'I have realized something': Redditor shares one-year experience of living in India after spending 12 years in US

Taking the decision to return to India after spending years abroad is always a tough one as there are many aspects to consider. No two people’s situations are ever the same but NRIs share tips and insights on social media channels that may help others in a similar plight. A Redditor shared the experience of living in India for a year after returning in 2025 and many social media users found the takeaways relatableThe Redditor stayed in the US for 12 years but abruptly made the decision to return to India because of mother’s health. “I took the decision to return quite abruptly. I remember my father telling me about my mother’s health issues and I was so overwhelmed with sadness that I booked my return ticket on Feb 15, 2025 and 3 months later, I was in India,” the Redditor said.“In hindsight, I should have planned my move well in advance. My initial thought was to hire a CA after returning to India – I should have hired a CA before returning to India. I also came to know about several forms such as W8BEN which one needs to file with US banks after returning to India.”

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A Reddit post on returning to India from US.

“I was fortunate enough to find a job within 2 weeks of landing here. But it took me 6 months to get my Aadhaar (my payroll was initially frozen due to no Aadhaar) and I got it only after meeting with a BLO officer,” the post added, enumerating the usual hiccups one might face after coming back to India from abroad after such a long time.“My mother has recovered now completely. I am glad I was there for her when she needed me the most. But now that I have spent a year in India, I have realized something: I do not want to live in India permanently. I am once again applying to jobs overseas (not US but elsewhere)” the Redditor said.Several users shared their mixed experiences of moving back to India — with many willing to explore Europe or Australia instead of choosing between India and the US.