This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Abhradeep Chatterjee, 37, an Indian national who lives in Minnesota. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I was young and newly married when I came to the US from India in 2015. I didn’t imagine I’d still be here 11 years later.
I came for the opportunity to grow. The Indian multinational company I’d been working for, Tata Consultancy Services, sent me to New Jersey on an assignment. I continued building a career in the US on the H-1B visa, and the country has challenged me professionally in ways I couldn’t have imagined when I arrived.
But it’s all been on a temporary visa. The uncertainty has been difficult.
My wife made sacrifices; our daughter gained opportunities
My wife and I both wanted to come to the US.
She moved on a dependent H-4 visa, which doesn’t automatically come with work authorization. She had to wait until my employer filed my green card paperwork, which meant she couldn’t work for nearly four years. Money wasn’t our biggest issue — I felt guilty that she’d studied for a master’s and wanted to work, but sacrificed her life to come to the US with me.
Meanwhile, my career progressed from relocating with TCS to joining another company as a technical lead. In 2023, I joined the Japanese IT company, NTT Data, where I’m now an associate director.
While I was able to transfer my H-1B visa between companies, it wasn’t always a stress-free process. Because approvals aren’t in your control, there’s always a degree of uncertainty, which made it hard to fully relax.
Tim Evans for BI
Being exposed to different ways of thinking in America has made me more adaptable and empathetic.
Our two-year-old daughter was born in the US, and I’m glad this has opened up opportunities for her to study at a good US university at a lower cost than if she were an international student.
My wife and I have long imagined our future in the US. We’ve built friendships and community here. We’ve bought a home with a backyard where our daughter can play, and we have two dogs. When I see my daughter playing with friends outside, it feels like the exact kind of environment I hoped to provide for her.
At the same time, there is a certain irony in that we’ve built a life that feels permanent while living with an immigration process that often feels anything but.
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Being separated from family in India has been costly
The hardest part of my journey has been the distance from my family. I grew up with so many friends and relatives in India, but I haven’t gone back since I moved to the US, so I’ve missed a lot.
Because of my visa status, travel decisions come with planning and immigration considerations, including visa stamping.
My parents are getting older, and there have been times when I’ve wished I could easily travel home. I’ve not been present for important moments, including an uncle’s funeral and a cousin’s wedding. My daughter’s birth made me realize what my parents might be missing out on. Video calls can help, but they don’t replace sitting with your parents in person.
I’m hoping to get an employer-sponsored EB-3 green card. I have a 2018 priority date, signaling my place in line for approval, from a previous employer’s petition, but my plan is for my current employer to sponsor my petition instead.
I don’t know how long the wait will be, but I’m expecting to wait several more years. I’m already getting a lot of white hair, so maybe all my hair will be white by the time I get a green card. Every time my wife and I have to renew our visas, we get nervous about what could happen.
The uncertainty hasn’t erased our hope
My grandma used to say that everything comes with a cost. There are struggles, but the opportunities in the US are huge compared to what we had in India.
My wife is now an accountant. I could, in theory, have the same job title at a company in India, but since a lot of companies, including mine, have a large US presence, I have more opportunities to work directly with clients and decision-makers here.
Tim Evans for BI
Over the years, I’ve occasionally searched my own name online, not as a vanity project but to see the positive impact of my work. There are many Abhradeep Chatterjees — I want to contribute enough professionally to leave a visible record in search results. The opportunities I have access to in the US are helping me leave a bigger mark.
If something went wrong and I had to leave, I’d go back to India. My parents are there, and I had my childhood there.
I don’t want these years to be just about waiting. I’ve built a career, made friends, and learned. Uncertainty has been part of my life for a long time, but I’ve tried not to let it define my life.
When I was young, I dreamed of being in the US and taking a photo with the Statue of Liberty. Now, my dream is for my family.
My wife and I have worked hard to build a life here, and one of my greatest hopes is that our daughter will have the freedom and opportunity to pursue her dreams. That goal motivates many of the sacrifices we’ve made along the way.
Business Insider confirmed he was employed by Tata Consultancy Services and NTT Data. Both declined to respond to a request for comment.
A USCIS spokesperson told Business Insider that employment-based immigration “must benefit the nation, American businesses, and American citizens,” and that it is working to ensure visa programs “supplement, not supplant American workers.”
The Department of Labor declined to comment.
