(Image source from: REUTERS)
Sidhi Sharma had a desire to wed an Indian national who held a prestigious job in the United States. However, the 19-year-old medical student from Haryana decided against this after noticing recent news about the US President Donald Trump's strict immigration policies. "I had always envisioned starting my life in the US after getting married," she mentioned, without going into detail about her thoughts. "Trump has closed that option for me." Stricter immigration laws in the US, especially concerning the H-1B skilled-worker visa, are making families in India hesitant to marry off their children to Indian citizens living in the United States, as there is a concern that potential spouses could lose their jobs or immigration status, according to matchmakers, experts, and hopeful brides and grooms. There is no official data from the government regarding marriages between Indian citizens living in India and those abroad.
"While the immigration regulations may be established in Washington, their effects can be felt at family dinner tables across India when marriage discussions arise," stated Anuradha Gupta, who established the customized matchmaking service 'Vows For Eternity'. Traditionally, marriage choices in India are made by families, with relatives and matchmaking services aiding in arranged unions. Although romantic marriages are becoming more common, especially in urban areas, families still often play an important role in the process. The US has the largest population of Indians living abroad, according to Indian government records, which includes approximately 2.1 million Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), who are highly sought after for marriage. Since his return to office in January, Trump has initiated a wide-ranging crackdown on immigration, which includes attempts to restrict legal routes to residency. His changes to the H-1B visa represent the most significant move to alter temporary work visa rules, affecting many Indians, who represented 71 percent of the visas issued last year. For numerous Indians, marrying a fellow countryman residing in the US was seen as a way to gain financial stability and improve their standard of living, with families valuing the tradition of receiving monetary support from them.
About 75 percent of the H-1B visas granted to Indian nationals in 2024 went to males, according to information from US Citizenship and Immigration Services. "Until last year, there was a high demand and excitement for NRI bachelors and men living overseas," remarked Vanaja Rao, the director of her company known for quick marriages. "We’ve started noticing a decline since Trump’s administration began, and it has worsened over the last six months. Additionally, after the recent turmoil and restrictions on H-1B, there’s increased anxiety," said Rao, who has been in the matchmaking business for almost fifty years. In some situations, families are postponing weddings. "There is a lot of uncertainty regarding immigration as a whole, and not solely pertaining to H-1B; it has grown more serious in the last year," shared a 26-year-old Indian living in Atlanta, Georgia, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the topic.
He mentioned that he knows of three weddings that have been postponed due to changes in Trump's policies. "Whenever there are rumors about tightening or stopping the rules regarding H-1B visas and skilled worker immigration, it always affects the marriage market," explained Harshita Yalamarty, an assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. She referred to Trump's first term when he targeted H-1B visas and suggested that spouses should not be allowed to work. His successor, Joe Biden, later reversed that policy. Trump's changes to the visa system have also made many Indian students reconsider the idea of the 'American Dream.' Data from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement indicates there were around 422,335 Indian students in the US in 2024.
Some matchmakers are adjusting to this new situation. The premium matchmaking service Knot.dating has added a 'US visa filter' on its app as it expands into southern India. Jasveer Singh, the company’s cofounder and CEO, stated that many families there are especially interested in Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). "Families want to check the visa status of their potential match from overseas before moving forward," Singh added. Since this feature was launched in September, roughly 1,000 NRIs have registered, with 60 percent on H-1B visas and the rest on green cards or other types of visas, according to Singh from Knot.dating. Among the 1,000 registrants, 81 percent were men.
Knot.dating requires that male users earn at least 5 million rupees (about $56,332.32) annually but does not have any income requirement for female users. This amount is "much higher than what a new graduate or a typical professional usually makes in India, representing several years' worth of earnings here,” said KP Singh from overseas education consultancy IMFS.
"This American income provides a level of financial stability that many people here can only wish for." With the American Dream becoming less attainable, some Indian clients are turning their attention to Canada, the UK, Europe, and the Middle East for possible partners, according to Nikita Anand, the founder of the matchmaking agency Wedding Tales Matrimony. "When families think about marriage, things like mobility and security play a significant role in their choices. They are looking for long-term stability, not just for themselves but also for future generations," stated Gupta from Vows For Eternity.
