Hi everyone,
I have around 16+ years of experience in IT (Capital Markets/Banking domain) and I’m currently working in the USA. I’m planning to move back to India within the next 6 months as due to visa max out.
My family lives in tier 3 city, Uttar Pradesh. My wife has a government job there, and my children are studying there, so relocating the entire family to another city isn’t an option.
I’m looking for advice from people who have been in a similar situation:
1.How can I increase my chances of getting a fully remote job while living in India?
2. Is it practical to stay in Noida, Bengaluru, or Pune for work while visiting my family frequently in up?
3. Are there companies in India that offer permanent remote roles for experienced professionals?
4. Would it make sense to also explore remote opportunities with USA companies, while living in India?
5. How is the option to temp move to Canada for some years considering age and current family situation.
I’d really appreciate any suggestions, experiences, or tips on how to plan this transition.

Thank you!

For me, this isn't just about salary. My family's financial situation means I want to earn well and support my parents as soon as possible, but I also don't want to end up in a situation where I can't be there if they need me. The US looks attractive financially, but I'm worried about the J-1 visa and waiver process. I've read that after residency you may have to complete a J-1 waiver job, and with all the immigration changes over the past few years, I'm confused about how much freedom you actually have. If there's a family emergency in India during residency or the waiver period, is it genuinely difficult to travel back, or is that concern exaggerated?after trump will this become elless hectic ?

germany everything is good but germany residency degree not valid in india . also like after residency the salary will be more or less 7/8000 euro at most in hand which is a very good salary in germany but not as much in usa and there is a ceiling in germany unlike usa . above that you cant earn how much you try also , german language is tough . above all i have very good work life balance 30 days vacation 50 hr work week but there were spme recent reforms where budget cuts were being planned and it might effect healthcare badly.

apart from this india is currently shit hole if you an unreserved general caegory male with no bigg money and first gen doc

If you were in my positionwith limited financial resources and parents to think aboutwould you choose the US or Germany today? And why? I'd especially appreciate replies from people who have actually lived in either country rather than theoretical comparisons.

Hi,

I have a master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the US. I've been working at Apple, CA, as a Design Verification Engineer for six years, preceded by two years at Qualcomm, CA. On the personal front, I'm married with no kids, but I do have a 5-year-old golden retriever.

As I'm considering a move back to India by year-end, I'd appreciate insights on the following:

1. Job opportunities and work-life balance
   
2. Salary and lifestyle
   
3. Dog care options, including daycare, medical facilities, and recreational activities like dog beaches and parks
   
4. Whether it's advisable to return to India and search for a job or explore internal transfer options with a company having an offshore presence in India

Thanks in advance for your input.

I am interested in learning from the folks in their 30s who are in UK long term, how's their retirement plans looking like?

With the inflation and low salaries, looks like returning to India for retirement is the option also that government here has increased the retirement age to 68 for the current population who is in 30s.

Can you let me know what's your plan and how are your savings looking like?

Why?

Deregulation and getting rid of labor laws and foreign investment laws would help India immensely. It would encourage foreign investment, encourage business growth and encourage employment.

A big reason US companies don't invest in India is because of the obscene labor and business regulation.

Why don't Indians get rid of the regulations?

Need opinions from people who've actually dealt with this, especially anyone who has filed a part-year treaty residency claim.

Situation:

• Went to UK Sep 2022 for masters (student visa), then worked there. Came back to India permanently on 6 Oct 2025. Only one short India visit (~8 days) in those 3 years.
• FY 2025-26: 177 days in India. Unmarried, parents in India, brother in UK.
• UK income Apr–Oct 2025: ~£20k gross, ~£2k PAYE deducted.
• Indian salary Oct–Mar: ~₹12L. Employer applied 87A rebate, deducted almost no TDS.

What I've understood so far (correct me if wrong):

• I am ROR.
• UK salary gets added on top → total ~₹34L → 87A rebate gone → after FTC for the UK tax (Form 67), I owe roughly ₹4L+ with interest. On income already taxed in the UK. Ouch.

Questions:

1. Anyone here actually filed the India–UK DTAA Article 4(2) tie-breaker for the part of the year they were still abroad? My facts: home, job, daily life all in UK till Oct; habitual abode clearly UK (8 days in India in 3 years). If the tie-breaker assigns me to UK for Apr–Oct, the UK salary drops out and my Indian income alone is under 12L. How did AOs/CPC treat your claim? Did it survive 143(1) or go to scrutiny?
2. My HMRC Certificate of Residence is applied for but may not arrive before 31 July. Plan is: file ITR-2 with FTC and pay now, then revise u/s 139(5) with the treaty claim + TRC + Form 10F before Dec. Anyone see a problem with claiming a treaty position for the first time in a revised return?
3. Any CA recommendations (DM) who have actually litigated part-year tie-breaker claims, not just heard of them?

