New Delhi, Sept. 20 -- A real estate agent in San Francisco has long been a trusted figure among the Bay Area's Indian diaspora, especially the tech community. A US citizen himself, he has built a reputation for helping newly arrived professionals, many of whom are on H-1B visas, find housing and settle into life in America. His phone is usually abuzz with inquiries about rental listings, schools, and neighborhood safety.

But last night, the calls were different.

Dozens of frantic voices reached out, not to find a home in the US but to lament being unable to return to India for the festival season. With Diwali around the corner, many H-1B visa holders had planned short trips to visit family, celebrate the festival, and recharge before r...