‘Nobody your age does this’: Shark Tank India's Anupam Mittal recalls emotional decision to surrender US green card

Many people strive to secure US green card and work hard to keep their H1B visa. After all, people still consider it to the epitome of success. However, for Shark Tank India judge and Shaadi.com founder Anupam Mittal a decision regarding H1B visa and US green card took him 5 years to make. In a social media post, Anupam Mittal had once recalled how he gave up his visa and green card to return to India to build his businesses. But, the decision was not easy. In fact, he shared that he visited the US embassy twice to surrender his residency, but walked out both the times after an officer urged him to reconsider his decision.

Anupam Mittal gave up his green card

Taking to LinkedIn, Anupam Mittal had saiid that he used to believe securing an H1B visa and green card was the definition of success. However, his perspective changed over time. "I thought my H1B & green card was success. Turns out, giving it up was," he wrote. He admitted that moving back to India was difficult, but surrendering his US residency was an emotional experience. On two occasions, he visited the embassy to give up his green card. Both times, he left feeling shaken after an officer told him, "Nobody your age does this… you should reconsider." "It took 5 years and my lawyers forcing an ultimatum - before I finally let go," he recalled.

Why returning to India changed his career

Mittal also addressed the financial aspects of surrendering his green card. According to his post, giving it up can trigger an approximately 30% exit tax on global wealth, rather than just income. He added that he had no wealth at the time, so he did not have anything to give.


However, he believes walking away from his US residency helped him build the life and businesses he has today. "Had I kept my safety net, I’d most likely be a VP of Product in the Valley. Respectable but replaceable," he wrote. By returning to India and "burning my Plan B", Mittal said he found the freedom to build, despite the uncertainty. He credited that decision with helping him build his companies, support more than 300 startups and become part of Shark Tank India.

Encouraging others to consider building businesses in India, he wrote, "So if you can, come back home & build." He added that India may be as messy as ever, but that is where growth lies.