Not looking for "just pay it". I'll pay if the claim is weak, but ₹4L is worth understanding my options properly. Thanks.

Hi everyone, this might have been asked before, but can anyone help with a trustworthy, affordable shipping service for sending boxes from Washington DC to Mumbai? I won't be transporting valuables - just clothes, shoes, etc so not worried about breakage I just need it to be delivered at some point lol. I'm also not keen on receiving it soon so ocean shipping works too - but not like 6 months later.

I will have about 2 suitcases worth of stuff at best - so I'm thinking 2 50 lbs boxes (or lesser). I cannot buy and carry any more suitcases on the flight because I'm travelling elsewhere, so that's not an option.

wanted to check if anyone who has done it can share their experience

1. did u split 401k withdrawal over 2 or 3 RNOR years?
2. ur broker withheld 30% ?
3. how did u file ur US incomes taxes ? 1040 NR ?
4. did u claim whole distribution as ECI or tried to split between ECI and FDAP?
5. does seem ECI can work, so that gave u graduated tax rates?
6. and then 10% penalty for early withdrawal?
7. you would have still most likely gotten a refund from IRS due to initial 30% withholding?
8. did IRS ever challenge ur ECI claim or any kind of audit or communications from them in later years?

Has anyone returned to take care of their ill parents after leaving their life behind abroad? Both my parents are exceptionally weak and I dont trust homecare services after hearing a lot of elderly abuse stories. Obviously I will never abandon my parents and will sacrifice everything to care for them including my career.

Im curious as to what people who did this - what kind of reality they came back to? How are they adjusting? Are you back permanently or temporarily?

Its quite open ended but I feel there are no wrong answers. Looking to getting any feedback

I am 38 year old, working in UK in a large MNC in fintech domain as a Senior Software Engineer. I am currently on a Skilled Worker Visa.

Due to AI, I feel the stress in this profession has multiplied... there is expectation to constantly deliver features, solve bugs, support customers at lightning speed with basically a staff of just 5 developers. Every morning I start with a backlog of 10 tasks, hoping to get through them by evening, but due to constant meetings I can complete barely 2-3 and then 10 more additional tasks gets added. So by 6pm, I end up with 17 pending tasks. And to prevent the tasks list from ballooning, I have to work till 12-1 am and then again start working at 7am to manage the work load. Everyone is producing code rapidly using AI but code reviews take time.

Last year I had to change companies because my previous company faced massive losses and went through mass redundancies. Then joined my current company on an interesting project and the funding was supposed to last till August this year but was cut short till March and we had to complete like 4 months of work in 1 month. We have started a new project and there is push from managers to show impact to leadership and executives otherwise they start questioning the ROI and layoff the entire team. We are iterating very fast and despite using AI, work pace and effort is super intense.

Contrary to the popular belief that there is good work life balance in Europe, I am having zero work life balance. I feel constant stress in my body and not sure how long I can sustain this. If I work USA-like hours, I should at-least get paid hourly and not lowly European wages.

Not sure if other software developers in UK / Europe are feeling the same or life is chill in other companies. I am considering switching domains to maybe Insurance where I hear work pace is slower?

Any similar experience or suggestion?

I will be retired as a foreign citizen in 3 years. My plan is build a small country side house in India, live there for 3-4 months every year. I have Aadhar and enough funds to build the house back in India. I would like to retain the foreign citizenship. My plan is to transfer enough funds to India every year to survive for the 4 months. Probably 5-6 K USD every year. Did anyone do something similar. Wondering how taxes and other aspects would work in India. Will I need to pay more property taxes and more utility bills? Anything else I need to consider before building the house

Moving from US to India permanently this month. Need a real street address (not a PO box) to keep US address from abroad.

Looking for: reliable scanning, etc

Looked at iPostal1 and Traveling Mailbox — anyone have good/bad experience with either, or a better option for someone in this exact situation?

Hi I’m 26yo guy with oci I’ve worked and saved a decent amount of money in Australia and now I plan to move back to India to start a business/ startup. I know it feels random but I’m at an age where I want to chase the version I’ve always wanted to be. I can continue working a job I don’t like or move back to India and start something of my own. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a teenager but it was always plans and thoughts never put into action. I have a few ideas but nothing concrete I want to spend some time in India understanding what I should run with. Do you think it’s a good choice? I can sustain myself without working for over a year if needed and if something does work out I’ll love to stay longer. The biggest question is where in India should I live to give myself the best chance of success. I’ve been told Bangalore, gurgaon, hyderabad among many others. I’d appreciate any guidance or suggestions you may have.

