One in six Indian H-1B visa holders or someone they know has been served a deportation notice (Notice to Appear, NTA) within the 60-day grace period after being laid off from job.
These H-1B visa holders face the risk of a permanent ban from the U.S., according to a poll of 1,584 participants posted on August 6, 2025 on Blind, the anonymous community app for verified professionals. Nearly half said they would return to India if forced to leave.
Normally, laid-off H-1B workers in the U.S. are granted a 60-day grace period to secure a new employer or change their visa status. But since mid-2025, reports have surged of NTAs being issued well before the grace period ends, in some cases within just two weeks, and deemed “out of status.”
“Multiple cases where NTAs were sent in 2 weeks.” a Meta user wrote on Blind. “Immigration lawyers now advise leaving as soon as possible after the job ends otherwise you risk a permanent ban from the US.”
Indian H-1B visa Holders
Indian professionals on H-1B visas are increasingly considering leaving the U.S. and returning to India, according to data.
This growing uncertainty is reshaping long-term plans. In another Blind survey, 45% of Indian professionals on U.S. work visas said they would consider returning to India if they lost their job and had to leave the country. 26% would relocate to another country, and 29% remained undecided.
The biggest fears holding them back from leaving the U.S. were significant pay cut (25%), lower quality of life (24%), cultural or family adjustment (13%) and fewer job opportunities (10%).
When asked if they would choose a U.S. work visa again, only 35% said “yes.” The remaining 65% were either unsure (27%) or outright negative (38%), reflecting a shift in sentiment about the long-term value of U.S. immigration.
That shift is grounded in real experiences. Over one in three (35%) reported that either they or someone close to them had to leave the U.S. after losing their job, often facing deportation risks during the short grace period. Taken together, the data suggest a growing number are now prepared to consider leaving the U.S., with many looking to return to India.
Separately, Trump’s recent call for American companies to “stop hiring in India” has split opinion sharply along geographic lines: 63% of U.S.-based professionals said the move could benefit their companies, while 69% of India-based respondents said it would have a negative impact.
Blind conducted a survey on its platform between July 28 and August 8, 2025. A total of 2,089 verified Indian professionals currently working in the U.S. on work visas, such as H-1B or L1, participated in the survey.
H-1B Visa 60-Day Rule
The H-1B visa rules mandate nonimmigrant workers and their families to leave the United States within 60 days or when their approved validity period expires.
If a nonimmigrant files for change or adjustment within the 60-day grace period, their legal stay in the US may extend beyond 60 days, even if they lose their previous status.
Still, some H-1B visa holders are receiving ‘Notices to Appear’ after being removed from jobs.
The Notice to Appear (NTA) is a document requiring a foreigner to appear before an immigration judge, outlining the nature of removal proceedings, legal authority, factual allegations, and charges against the foreigner.
The same H-1B visa rule also gives discretionary powers to the US authorities – “DHS may eliminate or shorten these 60 days as a matter of discretion. Unless otherwise authorized under and the foreigner may not work during such a period.”