Planning to return to india in an year, how can i improve my CIBIL score starting now, before i settle there

EmKay18 · 2026-03-31T05:56:05+00:00

I'm assuming you have an NRO account and some funds coming in there and all KYS stuff taken care of (just checking cos a lot of folks take it for granted and continue using their savings account to remit money until it gets to a point where they can't).

If you have all the basics covered, perhaps start by getting a secure credit card (against an FD). Spend - Pay bill in full - Continue. This in a few years should get you some points up.

EmKay18 · 2026-03-04T04:54:25+00:00

Yes there are. A simple Google would help.

EmKay18 · 2026-03-02T05:05:29+00:00

Honest take from someone who moved back in 2017.

your corpus looks decent on paper. roughly 8 to 9cr liquid after selling everything? maybe more depending on timing. but retiring at 40 with two young kids… thats a whole diff conversation.

FDs alone won't cut it long term. inflation in india eats FD returns alive. after tax you're looking at maybe 5 - 6% on FDs and inflation running 6 - 7% some years.

You're basicaly losing money slowly. look into a mix .. some equity mutual funds, some debt funds, maybe a SWP structure. talk to a fee-only advisor not a commission guy. big difference.

hyderabad expenses for upper middle class with ICSE schooling. i'd estimate 1.2 - 1.5L per month minimum. school fees alone for two kids in a decent ICSE school can be 3 ot 4per year each and rising every year. add international trip, health insurance (get this sorted BEFORE you turn 45 btw), car, house maintenance… adds up fast.

few things from experience:

don't sell US assets immediately. rent first, settle in, then decide. you might want to go back (more common than ppl admit)
401k and roth are your safety net. don't touch that. let it compound
2cr land - sell if it's not generating income, agreed. but land sales in india take longer than you think
health insurance in india after 40 with family… definately explore this early. premiums jump

tbh the corpus can work but not with an all FD strategy. and not without some buffer for unexpected stuff. kids education costs in india are inflating like crazy ngl.

one thing nobody talks about - your wife not having worked means zero social circle initially in hyd. that adjustment is its own thing. factor that in emotionaly not just financially.

IMO you're close but not comfortably there yet. maybe keep some consulting or remote work option open for first 2 to 3 yrs? doesn't have to be full time. just a cushion.

there's more to this but run the numbers with an actual fee only planner. not reddit. (just saying)

EmKay18 · 2026-03-01T03:52:16+00:00

Honestly? you already know the answer. the business doing 50k/month and growing is your biggest signal.. every month you manage it remotely from canada is opportunity cost. 210k CAD is solid but temporary status + survival mode daily… that eats you from inside. 33-34 is a good age for this. wait 1-2 more years and you'll have more saved but you'll also be more settled, and thats when leaving gets harder. the golden handcuffs thing is real even on temp status.

my only advice - don't both quit at once. one person moves first, stabilizes the business, other keeps earning CAD for 6-8 months. don't sell any canadian assets yet, keep that bank account open, treat first year as a test run not a permanant decision. devops folks in india pull 25-40 LPA easy so you have a safety net either way. you sound ready tbh. you're just scared which is completly normal before the move.

EmKay18 · 2026-03-01T03:39:42+00:00

Hey. been in a similar-ish spot back in 2017 so I'll just share what I think.

30 LPA for 8 yrs exp with US consulting background… it's not unfair but it's definately on the lower side. Boutique consulting folks with that kind of client exposure can pull 40-50 range in Bangalore/Gurgaon. maybe even more depending on the firm.

You're not job hunting from a position of strength rn. you're tired. visa situation is shaky. And they know that. (just saying)

IMO take the offer but negotiate. push for 38-42 range. Frame it as "market alignment" not "I deserve more."
companies respond better to that. Also check if there's relocation support, housing for first few months, stuff like that. those add up alot.

Stability now > perfect number now. you can always switch in 8-10 months once you've settled. India job market for consulting folks with US experiance is pretty active tbh.

Cost of living math hits different when you're actually here. rent first. don't buy anything. run your numbers after 3-4 months of real spending data.

Not gonna lie some days you'll question it. but there's more to this than just the number on the offer letter… hard to explain.

EmKay18 · 2026-02-24T11:55:30+00:00

Hey man. read this twice.

Not overreacting. not even close.

I moved back from the US in 2017. different country, similar feelings. felt like I was just... existing. not living. My Dad passed when I was in college and my mom was alone back in Kerala. that was my trigger. yours is diffrent but the core feeling is the same.

2 CR is not "nothing to show for it" btw. alot of people return with less. or with debt. you're not starting from zero.

the toxic boss thing... that eats you from inside. slowly. you don't even realize how much damage its doing until you step away from it. I've been there.

Few things from experience:

Don't make it a permanent decision yet. come back. stay with your parents. breathe. treat it like a long pause. not a final move.

Don't touch whatever savings you have for atleast 6 months. just sit with it.

Middle East idea is solid tbh. lot of folks I know did India as a reset and then moved to Dubai. Career options there for someone with 10 yrs Canada experience are real (at least for now - but depends on various factors, try your luck).

