‘I became a millionaire in America on H-1B’: NRI reveals roadmap to net worth
An NRI claimed that he paid off his debt, controlled his spending, and increased his income during his journey to become a millionaire.
Achieving millionaire status on an H-1B visa requires more than just cutting expenses, an expat claimed in an Instagram post. He said that while building an emergency fund created a strong foundation, making targeted job switches to aggressively boost his earning power was the ultimate catalyst for his accumulated wealth.

“Becoming a millionaire on an H-1B wasn’t about one lucky investment. It was about building a strong financial foundation, controlling spending, paying off debt, taking advantage of tax-advantaged accounts, and consistently investing,” digital content creator Pritesh Jagani wrote on Instagram.
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He continued, “But the biggest change came from increasing my income. Upskilling and making strategic job switches had a much bigger impact on my wealth than simply cutting expenses.”
In the following lines, he shared advice for those who want to build their wealth. “If you’re on an H-1B and trying to build wealth in America, focus on both sides: spend intentionally and keep increasing your earning power. That’s how long-term wealth is built.”
He shared a series of visuals on Instagram that document his journey over the years. He wrote, “I started with survival before thinking about investing. I built a simple budget and a three-to-six-month emergency fund.” The expat added, “Once I started earning, I focused on controlling money leaks. I reviewed my spending and paid down high-interest debt.”
The NRI claimed, “I also built my financial foundation in America. I built credit, understood health insurance and managed money sent home,” adding that he avoided lifestyle inflation once his salary increased.
Jagani claimed that he didn’t build his wealth solely by cutting expenses; instead, he found a way to increase his income. He strategically changed his job to earn more.
He expressed, “I didn't become a millionaire by making one big investment. I built wealth by increasing my income and investing consistently over time.”
(Hindustantimes.com has reached out to Pritesh Jagani. This report will be updated when he responds.)
What did social media say?
An individual said, “The power of discipline and consistency.” Another posted, “I have heard the first person to talk about becoming a millionaire through income… and of course investment is the main factor here.”
A third commented, “No real estate diversification?” A fourth wrote, “Believe in hard work.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Hindustantimes.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
ABOUT THE AUTHORTrisha SenguptaTrisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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