Getting a US green card can be a long process for foreign professionals, but the wait varies significantly depending on their country of birth and the immigration category under which they apply. For Indian professionals seeking permanent residence through employment, the backlog can stretch across many years, affecting career decisions, job mobility and family planning.
The November 2026 US Visa Bulletin highlights this disparity. The EB-2 Final Action Date for India stands at November 1, 2013, while the cut-off for mainland China is October 1, 2021. This leaves Indian applicants nearly eight years behind their Chinese counterparts. The difference reflects the US system of annual visa limits and the much higher demand from Indian professionals.