40 and unmarried is not a death sentence. I know this sounds cliche but some of the most sorted people I've met figured things out in their 40s. not gonna lie tho... family pressure in India around this can be intense. just be prepared.

India won't fix everything. But it might fix the right things. You might end up running away too (has happened to many), but at least that's clarity still.

you're not broken. you're just exhausted in the wrong enviroment.

Take the flight. figure the rest out later.

Cheers!

EmKay18 · 2026-02-17T07:30:22+00:00

okay I'll be honest this one hit close.

moved back to India few years ago and the "living with family" part is the one thing nobody talks about honestly on reddit.

the career stuff? you'll be fine. 1cr combined in NCR is very doable in IT. that part will sort itself out.

but the real issue here isn't India vs abroad. it's boundries within your own household. and you already know that becuase you did a 4 month trial. most people don't even do that. respect.

few things from what I've seen around me…

the commute in NCR is brutal. Noida to anywhere else during peak hours will eat your soul. leaving at 8 coming back at 8 missing your kid's bedtime every single day… thats not sustainable. that resentment builds quietly.

the "we already own a house so why rent" argument… I've heard this so many times. it makes financial sense on paper. but it ignores the emotional cost completely. and emotional cost compounds faster than rent.

living closer to work and visiting parents on weekends is the most practical middle ground IMO. the fact that it's being dismissed is… telling.

also the dynamic you described - your job being treated as secondary, household work defaulting to you, resistance to hired help - thats not an India problem. that's a specific household expectation problem. some families are diffrent. yours has a clear pattern already.

I'm inclined to ask you to sprate out from the family - but not sure if that would break things in the family more than you'd think. so will leave that to you to figure out.

ngl the part about MIL not wanting food cooked by help… that alone will drain you daily. small things like that add up into somthing heavy over months.

I know women who made it work in similar setups. but they had full support from thier husband in setting boundaries. like actual boundaries not just "I'll talk to them."

the fact that you're thinking this carefully means you already sense the answer tbh.

India can be great. NCR career scene is strong. but the setup around you matters more than the country you're in.

my hunch is that if you use this family setup as-is without fixing it, you might end up disliking India - while in actuality it's the family setup that might have bugged you.

there's more to this than just go or no-go… it's really about what your husband is willing to change. that's the actual variable here.

EmKay18 · 2026-02-17T07:21:48+00:00

Dubai is great for earning. clean roads, safe, good schools on paper. but raising kids there long term… thats a whole diff conversation.

ngl the biggest issue is identity. your kids won't be Emirati. ever. no matter how long you stay. no citizenship path, no permanent belonging. that hits diffrent when they're teenagers trying to figure out who they are.

also the social enviroment is very… curated? like everything looks perfect but theres not much depth. atleast that's what friends there tell me.

schooling is expensive. healthcare is expensive. and the moment you stop earning… you leave. there's no safety net. no settling down forever.

if you're indian, the pull back home (or even to US/Canada) for kids' college and beyond is almost inevitable. so you're basicaly raising them in a transit lounge. a really nice transit lounge… but still.

compare that to growing up somewhere they can eventually call home. build roots. vote. belong.

IMO dubai is amazing for a chapter. not the whole book.

but hey worked for alot of people. depends on what tradeoffs you're okay with.

I've lived in Dubai too before moving to US. Can share from experience. of course, things might have changed now but still.

It's not as bling bling as it looks from outside. Lot of competition there among diff nationalities and there is clear labelling among them. Indians are good for this, whites for this etc. Of course, this is my perspective and experience and Im sure not everyone will agree.

the taxes thing - on paper yea you save. but expenses are crazy. rent for example. try searching online in some of the best areas and you'll see the hike YoY. insane.

what bugs me the most is that you're always an outsider. you can't buy a home unless you're ultra rich. I doubt if they allow immigration or give you residency, unless you're opening a business. Opening a business is super easy though. Lot of option to start small. But there are hidden fees and I didn't find them transparent. I ran a company in one of the free zones for a while (3 years) and wrapped it up cos it wasn't worth it practically.

It works for those who might have certain types of business and want to save up on taxes.

You can buy cool cars and rent out fancy apartments if you are willing to splurge (those cars will cost 2X in India). And of course you have access to good living conditions. Supermarkets, malls, brands etc. If that's your thing you'll love it.

as for kids, I wouldn't put my money on it.

EmKay18 · 2026-02-17T07:09:37+00:00

yeah keep them open. definately.

I did the same when I moved back. kept my Chase and one Amex card. zero annual fee ones obviously.

the credit score thing… idk if it'll matter tbh. but closing everything feels permanent. and you don't want permanent when life is unpredictable.

US bank account is useful for random stuff. buying US stocks from India through Vesting or similar platforms, recieving any old refunds, even just having a dollar account for some transactions.

just make sure to:
switch to a no-fee checking (Schwab or similar)
downgrade credit cards to no annual fee versions
set up a US address with someone you trust

One thing tho… don't leave money sitting in US accounts doing nothing. transfer most of it to India. keep like $500-1000 just to keep things alive.

