H1B Woes - "I Have a Own House, But Can't Come Back..."
The inability to get a Dropbox appointment for visa renewal is more than just an administrative hassle for a large number of H1B visa holders in the US; for many, it's a nightmare that might change their entire existence. An H1B holder previously expressed the emotional aspects of such a predicament in a sincere post on social media: “How frustrating, getting an H1B Dropbox appointment has been a nightmare. I paid for the application in February, but I haven't received a visa appointment. I'm traveling to india to see my relatives. I'm not sure how I'll return. Here, I own a house. Very annoying.
This narrative is not unique. Thousands of H1B holders—mostly indian citizens—are becoming more anxious about this as they feel trapped in a never-ending loop of wondering when, or if, they would be allowed to return home after traveling outside. The wait for a basic visa appointment has turned into a torturous time of uncertainty for people who have made significant investments in deep roots in the United States, from jobs to families to hoes. Many people are left wondering if the system they have relied on for so long is still reliable, as appointments through Dropbox, which is meant to provide expedited visa renewal services, are now out of reach. "I'm not sure how I'll return" is a common refrain on social media, where H1B holders now share their tales.
Real people—engineers, educators, and healthcare professionals—behind these postings make valuable contributions to the economy and society, but they constantly feel precarious, as though their house could fall apart at any time due to a correspondence that got caught up in a bureaucratic maze. The USCIS has not made any public comments on the matter, while attributing this to an appointment backlog brought on by a lack of resources and disruptions connected to the epidemic. However, those are only words that offer minimal consolation to individuals who are in a state of uncertainty and who are afraid of being unable to visit loved ones again.
The message on the wall becomes increasingly evident as more H1B holders come forward: this isn't a paperwork issue. It concerns the lives and prospects of those who decide to settle in the United States. For them, the thought of not being able to return back is something above annoyance - it’s tragic.