Nobody talks about the small stuff.
When I moved back from the US in 2017, I had prepared for the big things – taxes, banking, schools, shipping. I thought I was ready.
Then reality hit. In the first week itself.
The electricity went out three times. The plumber didn’t show up (twice). My US phone number stopped working mid-conversation with my bank. And my son asked me why the milk tasted different.
These aren’t the dramatic challenges you read about in blogs. These are the daily, unglamorous, “why didn’t anyone warn me” problems that catch every returning NRI off guard.
After eight years of running the BacktoIndia community, I’ve collected hundreds of these from our 20,000+ members. Let me share the ones that come up most often.
1. Bureaucracy Will Test Your Patience
Getting things done through government offices is slow. Painfully slow.
Updating your Aadhaar address? Multiple visits. Getting a driving license? Prepare for a full-day affair. Opening a new bank account after converting your NRI status? Could take weeks.
The paperwork culture is real. You’ll need photocopies of documents you didn’t know existed. You’ll be asked to “come back tomorrow” more times than you’d like.
What helps: Keep a physical folder with 20+ photocopies of your Aadhaar, PAN, passport, address proof, and photos. Carry it everywhere. Seriously.
2. Traffic and Commuting Shock
If you’re moving to Bangalore, Pune, or any major city – your commute will be longer than you expect.
Google Maps says 25 minutes. Reality says 55 minutes. During rain? 90 minutes.
Lane discipline is different. Honking is constant. Two-wheelers will appear from angles you didn’t think possible.
Members in our groups say the commute adjustment takes about 3-4 months. After that, you stop noticing (mostly).
What helps: Choose your home based on proximity to work and school. This single decision affects your quality of life more than anything else. See our best cities guide for neighborhood recommendations.
3. Domestic Help – A New Skill to Learn
In the US or UK, you do everything yourself. In India, most families have domestic help – a cook, cleaner, sometimes a driver.
This sounds like a luxury. And it is. But managing domestic help is a skill nobody teaches you.
They may not show up without notice. They might ask for advances frequently. Salary expectations vary wildly by city. There’s no formal contract – it runs on trust and relationships.
A community member from Seattle told me, “Managing my team of 12 at Microsoft was easier than managing one housekeeper.”
What helps: Ask your neighbors what the going rate is. Set clear expectations from day one. Be fair with pay. And have a backup plan for days they don’t show up.
4. Internet and Power Aren’t Always Reliable
India’s internet has improved dramatically. Jio and Airtel fiber are genuinely fast in most cities.
But power cuts still happen. In some neighborhoods, they happen daily. Even in metros.
If you work remotely for a US company, this is a real risk. One power cut during an important Zoom call and you’re scrambling.
What helps: Invest in a good UPS/inverter system. Keep your mobile hotspot ready as backup internet. If you’re working remotely, check the power situation in your specific apartment complex before signing a lease. Read our smart home setup guide for more tips.
5. Your Kids Will Go Through an Adjustment Phase
This one hits parents the hardest.
Your child who was confident and outgoing in their US school might become quiet and withdrawn for the first few months. The teaching style is different. The social dynamics are different. The competition is more intense.
Kids who were born abroad may struggle with Hindi or the regional language. They might feel “too American” for Indian kids and “too Indian” for their old friends.
In our community, parents consistently say this gets better after one academic term. But those first 3-4 months can be emotionally tough for the whole family.
What helps: Choose an international school with experience handling returnee kids. Talk to your children openly. And connect with other returnee families – knowing they’re not alone makes a huge difference. Check our guide on dealing with teenagers during the transition.
6. The “Reverse Culture Shock” Nobody Prepares You For
You’ll find yourself irritated by things that never used to bother you.
People standing too close in lines. The noise level in restaurants. Relatives asking personal questions about your salary or when you’re having another child. The casual approach to time (“I’ll be there in 10 minutes” means 30).
You might also feel a strange sense of not fully belonging. Too westernized for some relatives. Not westernized enough for your old expat friends.
This is reverse culture shock. It’s real. And almost every returning NRI experiences it.
What helps: Give yourself grace. It takes 6-12 months to fully recalibrate. Stay connected with other returnees who understand what you’re going through. Our guide on adjusting to life in India covers this in depth.
7. Financial Surprises
Even if you’ve planned your finances carefully, some costs will surprise you.
Security deposits for apartments can be 6-10 months’ rent in Bangalore (yes, really). School admission fees can include “development charges” of Rs 1-3 lakh on top of tuition. Getting a credit card without Indian credit history is harder than you’d expect.
Small costs add up too. Tipping culture is different. Society maintenance charges. Water tanker costs in summer. Festival expenses that you didn’t budget for.
What helps: Keep a buffer of 3-6 months of expenses beyond what you’ve calculated. See our financial checklist for returning NRIs for a complete breakdown.
The Honest Truth
Every single one of these challenges is manageable. None of them are deal-breakers.
But they’re real. And pretending they don’t exist doesn’t help anyone.
The NRIs who adjust fastest are the ones who go in with open eyes, realistic expectations, and a support network of people who’ve been through it before.
That’s exactly why I built this community. Not to paint a rosy picture. But to give you the honest, practical, “here’s what actually happens” information that makes the transition smoother.
Every problem on this list has been solved by thousands of NRIs before you. You’ll solve them too.
For the full planning guide, see our return to India checklist.
If you’re planning your move back, join our WhatsApp community at https://backtoindia.com/groups – 20,000+ NRIs helping each other with real, lived experience. It’s free and volunteer-run.
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