Gujarat Families Flock to EB-5 Visas Amid H-1B Uncertainty

Gujarat families are racing to secure EB-5 visas for US permanent residency due to H-1B uncertainty, according to immigration consultants. The rush has been driven by families whose children are already in the US on H-1B visas and are seeking an alternative route to permanent residency.

Immigration consultant Janak Nayak said that applicants are increasingly looking at EB-5 as a way to secure their long-term status in the US, but many regional centres have stopped accepting fresh applications amid the rush. The immediate demand has been fuelled by the availability of EB-5 visas, with all unreserved immigrant visas available to applicants chargeable to India for fiscal year 2026 having been issued by June 5.

The minimum investment under the programme is currently $1.05 million, or about Rs 10 crore, but falls to $800,000, or about Rs 7.6 crore, when invested in a targeted employment area or qualifying infrastructure project. Parents are also funding EB-5 applications for their children who are already studying or working in the US, while choosing not to seek permanent residency themselves.