General
Hyderabad: The season of big fat Indian weddings has hit an unexpected speed bump — and this time, it’s not decor costs or venue scarcity but Donald Trump’s visa rulebook.As stricter scrutiny looms over H1B and F1 visa holders, many Telugu NRIs are quietly shelving plans for grand celebrations back home and opting for intimate, bare-bones ceremonies in the US.
The sangeet may be missing, the baraat may be smaller, but the anxiety over a visa stamp is bigger than ever.Gone are the elaborate Hyderabad gatherings with hundreds of guests, multi-day rituals and frenzied family dance rehearsals. This shaadi season’s guest lists are trimmed down to just parents — provided they already have valid visitor visas — and a handful of local friends.
“Hyderabad was always the plan. But my employer strongly advised me against travelling now.
So we had a simple ceremony here last month,” said an H1B holder from the city who now lives in Virginia. Only his and the bride’s parents, all US visa holders, could attend. “Once there’s more clarity, we’ll host a reception in Hyderabad for the extended family,” he said.A similar story unfolded in Portland, Oregon. “We got married on Oct 27 because staying here felt like the safer option. Travelling back to Hyderabad meant too many uncertainties,” said a tech professional from Telangana.
This shift, quiet at first, has now snowballed into a full-fledged trend among Telugus in the US — especially after Trump’s return to power in Jan 2025 and the rollout of fresh visa guidelines. Telugu associations say they now routinely receive calls from young couples asking not about venues or caterers — but about immigration compliance.“Couples on F1 and H1B visas are approaching us and even law firms for guidance,” said Vishweshwar Reddy Kalavala, founder and chairman of Global Telangana Association.
“If there’s a way to avoid travelling to India, we advise it. The first thing we check is whether parents already have visitor visas. If yes, weddings are planned on weekends. If not, couples wait months for parents to get visas.”Kalavala himself has seen the trend first-hand. “Since Aug, I have attended four Telugu weddings here. I missed several others — all held in the US because of Trump administration policies,” he revealed.And while some are adjusting to quieter ceremonies abroad, others are simply putting their lives on pause.“We were supposed to get married last month, but my fiance couldn’t fly to Hyderabad because of the visa chaos,” said Shafa Nadeem, a techie from the city. “He’s on an H1B and was warned that if he left, there was no guarantee he’d get stamping done or even be allowed back. Even though officials have tried clarifying, we’re still anxious. We’ve postponed the wedding twice already. It feels like everything is on hold because of immigration rules.
“As the shaadi season unfolds under a shadow of uncertainty, one thing is clear. Until visa rules settle, the big fat Indian wedding may have to settle for being small, sweet — and safely within US borders.