"I was extremely embarrassed to come clean at first"
An Indian woman has spoken about returning home after her UK visa expired, describing the experience as both a personal and professional setback.
Her account sheds light on the growing challenges faced by international workers trying to build careers in the UK.
Ananya, who worked in marketing, said she returned to New Delhi after spending nearly five years in London.
After her visa expired, she booked a one-way ticket home.
In an Instagram video, Ananya said: “I’ve been keeping a secret from everyone because I am too embarrassed to admit it.”
Calling the experience a “personal and professional failure”, Ananya admitted she initially planned to leave quietly. However, she later chose to speak openly about her situation.
She continued: “Although I was extremely embarrassed to come clean at first, I realised that revealing this truth might help someone else feel less lonely, and thereby make me feel slightly better about my situation.”
The 26-year-old explained that her return was not sudden but something she saw coming over time.
She said: “As the date of my visa expiring slowly approached, it began to sink in that I might have to go back home to New Delhi soon.
“It was a sinking feeling that only grew as the date approached, but it wasn’t a shock.
“I am still hopeful that one day I will return. Although something like this can be quite devastating, maintaining some kind of hope and having the support of understanding friends softened the blow of this devastation.”
Ananya highlighted structural barriers that make it harder for international workers to secure work in the UK, particularly outside STEM sectors.
She said: “Companies are wary of hiring internationals as sponsoring visas is an additional cost and risk they do not want to take on.
“As of 2025, it has become even harder to sponsor in this role and in the industry as marketing-related roles are no longer considered essential.”
Working in marketing within the food and beverage sector, she said she often found herself at a disadvantage compared to other candidates.
She also claimed there is a growing anti-immigrant sentiment in parts of Europe, particularly in the UK.
Ananya recalled coming close to securing visa-sponsored roles on more than one occasion, only for them to fall through.
She revealed: “It happened twice that I was on the cusp of securing a visa-sponsored job.
“Most recently, I was not offered a job even after multiple rounds of interviews due to the fact that I have an online following, which the organisation believed was a liability to their operations.”
In another case, a company was willing to sponsor her but not pay a fair wage.
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Repeated setbacks made the situation increasingly difficult and the emotional impact of leaving the UK was significant for Ananya.
She admitted:
“Leaving my partner and my friends was the most difficult part.”
Speaking about the loss of independence, she said:
“In London, I would go out all the time as there were always some things to do, and it was safe for me to go out at pretty much any hour of the day.”
In India, her “mobility is severely restricted”.
Despite the challenges, Ananya remains determined to return to the UK in the future.
“While some struggle to call even one place home, I am lucky to have my loved ones and my dreams tied to London. So I know there will be a day when I return. There is simply no other option.
“Four steps back, hopefully to take eight steps forward! Dejected, but hopeful, that at the end of all of this, I will be reunited with my closest ones, and the city I love – London.”
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