Survey Says Indian Immigrants in U.S. Are Scared of Traveling: A New Age of Visa Rules

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In late 2025, a striking new trend emerged from the United States; one that cuts across careers, cultures, and communities. A major 2025 Survey of Immigrants conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) in partnership with The New York Times uncovered a powerful undercurrent of fear among immigrants in the U.S., including a large share of Indian professionals and families. According to the survey’s findings, nearly three in ten immigrants have deliberately avoided travel, both within and outside the U.S., to stay under the radar of immigration authorities.

This trend springs from a deep-seated anxiety rooted in immigration policy shifts, administrative scrutiny, and widespread uncertainty. Indian immigrants, H-1B workers, lawful permanent residents, and even naturalised citizens are tightening their travel plans and staying closer to home than ever before: a phenomenon that experts have termed a new era of “travel fear.”

So what exactly is travel fear? Is it the right practice? Our EB-1A consultants have explained all you need to know in great detail.

Why now? The changing landscape of U.S. visa rules

The United States has gone through a whirlwind of immigration policy changes in 2025. A combination of tightened immigration rules, expanded vetting procedures, and unprecedented data-sharing between federal agencies has intensified concerns among non-citizens and citizens alike.

For example:

Immigration lawyers and major tech firms issued advisories explicitly warning H-1B visa holders to avoid foreign travel unless absolutely necessary. Many were advised not to go abroad even for routine visa stamping, due to fears that returning to the U.S. might jeopardize job security or visa status.
Consulates worldwide, especially in India, rescheduled visa interviews far into 2026, placing critical life plans and family reunions on indefinite hold.
Newly introduced procedural changes include expanded social media screening, elimination of third-country visa renewals, and stricter scrutiny of domestic travel data: the latter a first in U.S. history.

These shifts have fostered a climate of uncertainty that goes beyond immigration policy into everyday life decisions, including the choice to travel or stay put.

What the survey found: A breakdown

The 2025 Survey of Immigrants revealed a layered and nuanced picture of travel avoidance:

27% of all immigrants reported avoiding both domestic and international travel altogether.
Among H-1B visa holders, a striking 32% said they altered or canceled travel plans due to immigration concerns.
Even naturalised citizens, i.e., people with full citizenship rights, showed travel hesitation, with 15% admitting they avoided trips they would have otherwise taken.
Unsurprisingly, undocumented immigrants exhibited the highest levels of travel avoidance at 63%.

What’s noteworthy is where this avoidance is happening: not just abroad, but within the U.S. itself. Many immigrants are choosing not to take domestic flights or drive long distances for fear that expanded data-sharing between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could trigger immigration enforcement.

Stories behind the numbers

While statistics paint a dramatic picture, individual stories make the trend real. Take the case of Shikha S., a 30-year-old Indian IT professional in Texas, whose long-planned trip to India to visit her parents was abruptly postponed. Despite having valid work authorization, she chose to delay her trip after hearing about increased scrutiny of H-1B holders and mounting visa uncertainty.

Her experience echoes that of many immigrants who are now weighing loyalty to family against perceived immigration risk. This is an emotionally charged and deeply personal dilemma that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.

How fear reshapes everyday life

The implications of this travel-avoidance trend extend far beyond missed flights and postponed holidays. According to supplementary reports, some immigrants are even skipping important activities like medical appointments, work conferences, or social events for fear of attracting immigration scrutiny.

What this means for the future

The emergence of travel fear among Indian immigrants and other visa holders is more than a temporary side effect of policy changes. It represents a fundamental shift in how immigrant communities view mobility, security, and possibility in the United States.

As immigration policies continue to evolve in 2026 and beyond, one thing is clear: mobility is no longer taken for granted, even by those with lawful status.

At GCEB1, we are continuously keeping up with the volatile immigration landscape. For any personalised queries or best practices for strengthening your EB-1A green card profile, get in touch with us today. We wish you a safe and stress-free immigration.