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 nearl

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