Texas journalist and self-styled whistleblower Sara Gonzales, who has been investigating alleged H-1B fraud in her state, said all her surprise visits to the houses of Indians and Indian-origin people revealed one thing: they all have beautiful houses. Gonzales said she made those unannounced visits to people’s private properties only because their office addresses had no one to answer her questions, but all of them live in beautiful houses and some of them are even in gated communities. Blaming the Joe Biden administration for giving out home loans to non-permanent residents like H-1B visa holders, Gonzales said American citizens who are not scamming the system do not get to live in beautiful, $800,000 houses. Gonzales said it is enough that the US has been allowing H-1B visa holders to come to the US and earn; they should not be allowed to get a loan.In 2025, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development decided to prohibit non-permanent US residents from receiving mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration. While taking the decision, HUD noted that the Trump Administration “has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding economic opportunities for US citizens and lawful permanent residents while ensuring that federal benefits, including access to FHA-insured mortgages, are reserved for individuals who hold lawful permanent resident status.”Non-permanent residents are now subject to immigration laws “that can affect their ability to remain legally in the country” — which could ipso facto affect their ability to pay back an FHA-insured mortgage. “The ability to fulfill long-term financial obligations depends on stable residency and employment,” HUD stated.
Do H-1B visa holders get mortgages in the US?
Even after the HUD policy change, H-1B visa holders can get mortgages in the US. The policy change is meant for the FHA loan, which is a mortgage insured by the FHA, designed mainly to help first-time or lower-income homebuyers qualify more easily for a home loan. It has a lower down payment and easier credit requirements.But H-1Bs can get conventional loans, jumbo loans, and private bank loans. Most H-1B holders go for conventional loans as they have a high salary.
