What do Hamdi Ulukaya, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Mike Krieger, Noubar Afeyan, Sergey Brin, and Girish Ballolla have in common? They all came to the U.S. as students, armed with big ideas and bigger dreams, and in return, they built companies and innovations that transformed industries (well, maybe not me), created millions of jobs, and positioned America as a global leader in technology and business.
Now imagine if, when they had walked into the U.S. consulate seeking a student visa, they had been denied one—not because they lacked qualifications or ambition but because of an archaic, self-defeating policy: the “intent to return” criterion.
This isn’t just a thought experiment—it’s the absurd reality playing out every day around the world, where thousands of students are turned away from the U.S.
The U.S. visa process actively penalizes students for wanting to stay and build a life in the U.S. Consular officers ask applicants if they plan to return home after their education, as if staying in America to contribute their talent, skills, and ideas is somehow a problem. And if the answer to that question is anything less than a resounding “yes,” it’s an automatic red flag.
It’s a ridiculous premise. We’re not just closing doors—we’re bolting them shut and throwing away the key. All while the demand for talent in America is skyrocketing. Industries like tech, healthcare, and renewable energy are crying out for skilled workers, yet we continue to turn away the very people who could fill those gaps.
Every student we deny a visa doesn’t just give up on their dreams—they go somewhere else. Canada, Australia, Germany—anyone rolling out the red carpet, welcoming these students with open arms and pathways to permanent residency. Meanwhile, the U.S. sends a message loud and clear: We don’t want you unless you promise to leave.
It’s not just unfair—it’s self-sabotage.
According to the National Foundation for American Policy, nearly 45% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. These are businesses that have shaped the American economy, created millions of jobs, and driven innovation on a global scale. And many of those founders came to the U.S. as international students.
A February 4, 2025, tweet from NFAP Research states, “Plans to ensure America’s AI leadership could falter unless the admin makes attracting & retaining foreign-born talent easier.” Seventy percent of grad students in AI fields are international students, and 65% of top U.S. AI companies had immigrant founders.
This isn’t just about economics—it’s about missed potential. The irony is glaring. We celebrate the achievements of immigrant leaders while slamming the door on the next generation of visionaries. We bemoan the brain drain to other countries while refusing to fix the policies driving it.
Here’s where it gets personal. I’m one of those students who made it through the gauntlet of visa interviews and came to the U.S. for an education. I sat in that consulate, palms sweating, knees weak, arms heavy, as a stranger judged whether I was worthy of a chance. The first time around, I wasn’t. An arbitrary decision that could’ve changed my life’s trajectory. But I persevered and eventually was given a chance. That chance changed me forever.
Today, I run a global education company that employs people in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and India. I’m not just contributing to one economy—I’m contributing to several. I’ve turned the opportunity I was given into a ripple effect that spans borders. And I’m not alone. Thousands of international students who stay in the U.S. go on to create jobs, pay taxes, and enrich their communities. How’s that for intent?
The absurdity of it all is that we’re shooting ourselves in the foot. What’s the risk of letting more international students stay? That they might create the next Google, the next Chobani, or even the next Gen Next like mine? Newsflash: That’s exactly what they’ll do.
The real threat isn’t that international students want to stay in America. The real threat is that they’ll go somewhere else and take their talent, their ideas, and their ambition with them.
It’s time to stop asking students if they plan to leave and start asking what they could contribute if they stayed. Scrap the intent-to-return question. Reimagine our visa policies to reflect the realities of a global economy that thrives on talent, not borders.
Because the future of America’s leadership, innovation, and prosperity depends on the very people we’re turning away today.
Ex Cogitatione, Progressus.
Girish