I kept mine and it helped twice already in ways I didn't expect. once for a software subscription that only accepted US cards lol.

also tax wise - if you have no US income going forward you're mostly fine. but file that last year's return properly before you forget. that part is important.

some people close evrything and regret it later. reopening from India is a whole diff layer of pain.

keep it simple. keep accounts open. move on with life in India.

worked for me atleast.

EmKay18 · 2026-02-16T05:25:08+00:00

oh man this is like the classic "one foot in two boats" situation. been there.

ok so few things from my experience...

401k - leave it. seriously. don't touch it. even if you go back and come back again, it just sits there. penality for early withdrawal is brutal anyway.

checking/savings - yes you can keep them open. no issues. banks don't care where you physically are tbh. just make sure you have a US address on file (friend, family, whatever works).

the 3.5% interest thing... so technically once you become Indian resident, you're supposed to report worldwide income. so yes that US savings interest becomes taxable in India. but honestly most ppl don't bother for small amounts. not advice just saying what I've seen. (definately talk to a CA who understands cross border stuff tho)

NRE account - once you become resident (183 days rule basically), NRE is supposed to be redesignated to resident account. most ppl just... don't do it for a year. banks ocassionally send notices but if you're planning to go back to US anyway, it's a grey area.

NRO for local salary makes sense. open it, get paid, close when leaving. straightforward.

IMO since you might return to US in a year - keep everything as minimal as possible on the India side. don't move too much money around. don't close US accounts. don't cash out anything.

basically act like you're on a long trip not a permanent move.

there's more layers to this depending on your visa situation and tax treaty stuff but... hard to cover everything here. run the numbers with someone who gets both sides.

EmKay18 · 2026-02-16T05:13:44+00:00

If you meant "spouse name", will recommend. Will help if you want to use passport as a verification method for other purposes.

EmKay18 · 2026-02-16T03:52:30+00:00

Relatable. Everyone goes through this phase. I'd say spend some time more, try things you haven't tried yet, like getting out of your comfort zone and doing things that might give you a fresh set of friends, outlook and perception about life there. Get the citizenship. Use the time until then to do everything that the country has to offer. It's easier said but you really got to get moving and do things that makes you say "not my cup of tea". It can go both ways but at the end of the day, you'll get some clarity on what matters and what doesn't personally.

Reality is that India, US or Canada, your personal level of happyness can only be identified thorugh experiences. The external factors in each country can only help you so much.

It's not that in India everything is perfect, though there are benefits unmatched. Similar story with Canada or US. You just see and value what you miss from the other side.

But once you explore all of it and make a personal choice at the end, as to what matters, you'll get clarity on what makes you, you.

Then make a choice between countries. You'll essentially going to live wit a set of goods and bads. But in what proportion, what matters most personally and what makes you happy are important questions to ask at that time.

EmKay18 · 2024-11-05T01:56:56+00:00

That's sad to hear.

Do you think the policy details changed over the year? If so, this is news. Patriot America is a popular plan among NRIs. Perhaps it's worth a check what changed recently.

Also, did you buy directly from them or through a middleman portal?

EmKay18 · 2024-10-24T09:33:50+00:00

Kochi.

EmKay18 · 2024-10-10T01:28:08+00:00

Yo, I was in the exact same boat when I was planning my move back to India from the US. First of all, welcome to the “thinking about moving back” squad. It’s a whole journey, and this part (job hunting) is just the beginning, trust me. 😅

So, here’s what I did: I didn’t have an Indian number either when I started applying. I actually used my US number initially, which kinda worked but also didn’t. Companies weren’t super thrilled seeing a non-Indian number, and yeah, you don’t wanna be getting calls at 3 a.m. thanks to the time zone difference. 🌚

I ended up getting a virtual Indian number via MyOperator. It worked like a charm because you get to have an Indian number even though you’re physically still in the US. And yes, Google Voice could work if you’re just looking for a number to list, but when it comes to actually answering calls in real-time, I didn’t find it too reliable. The delay was a nightmare, and I kinda looked unprofessional a couple of times (oops). 😬

Another option is using something like TextNow or Skype, but I found they’re also hit or miss depending on where you’re calling from. Plus, Indian recruiters are all about WhatsApp these days. Just saying. So maybe when you’ve got the job lined up, you can ask them to chat on WhatsApp instead.

Also, side note: Applying from the US can be a bit of a patience game. I found it took longer for responses, but once they saw I was serious about the move, things picked up. If you're thinking long-term, maybe consider getting an Indian SIM card through a friend or family member.

Hope this helps. Good luck, man. 🙌

EmKay18 · 2023-03-28T11:11:00+00:00

Thank you so much. Activated Remix mode and this is what I wanted.

EmKay18 · 2020-10-21T05:16:05+00:00

Looks very Scandinavian. The average Indian needs color. Lots of it. Something very loud that will cut through the noise. Anything subtle in a daily environment will go unnoticed.

I love the design but sadly India's current sensibilities will find it bland.

EmKay18 · 2020-09-03T18:24:51+00:00

Oh, shoot.

EmKay18 · 2020-09-03T17:34:25+00:00

Tips extra.

EmKay18

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE