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H-1B Worker Says Visa Delays Kept Him From His Mother’s Final Moments

The viral account is driving fresh scrutiny of consular backlogs that force migrants to choose between family emergencies and the risk of losing legal status.

Overview

  • Gautam Dey, an Indian-origin professional on an H-1B visa in the United States, wrote on LinkedIn that he could not reach India before his mother died of stage 4 lung cancer.
  • He said he spent 26 days seeking an emergency visa stamping appointment and sent hospital records to the consulate but did not get a timely slot.
  • He explained that leaving the U.S. without a confirmed appointment could have left him stuck abroad for months and put his job and his family’s status at risk.
  • He described seeing his mother only through calls and video during her final days and called the outcome the biggest regret of his life.
  • He said he was not making a political claim and urged younger workers to weigh the human cost of immigration rules, as outlets including NDTV, Hindustan Times, and Times Now reported no official response or policy change.