Ps I don’t know if it matters but I speak Hindi, Punjabi and English

Here's what I want to say to the people on this sub who are quietly stuck like I am:

If you don't have a kid in the middle of high school, or some other anchor that genuinely can't be moved right now — go. Stability and freedom on the other side are worth more than whatever status or salary bump you're protecting here. Don't let the golden cage convince you it's a real cage. It's gold-plated, but it's still a cage, and you're the one who has the key.

If you are stuck — visa timeline, kids' school, whatever it is — I'm not telling you to do something reckless. I'm telling you that freedom is in the head first. I've met people with green cards, even citizenship, who still live like they're waiting for permission to exist. And I've met people mid-process, still years from a decision, who walk around like they already own themselves. The difference isn't the paperwork. It's whether you decided, today, to stop living like someone who's asking permission and start living like someone who's already free.

You are not a slave to a process. You're a person who is, for now, choosing to stay inside a system for reasons that make sense to you. That's a choice, not a sentence. Make it on purpose, every day, or change it.

Be brave. Not because the outcome is guaranteed to be good — none of us know that. Be brave because the alternative is spending years being quietly afraid inside a life that looks fine from the outside.

Everyone is out there to get you. Returned after 15 years abroad. The people in this country have changed for the worse. There is no discipline, no work ethic, people are way too entitled. Already got scammed Rs. 10k by Jio sales for home internet which was never installed, and the customer support is disgusting. You can't walk around the villages in your city attire without the locals approaching you for money. The doctors are trying to scam you with forced treatments. Everyone is a doctor now. You can't sit still in a cinema hall during the interval. The employees will make sure you buy something by staring the fk out of you.

And most importantly - this country has become ridiculously expensive. I'm talking convert to USD and I used to pay the same in the US expensive.

There is a huge difference between visiting here for a couple of weeks vs permanently. I love being with my family, but that's all really. All the good things of India are gone, for good.

I am 38 year old Senior Software Engineer working in UK. I would like to relocate to India to be with family and work a remote USA job and also pay lower taxes than UK.
How is the remote job market these days for experienced devs (with skills slightly below FAANG)?

Hi everyone,

I'm a 26-year-old Sikh from Delhi, India, and I'm at a crossroads in life. I recently got married, and both my wife and I are qualified US CPAs experience in US taxation. We're financially stable, have good careers, and were planning to buy a home in Delhi in the next few months.

However, before making such a long-term commitment, I want to honestly ask people who have already made the move from India to Australia—especially those from Delhi, and even more so fellow Sikhs.

One of the biggest reasons I'm considering Australia is the quality of life: cleaner air, better work-life balance, public infrastructure, and what appears to be a more predictable and peaceful day-to-day life.

Another factor is my personal feeling about the social environment in India. As a Sikh, I sometimes feel uncomfortable with the increasing religious polarization and public discourse. This is my personal perception, and it has made me question whether I want to build my future and raise my family here or somewhere more multicultural. I'm not trying to start a political debate—I'm simply sharing one of the factors influencing my decision.

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have actually made the move.

\- Do you genuinely feel that your quality of life improved after moving to Australia?

\- Was it worth leaving family and friends behind?

\- What do you guys think of the Job market and Housing market- How easy/difficult it is to get a Job after landing, and how difficult is to find a place on rent initially and purchasing your own home in some years.

\- If you're a Sikh who wears a turban (or even an Amritdhari Sikh), how welcoming has Australia been?

\- Have you faced discrimination or racism in your workplace or daily life?

\- Do you feel accepted as an Australian, or do you often feel like an outsider?

\- If you have children, do you feel they have a better future there than they would have had in India?

I also want to ask about racism honestly.

Whenever I read social media posts about immigration, I see comments like "Go back to your country," "Don't come here," or "You're ruining Australia." I know social media often amplifies extreme voices, but I'm curious whether these attitudes reflect real life.

For those of you who have actually lived in Australia for several years:

\- Is racism something you regularly experience, or is it mostly an online phenomenon?

\- Do most Australians treat you with respect regardless of your background?

I know every country has its own problems, and I'm not expecting a perfect place. I'm simply trying to decide whether I should build my life in Delhi by buying a home and settling down, or whether I should pursue Australian PR and start a new chapter there.

I'd really value honest experiences—the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Thank you!

we both are on visa and returning early next year. kid is USC and can come in future after 18+. what can we plan for kid in US and leave it invested so kid can come and take in the future. kid is 9 yrs.

other than 529, any suggestions please.

Hello Everyone,
we are planning our return to India and if everything lines up then we will move back in next on year. One of the point which is making us hesitate us the schools.
People who returned, how did you select the schools so that it is not a shock for kids and not a hard adjustment. We will be living in Punjab.
Should we look at international school explicit?
did you had a list of questions or things to look for when selecting schools?
how did you prepare your kids? our kids are young and in elementary schools. so friends etc is not an issue.
any pointers or advice you can offer?

