 15. As they remain in India many people on social media have ridiculed the current scenario, wondering how Indians can be stuck in India.
Thirumalai highlights struggles of H-1B professionals stuck in India
However, San Francisco-based Indian American entrepreneur Thirumalai called the mockery people caught in prolonged visa processing delays “brutal”, as he empathizes with those facing unexpected delays in their visa appointments.
In a post published on December 23 on X, Thirumalai referenced a report from the Washington Post that outlined the predicament of numerous professionals who were stranded in India.
“People who mock the concept of being stranded, have no idea what is going thru. They have their homes, their jobs, kids school and their entire lives back in US, what was supposed to be a 2 week trip is now stretching to 3-4 months and maybe more, god knows, how long. It is brutal,” he noted.
The Indian-origin CEO further urged them to “do everything you can to obtain [a] green card,” contending that the benefits of long-term stability and mobility surpassed the challenges of short-term uncertainty.
‘Get get out of H1B quagmire’
According to him, his company gets two or three calls every day from engineers who are impacted by the situation. Their short trips to India have turned into months due to visa stamping appointments cancellation, which has interfered with their jobs, housing, and children's education in the US.
Thirumalai claims that the latest delays are due to new US consular regulations that went into effect in mid-December 2025 and demand increased social media screening for H-1B and H-4 candidates. These changes have resulted in appointment availability being pushed into 2026 or beyond and have diminished third-country processing options.
Thirumalai rejected the notion that workers should permanently move to India, citing both economic and personal factors. “I have only 1 advise, do all you can to get out of H1B quagmire asap,” he said.
He pointed to currency exchange rates and broader uncertainties, recommending an investment of “4–5 more years” to obtain a green card and ultimately citizenship, characterizing this as a means to achieve “optionality” and “the best of all worlds” in light of evolving political discourse and increasing worries regarding job disruption driven by AI.
Also Read: H-1B overhaul: Here's who gets priority and who faces setback during visa selection process
Thirumalai faces backlash
Thirumalai's post, which has garnered over 434.6K views, drew social media attention, with some blasting her suggestion as “very desperate.”
“Hopefully, this will make people not want to go to the US on H1-B and build in India instead. Empathise with the folks that are stranded, who have loans and family and all that in the US; I hope things work out for them,” one person commented.
“We're both talking our book really. Your business perhaps depends on the migration. Mine will benefit from them not migrating. The US in particular isn't kind to Indians in the US investing in Indian mutual funds, so yeah, I'm biased,” the user added.
“4-5 years to get a green card ? Which world? Indians need to wait at least 20 years if they file in eb2/eb3. Wake up, smell the coffee and build your future elsewhere,” another said.
“No way you will get GC in 4-5 years unless you get it through EB-1. Normal processing will take 15-20 years for most people. Go to some other country, if you have just started in your career,” a third user wrote.
