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Pathways → H-1B Professionals
H-1B Is a Temporary Visa.
EB-5 Is Permanent Freedom.
Your EB-2/EB-3 backlog could stretch 50+ years. With an $800,000 EB-5 investment, you can file I-526E and I-485 concurrently and have your EAD/AP combo card in hand within months.
Market Update, April 2026
A Rare Window for EB-5 Investors: Concurrent Filing is Open NOW
EB-5 reserved categories are current on the most recent March 2026 Visa Bulletin. This means that eligible investors in the United States can file I-526E and I-485 at the same time and bypass years of waiting in other visa categories. Petitions filed before September 30, 2026, will be grandfathered under current provisions and protect EB-5 investors from any future lapse or congressional inaction. After September 30, 2026, these protections disappear.
H-1B vs. EB-5: A Side-by-Side Reality Check
The H-1B was never designed as a permanent solution. Here is how the two paths compare for Indian professionals.
| H-1B Path | EB-5 Path | |
|---|---|---|
| Job Freedom | Tied to a single employer | Work for anyone, or start your own company |
| Layoff Risk | 60-day grace period to find new sponsor | Protected by Concurrent Filing (EAD/AP) |
| Green Card Wait (India) | 15–20+ years in EB-2/EB-3 backlog | 2–4 years via EB-5 Rural/High-Unemployment |
| Spouse Work Rights | H-4 EAD is uncertain and frequently challenged | Unrestricted work authorization via EAD |
| Children Aging Out | Risk of children aging out at 21 | File before they age out for a separate green card |
Job Freedom
H-1B Path
Tied to a single employer
EB-5 Path
Work for anyone, or start your own company
Layoff Risk
H-1B Path
60-day grace period to find new sponsor
EB-5 Path
Protected by Concurrent Filing (EAD/AP)
Green Card Wait (India)
H-1B Path
15–20+ years in EB-2/EB-3 backlog
EB-5 Path
2–4 years via EB-5 Rural/High-Unemployment
Spouse Work Rights
H-1B Path
H-4 EAD is uncertain and frequently challenged
EB-5 Path
Unrestricted work authorization via EAD
Children Aging Out
H-1B Path
Risk of children aging out at 21
EB-5 Path
File before they age out for a separate green card
The Numbers Don't Lie. What's Your Best Path?
See how your salary, visa status, and priority date stack up in under 2 minutes.
Concurrent Filing: The Killer Feature
This is the #1 reason H-1B holders choose EB-5. Concurrent Filing allows you to submit your green card application and receive work/travel authorization while your I-526E petition is still being processed.
Form I-485
Adjustment of Status: your actual green card application, filed at the same time as your I-526E.
Form I-765 (EAD)
Employment Authorization Document: work for any employer, start a business, or change jobs freely.
Form I-131 (AP)
Advance Parole: travel internationally and re-enter the U.S. without risking your pending application.
The bottom line: Within months of filing, you can receive an EAD and AP combo card, effectively freeing you from H-1B employer dependency while your green card is processed. If you get laid off, you are protected.
Your Concurrent Filing Timeline Starts With One Call
Every situation is different. Let an experienced EB-5 attorney map out your personal filing timeline, EAD receipt estimate, and next steps.
Source of Funds for Professionals
Many H-1B professionals already have access to the $800,000 minimum investment through a combination of existing assets. Here are the most common sources.
RSUs & Stock Options
Vested restricted stock units from your employer can be liquidated and documented as a lawful source of investment capital.
401(k) Loans
You may borrow against your 401(k) balance. The loan proceeds can serve as part of your investment, with proper documentation.
Home Equity
A home equity line of credit (HELOC) or cash-out refinance on U.S. or foreign property can fund your EB-5 investment.
Savings & Income
Accumulated savings from your professional income, documented with tax returns and bank statements over the past 5–7 years.
You May Already Have the $800K. Find Out in 60 Seconds.
Enter your assets below to see where you stand.
Your Report Will Include:
- Total assets identified vs. $800K threshold
- Visual progress bar showing your funding gap
- Personalized next-step recommendation
- Source-of-funds breakdown for your I-526E petition
What H-1B Holders Are Actually Saying
"PD is Oct 2013, EB-2 India. Did the math last year and realized I'm looking at another 8 to 10 years minimum. Wife can't work, kids are in school, and every time there's a round of layoffs I'm doing the mental math on how many days I have left on my visa. A friend in my WhatsApp group had just filed concurrently and had his EAD in hand in 5 months. I talked to an attorney, liquidated some NFLX and RSUs, wired 800K to a rural project, and filed I-526E and I-485 the same day. Got my EAD 4 months later. Wife started consulting the next week. Changed jobs without telling my old employer anything. Still waiting on the full GC but honestly the EAD alone changed everything."
Senior SWE, H-1B, TC 380K, EB-5 filed October 2025
"8 years at the same big tech company. Good TC, good reviews, PD stuck at 2015. The 2023 layoffs hit my team and I realized I was one reorg away from having 60 days to figure out my entire life. I had enough in RSUs to make EB-5 work so I stopped overthinking it. Picked a rural project with I-956F approval, filed I-526E and I-485 concurrently. Had EAD and AP in under 6 months. Wife is working now. Switched to a startup I actually wanted to join. No H-1B transfer, no asking my employer for anything. Cheap loan in exchange for a green card is exactly what it is."
FAANG SWE, H-1B to EAD, EB-5 filed September 2024
"EB-2 PD 2014. TC 400K. NW around 2M. I was the guy saying EB-5 is too risky. Then I watched three friends get their EADs while I was still refreshing the Visa Bulletin every month. Filed I-526E and I-485 same day in early 2024. EAD came through in 5 months. Wife started her own business. I'm still on the conditional green card path but I'm not one layoff away from leaving the country anymore. That peace of mind is real."
Staff Engineer, ex-FAANG, EB-5 filed December 2024
Backed by Attorneys and Regional Centers With a Proven Track Record
The EB-5 process is one of the most consequential financial and legal decisions an H-1B professional will make. Guidance from the wrong team, or the wrong regional center, can mean years of delays, denied petitions, or lost capital.
The immigration attorneys and USCIS-approved regional centers behind the resources on this site bring more than two decades of experience in EB-5 investment immigration. Together, they have successfully processed over 1,000 approved EB-5 petitions, representing investors from across the globe seeking U.S. permanent residency.
The regional center partners featured here have I-926F approvals from USCIS, the most rigorous vetting a regional center can undergo, and a credential that fewer than a fraction of entities in the EB-5 market can claim. Their investment projects span targeted employment areas (TEAs), rural set-asides, and high-unemployment designations, precisely the categories that give H-1B investors like you a faster path to a green card.
When you schedule a consultation through this site, you're connected to legal and investment partners who have been navigating USCIS policy changes, priority date fluctuations, and EB-5 Reform Act requirements since before most current H-1B holders arrived in the U.S.
1,000+Approved Petitions
I-926FUSCIS Approved RCs
20+Years in EB-5
The attorneys and regional centers connected through this platform have built one of the most documented EB-5 track records in the industry.
Ready to Take the First Step?
Download our free H-1B to EB-5 Strategy Checklist, or schedule a consultation to discuss your specific situation.
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