I’ve spent 5 years building a life in the US. Even with an H-1B, I don’t feel secure enough to buy a home or start a family.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Madhur Mehta, 35, an Indian national living in Seattle and working at Amazon. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

When I came to the US for my master’s degree in August 2021, my goal was to have a stable career and join a good company. I wanted to grow professionally and personally, and support my family back home in India.

After five years in the US, I’ve achieved a lot, including landing a program manager role at Amazon. But the journey has taken an emotional toll I never expected, from being far away from family to dealing with visa uncertainty.

From the day I landed in…