New Delhi: Indians are increasingly relying on investment opportunities rather than family connections to secure entry into the United States. The once-dominant family-based route for Indians is shrinking, allowing neighbours like Bangladesh and Pakistan to pull ahead.
From January to May this year, Bangladesh overtook India in family-preference visas, issuing 3,887 visas compared to India’s 3,828. Two years ago, India had cleared 7,571 family-preference visas, almost double this year’s tally, highlighting a steep decline in the route’s availability since 2023.
Spousal visas tell an even starker story. Pakistan issued three 3,235 IR1/CR1 visas, more than twice India’s 1,558. Bangladesh followed with 1,411 spousal visas, primarily IR1 approvals. Just two years ago, India had issued nearly double the number of spousal visas than Pakistan, with 840 approvals.
The regional shift suggests that Indian families are either delaying their US plans or progressing more slowly, while neighbours historically behind in family-based migration are accelerating ahead.
Employment-based pathways also show mixed outcomes. Skilled worker (E-3) approvals fell to 143 in the January-May period, down from 277 two years ago. Advanced degree (E-2) approvals rose to 65, nearly double the 2023 figure, while extraordinary ability and first-preference (E-1) approvals halved to 102 compared to 2023.
The squeeze is compounded by US President Donald Trump’s recently announced 100,000 dollar annual fee for H-1B visas, which is expected to disproportionately affect Indian applicants. H-1B approvals for India had already dropped by more than a third since 2023, according to a Moneycontrol analysis, with the decline starting in President Joe Biden’s final year.
Meanwhile, the capital-driven I-5 investor route is surging in Southeast Asia faster than in India. Vietnam emerged as a standout, with five 547 investor approvals in 2025, compared to India’s 292. Two years ago, India led Vietnam with 220 approvals against Vietnam’s 149.
South Asia’s migration map is changing fast. India’s traditional family-focussed flow is slowing, while investment-driven entries and regional competitors are shaping a new dynamic. The numbers reveal more than just visas; they signal shifting priorities, rising competition and the growing importance of capital in crossing US borders.