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U.S. H‑1B Squeeze Recasts Indian Marriage Market, Matchmakers Say

Rising visa risk is shifting spouse preferences toward prospects outside the United States.

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The US hosts 2.1 million NRIs, once highly sought-after marriage prospects in India. But Trump’s H-1B overhaul,
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Overview

  • Indian matchmakers report waning interest in U.S.-based NRI grooms and say some weddings have been postponed due to uncertainty over immigration status.
  • Knot.dating added a U.S. visa filter in September and counts about 1,000 NRI sign-ups, with 60% on H‑1B visas and 81% of registrants male, as families ask to see visa status before proceeding.
  • Reporting attributes the shift to President Trump’s immigration crackdown and an H‑1B overhaul that has heavily affected Indians, who accounted for a large share of recent H‑1B approvals and were predominantly male in 2024.
  • Indian students are reassessing U.S. study plans, with 422,335 enrolled in 2024; separate reporting notes a temporary pause in student visa appointments earlier this year and a 50% August 2025 drop in arrivals from India versus a year earlier, based on cited data.
  • Matchmaking agencies say clients are increasingly exploring partners in Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Middle East as families prioritize long‑term mobility and stability.