Indian Techie In US For 11 Years Says Being Away From Parents Is Hardest Part: "Video Calls Can't Replace..."

For Indian professional Abhradeep Chatterjee, moving to the US in 2015 opened the door to new career opportunities. But 11 years later, he says the biggest challenge of living abroad has been being away from his family in India, especially as his parents grow older. According to Business Insider, Chatterjee, 37, moved to the US on an H-1B visa after Tata Consultancy Services sent him to New Jersey for a work assignment. He later continued his career in the country and now works as an associate director at Japanese IT company NTT Data in Minnesota.

When he first arrived in the US, Chatterjee expected his stay to be temporary. Over the years, however, he built a career and a family there. He is now married, owns a home in Minnesota, and is raising his two-year-old daughter.

Despite building a life in the US, Chatterjee said the distance from his family has become increasingly difficult. He has not returned to India since moving to the US and has missed several important family occasions, including an uncle's funeral and a cousin's wedding.

"My parents are getting older, and there have been times when I've wished I could easily travel home," he said.

He also noted that travelling internationally for H-1B visa holders can involve additional planning because of immigration requirements and visa stamping. Chatterjee said this has made trips to India more complicated than simply booking a flight and going home.

The birth of his daughter made the distance from his parents even more difficult for him. It also made him think about the moments his own parents were missing while living thousands of kilometres away. 

"My daughter's birth made me realise what my parents might be missing out on... Video calls can help, but they don't replace sitting with your parents in person," he told Business Insider. 

His professional life in the US has also remained tied to the uncertainty of his immigration status. Chatterjee is now hoping to obtain an employer-sponsored EB-3 green card but expects the process to take several more years. The prolonged wait has made visa renewals stressful, particularly because his long-term future in the US remains uncertain.

Still, Chatterjee said that if he were forced to leave the US, he would return to India, where his parents live and where he spent his childhood.