Telugu Father's US Gamble Ends in Debt

For many Indian families, sending children abroad for higher education is seen as a ticket to a better life. But for one father from Visakhapatnam, that dream has become a heartbreaking struggle.

In pursuit of opportunities in the United States, he borrowed heavily to fund his sons’ education — only to find himself deep in debt and facing emotional turmoil.

The father took on massive loans, with costs rising to around ₹1.5 crore as his two sons completed their master’s degrees in the US.

His small business was already under strain, but he continued to support his children, hoping they would secure good jobs and eventually permanent residency.

However, tightening US immigration rules; especially restrictions on the valuable H-1B work visas following policy shifts under President Donald Trump; made jobs harder to obtain for international graduates.

Without steady employment, both sons struggled to transition from student status to professional work visas.

To support them, the father increased his remittances. At first he sent ₹1 lakh per month for each son’s part-time living expenses. But as visa hurdles mounted and part-time work no longer sufficed, he had to send ₹2 lakh per son monthly.

As a result, the total loan ballooned past ₹2 crore. At one point, he even considered selling his flat to stay afloat.

There was a small break in the crisis when the elder son was selected in the H-1B lottery, landing a modest full-time job.

While this eased some financial pressure, the family’s ordeal exposed the deep uncertainty and vulnerability faced by many Indian students and parents chasing the US dream.

The father’s story has resonated widely on social media, with many noting that tens of thousands of Indian families are now in similar situations; carrying heavy education loans and hoping for jobs and visas that increasingly seem out of reach.

Commentators say this episode calls for understanding and empathy, rather than judgment, as systemic challenges make the American Dream harder to realise.