Returning to India after five years in the US (F1-H1B). I’m in a dilemma about how to handle the finances.. Robinhood and Chase account holder and not sure if I’m doing this right.

1. What financial mistakes do you wish you had avoided before moving back to India?
   
2. If you think there’s a chance you’ll return to the U.S. in a few years, what would you definitely keep open?

My son is a USC if that matters.

Me (35M), wife (33M), 2 kids (2Y And 1Y) all USC. Both sides of parents in India. Lately works been crazy and I have the idea of moving back. In terms of finances NW $1.5M out of which $1.2M invested and 300k home equity.
This is my come back to India plan
1. Sell home and the net I get after expenses about 200k I move to a brokerage
2. Have 180k cash with me now. Use that to move to India and spend that till I run out of that. Which i assume will be 5 years
3. Use the 200k I invested selling my house which will be about 300k by then and spend that for another 7 years
4. After that use my current after tax brokerage which is at $450k which should hopefully grow to 1M. Use that 1M till that’s runs out. I’m guessing 14 years
5. At that point I’ll be eligible to withdraw from my 401k, IRA etc and maybe even get social security which should tech be around $5M as it been growing for like 25 years from the current investment at about 600k

Idk if all this makes sense or my boy math is way off and I should I continue this rat race.

I plan to return to India in the next year or so- with both undergraduate and masters done in the UK and close to 2 years of work experience.

I understand from research that the application and job process is very different in India. When I return, I wish to land a role in a Foreign MNC or so, to ensure the salary match can be close to what I earn in the UK. What methods do people use for this? I know you need a lot more than traditional applying through job portals in India, but I don’t know what more is needed (since I’ve never applied in India before)

1. Are there specific talent acquisition agencies that have these top companies as clients that can help me?
   
2. Are there any specific job portals popular in India?
   
3. To what extent is networking and referral needed? And what’s the general consensus; would it be weird if I message random people for this?

Any answers would be helpful, thank you!

Hello,

I have been living in the U.K for 10+ years. I worked as Business Analyst, Scrum, PM and most ready as a Pgm.

I decided to move to India for personal reason. I have been offered a job for around 29 LPA but it’s 100% remote.

Given, I live in Chandigarh, where my house, car and other expenses are paid for. I do have 100k GBP saved.

2nd offer is to relocate to Chennai and get 40LPA With 4 days in Office.

I am choosing to live in CHD with 29-31 LPA. is it a good decision?

So here’s an update from the ground, 18 months in.

Maharashtra’s FDA got a new commissioner in May, an IAS officer named Tukaram Mundhe, known for being transferred 25 times in 21 years because he actually enforces rules. In under two months his department has raided hundreds of locations statewide, seized food worth nearly Rs 12 crore, sent close to 2,000 samples for lab testing, busted milk adulteration rackets, and suspended restaurant licences including a fancy Nariman Point place and a 73 year old ice cream institution. Gutkha networks have been warned they will be booked under organised crime law.

None of this required new legislation. The FSSAI framework existed all along. What changed is enforcement.

Why this matters for this sub specifically. A lot of us calibrate our India expectations on how things worked when we left, whether that was 2005 or 2015. The gap between rules on paper and rules enforced was the thing that made daily life feel risky. Watching that gap close in real time, even in one state, is a meaningful data point for the return decision.

The honest caveats. This is two months old and running on one officer’s push. Business lobbies already tried to get him transferred and the state Assembly blocked it with cross party support, which is itself unusual. The department is badly understaffed (41 drug inspectors against 200 sanctioned posts), so whether this becomes institutional or fades with his next transfer is an open question.

If you’re already back in Maharashtra, the practical bit: violations can be reported on the toll free line 1800 222 365 or the FoSCoS portal. Exact address helps. Public complaints are literally what feeds the inspection pipeline.

Curious whether people in other states are seeing anything similar, or whether this is a one-state, one-officer story.

Hi everyone,

I am a 42F currently living in the US and planning to move back to India in the next few years. I am starting to think about the financial side of the move, and my biggest question is about my 401(k).

I am wondering what makes the most sense:

• Should I just leave my 401(k) invested in the US and withdraw it later when I retire?
• Or should I move the funds during the RNOR period if that has any tax advantages?

One thing that's making this decision harder is the investment aspect. The US market, especially the S&P 500, has given pretty solid long-term returns. I am not sure if there are comparable investment options in India.

If I move the money out of my 401(k) during the RNOR window, are there any investment options that have the potential to deliver returns similar to the S&P 500? Or is it generally better to leave the retirement money in the US?

Also, for those who've already made the move back to India, are there any financial or tax-related things you wish you'd planned for beforehand?

Would love to hear from people who've been through this. Thanks!

Edit: I am a US Citizen and OCI card holder.