By Country / Country guides
Born in India: the longest line
Nearly 1 million Indian-born workers and families wait in the employment green card queue. What that means in practice, and the strategies people use.
If you were born in India, the green card process is the same on paper as for everyone else, but the wait is in a different league.
The numbers
According to the National Foundation for American Policy’s analysis of December 2025 data:
| Category | Indian-born people waiting | Projected wait for a new 2026 filer |
|---|---|---|
| EB-2 | about 731,600 | 179 years |
| EB-3 | about 213,400 | 38 years |
| EB-1 | — | about 5 years |
Altogether about 997,000 people, roughly 79% of the entire employment-based backlog. These are projections under current law; a change in the per-country cap or new visa numbers would change them completely.
In the September 2026 Visa Bulletin, EB-2 India was unavailable and EB-3 India’s final action date was January 1, 2014. The State Department signaled EB-2 India would return to at least July 15, 2014 in October.
What people do
- Stay on H-1B with three-year extensions after the I-140 is approved. See six-year limit.
- Get the H-4 EAD for a spouse once the I-140 is approved.
- Try EB-1 if the record supports it. See EB-1.
- Keep both EB-2 and EB-3 I-140s and use whichever moves. See upgrading and downgrading.
- Plan for children aging out years ahead. See kids turning 21.
- Cross-chargeability if a spouse was born in another country.
Stamping and travel
Since September 2025 every H-1B and H-4 applicant, including children and grandparents, must attend an in-person interview in their country of nationality or residence. Plan trips home with that in mind. See visa stamping in 2026.
Money across borders
NRE/NRO accounts, fixed deposits and Indian mutual funds all have US reporting rules. See Back home: money & tax, the FBAR & FATCA checker and your first US tax return.
The good
- The largest community of H-1B families, with deep networks in every tech hub
- Three-year H-1B extensions keep people working legally through the wait
- EB-1 and EB-3 have at times moved faster than EB-2
The hard
- NFAP projects a new EB-2 filer could wait 179 years under current law
- Children often age out before the family's green card arrives
- Visa stamping now means interviews in India for everyone, with long waits at some posts
Recent from immigration lawyers
From independent law firms, newest first. Not reviewed by h1b-life, not legal advice and not an endorsement.
- Can an Approved I-140 Still Help After the Employer Withdraws It?Murthy Law Firm · Nov 11, 2026
- My Child Aged Out of Our Employment-Based Green Card Case: What Now?Reddy Neumann Brown · Nov 11, 2026
- MurthyAudio: Tips for Proactive I-485 FilingsMurthy Law Firm · Nov 6, 2026
- Green Card Options: Does Your Company Do Research? The Green Card Option Most Employers OverlookReddy Neumann Brown · Nov 2, 2026
Sources
- Cato Institute: Employment-based immigration backlog exceeds 1.2 million people
- Day1CPT: Indian EB-2 green card wait could reach 179 years (NFAP, Aug 2026)
- Badmus & Associates: September 2026 bulletin and October outlook
- Berardi Immigration Law: H-1B stamping in India in 2026
Rules change often. If something here looks out of date, it probably is; check the official source and talk to an immigration attorney about your own case.