Should I call it quits?

Separate burnout from a durable desire to return. If exhaustion is the main driver, try rest, job change, community, an India trial stay, or therapy before a permanent move. If India still feels right after those tests, planning becomes more defensible.

Should I really move back or am I romanticizing India? Need perspective.

Nostalgia and daily life are different things. Spend three ordinary weeks in your target city as a resident would: school commute, work commute, parent-care rhythm, air quality, help at home, healthcare, and how your spouse and kids adjust. If those weeks still feel workable, start planning. If not, you may want more India access—visits, remote work, elder care—not a full relocation.

Thinking of moving back to India a LOT

Repeated thinking is a signal to move from rumination to structured testing. Use the tool to identify whether the pull is family, loneliness, visa anxiety, career burnout, children, finances, or identity. Each reason needs a different experiment before the move becomes real.

Tools / Should I Move Back to India? Decision Tool

Free tool

Should I Move Back to India? Decision Tool

Use this free self-assessment to weigh finances, lifestyle, schools, family support, and career tradeoffs before deciding on an India return.

1 · Who's moving?

FAQ

Questions people ask

About the author

About the people behind these tools

Avinash

Founder, Desi Return

Avinash is the founder of Desi Return. He spent 20 years in the US before moving back to India with his family. Since returning he has spoken with hundreds of families across the US, UK and Canada about the move. He started Desi Return because the information about moving back was fragmented and scattered, and the emotional side of the move was almost never acknowledged.

CA Sagar

Fellow Chartered Accountant, NRI tax

CA Sagar is a Fellow Chartered Accountant. He has more than 20 years in NRI tax and cross-border advisory. He has advised clients in more than 25 countries. He previously worked at PwC India and at Economic Laws Practice. His work has been published in Financial Express and Mint. He takes Desi Return's one-to-one consultation calls on NRI tax.

These tools apply the published rules to the dates and numbers you enter. They give educational estimates and not tax advice. Your own travel history decides your actual status. For a decision with money attached, a chartered accountant should confirm the position.

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