Saiman Shetty, a founder born in a small village in Karnataka, has officially become a US citizen, marking the end of a grueling journey defined by severe visa hurdles, financial debt, job rejections, and a malicious attempt by acquaintances to have him deported.
A Difficult Beginning in America
Shetty’s journey began when he moved from his remote Karnataka village to the United States as an international student, arriving in Arizona with a one-way ticket, no friends, no safety net, and no backup plan. Reflecting on the harsh realities of his early immigrant experience, Shetty stated, “America did not roll out a red carpet. She beat me up. She tested me at every single turn”.
Before establishing his own company, Shetty navigated a series of intense professional and financial hurdles, including heavy debt, numerous job rejections, lost H1B visa lotteries, and frustrating green card backlogs. His professional background includes studying engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University, completing his master’s degree at Arizona State University, and working as an intern at BSNL before holding positions at major firms like Tesla and Lyft. He eventually stepped away from a stable Silicon Valley career to launch his own enterprise in 2023.
Surviving a False Deportation Attempt
Aside from institutional delays, Shetty revealed that his journey was jeopardized when people he described as “jealous” reported him to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under false claims of fraud in an effort to get him deported. Though the powerful immigration system nearly acted on the trap, justice ultimately prevailed.
Having finally secured his US citizenship, Shetty emphasized that his hardships have deepened his commitment to advocating for others navigating complex immigration systems, including those stuck on F1, H1B, O1, L1 visas, or endless green card backlogs. Concluding his reflections, Shetty offered an encouraging message to fellow immigrants: “Follow the law, do the right thing and keep working hard!”
