Help! Laid off - questions about leaving the country

[skippy121]

I was laid off a while ago, so I've decided I should leave the country ASAP as I don't want to be in trouble if I want to come back to the US in a year or so. The problem is that I have about $5000 credit card debt and I owe taxes, but I'm now broke. I don't want to stay in the country out of status obviously but if I leave now I can't pay off all my bills. I don't want to default on anything but it seems like I have no choice right now. If I want to come back after a year and get a new job, would this affect my chance of being issued a new H1 visa? What does everyone else who's been laid off do when they go back to India?

 

[nkm-oct23]

Originally posted by skippy121
I was laid off a while ago, so I've decided I should leave the country ASAP as I don't want to be in trouble if I want to come back to the US in a year or so. The problem is that I have about $5000 credit card debt and I owe taxes, but I'm now broke. I don't want to stay in the country out of status obviously but if I leave now I can't pay off all my bills. I don't want to default on anything but it seems like I have no choice right now. If I want to come back after a year and get a new job, would this affect my chance of being issued a new H1 visa? What does everyone else who's been laid off do when they go back to India?

Employers routinely check credit and look for insolvency, bankrupcy and can sometimes use any negative report against you. You are better off working out some payment plan with your creditors so that you will have not have any credit problems when you return with a new job.
INS/BCIS will not usually bother with credit history and you should not have any problems geting a new H1 visa.