Visa Woes Pushing Big Fat Telugu NRI Weddings Online or to the US
More than 600 couples from Andhra Pradesh have got married in the US between January and June this year due to visa constraints.
Kurnool: Persistent visa-related challenges are forcing many Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in the United States to alter their wedding plans, giving rise to a new trend of simple ceremonies conducted either online or within the US, instead of traditional grand celebrations in India.
This has been the trend across both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Since December 2025, visa issues have worsened, leaving several couples with no option but to tie the knot abroad or virtually using online platforms.
In the past, many tech professionals working in America finalised their engagements and booked visa slots well in advance to travel to India for their weddings. As H1B visa holders are required to undergo stamping in India, several of those working in the US combined the stamping process and their wedding ceremonies.
Since last year, non-availability of visa slots and their repeated rescheduling have disrupted the plans of Indians staying or working in America.
“We fixed everything for a grand wedding in Kurnool. We even paid an advance for the function hall. But visa slots kept getting postponed. Finally, we had to perform the wedding in the US with just close family members,” said C. Govardhan Reddy.
In another case, Prem Kumar and Meghana, both residing in America, had their engagement conducted online in Kurnool. Priests performed the rituals virtually as the couple could not travel to India.
According to a Vijayawada-based matrimonial organiser S. Muralidhar Gupta, more than 600 couples from Andhra Pradesh have got married in the US between January and June this year due to visa constraints.
Parents too are adjusting to the situation. S. Nagalakshmi and S. Venugopal from Kadiri said they travelled to America in April to perform their daughter’s wedding. “We wanted to invite all our relatives and celebrate the wedding in the traditional way. But visa issues forced us to go there and conduct a simple wedding,” they said.
The shift has had a visible impact on the wedding industry in the Telugu states. Large convention centres and function halls, which usually host lavish NRI weddings with budgets running up to ₹1 crore, are witnessing a sharp decline in bookings. “This season has been very dull. Usually, NRI weddings bring huge business. But this year, we have not conducted even one big wedding,” said M. Surendra, a convention centre manager in Tirupati.
The demand for priests in the US has increased significantly. Telugu priests are reportedly charging up to $2,000 for conducting wedding rituals abroad. “I spent nearly $2,000 for a priest in America. Everything has become expensive there. But we had no choice,” said Regunta Eswara Reddy from Kurnool.
Some families are also opting for online or hybrid ceremonies, where priests chant mantras virtually, while the couple perform rituals at their location.
It is easier for family members from India to travel to America, as they can opt for B1 and B2 visas to attend weddings in the US.
