Sarah Gonzales, a Texas journalist and self-styled whistleblower who is investigating alleged H-1B fraud in her state, said that all her surprise visits to the homes of Indians and people of Indian origin revealed one thing: They all have beautiful houses. Gonzales said she made unannounced visits to people’s private properties only because there was no one to answer her questions at her office address, but they all live in beautiful homes and some of them are even in gated communities. Blaming the Joe Biden administration for giving home loans to non-permanent residents like H-1B visa holders, Gonzales said American citizens who are not scamming the system do not get a chance to live in beautiful $800,000 homes. Gonzales said it is enough that the US is allowing H-1B visa holders to come to the US and earn; They should not be allowed to take loans.In 2025, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development decided to prohibit non-permanent US residents from obtaining mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration. In making the decision, HUD noted that the Trump Administration “has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting economic opportunities for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, while ensuring that federal benefits, including access to FHA-insured mortgages, are reserved for individuals holding lawful permanent resident status.”Non-permanent residents are now subject to immigration laws “that may affect their ability to legally reside in the country” – which may actually affect their ability to pay an FHA-insured mortgage. “The ability to meet long-term financial obligations depends on stable residence and employment,” HUD said.
Can H-1B visa holders get mortgages in the US?
H-1B visa holders can still get a mortgage in the US despite HUD policy changes. The policy change is for the FHA loan, which is a mortgage insured by the FHA, designed primarily to help first-time or low-income homebuyers more easily qualify for a home loan. It has low down payments and easy credit requirements.But H-1Bs can get conventional loans, jumbo loans, and private bank loans. Most H-1B holders take out conventional loans because their salaries are higher.