H-1B or B-1 visa? Indian entrepreneur reveals which one is better amid immigration crackdown, ‘Life feels in…’
An Indian entrepreneur shares how switching from an H-1B to a B-1 visa transformed his life, allowing him to run his own business and travel more frequently.
An Indian entrepreneur recently spoke about how changing from an H-1B to a B-1 visa improved his life, saying it was a pivotal moment that allowed him to resume having “control and excitement” in his career.
“This is a true story,” Aniruddha stated in an Instagram video, adding that his life “completely changed” after switching to a B-1 visa. He was on H1-B visa for nine years.
Indian entrepreneur shares experience of switching to B-1 visa
Comparing both experiences, he said, “My life on H1B: couldn’t run my own business, allowed to travel to India only once a year, renewal every three years, constant uncertainty due to government policies, stuck in the corporate loop. Life was mundane — felt like a slave.”
He then discussed how switching to a B-1 visa, a short-term, non-immigrant visa that permits people to travel to the US for work-related purposes, improved matters.
“My life on B-1 visa: running my own LLC legally, travelling twice a year to the US from India, visa valid for 10 years, no stress about policy changes, enjoying entrepreneurship. Life feels in my control and exciting every day,” the entrepreneur said.
He went on to say, “All I did was take a leap of faith and make the jump,” inspiring others to take chances. He further mentioned that he will be later discussing the specific steps he took.
Aniruddha now spends all of his time in India and only travels to the US for conferences.
Netizens react
Aniruddha's post garnered several reactions, with people querying about visa related issues.
“Hi, do they really allow you to travel to the US on B1 visa under the current situation?” one person asked.
“What about travel to India only once? H1-B doesn’t restrict your travel out of country,” another wrote.
“I have B1 with 10 year validity but never travelled to USA,” a third user commented, while the fourth stated, “But being in B1, you are not allowed to be engaged in any productive/income generating work. Then how will you run the business in US?”
This comes after US President Donald Trump issued a significant policy directive mandating that businesses pay a one-time cost of $100,000 (about ₹88 lakh) for each new H-1B visa application.
Indian professionals, who comprise over 70% of those entering the US IT sector via the H-1B route, are alarmed by the directive. The action has been widely perceived as an overt attempt to deny Indian talent access to possibilities in the US tech sector.
Disclaimer: The story is based on a post on Instagram and HT.com has not independently verified the user's claims.
