Indian Professionals Could Face 179-Year Wait For US Green Card Amid Visa Backlog

Indian professionals seeking an employment-based green card in the US could face an estimated wait of as long as 179 years, highlighting the severity of the country’s employment visa backlog. Chinese applicants, meanwhile, could face delays of up to 25 years, according to a report from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), based on data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The NFAP study looked at pending applications across the EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 employment-based green card categories. It found that Indian applicants face particularly severe delays due to country-specific visa caps, a large pool of pending applications and continued demand in the US for highly skilled professionals, particularly scientists and engineers.

Nearly 1 million Indians stuck in employment visa backlog

Under US immigration rules, roughly 140,000 employment-based green cards can be issued annually. The law also generally restricts any single country from receiving more than 7% of those visas in a fiscal year. This system has contributed to a massive backlog for Indian applicants, with nearly one million Indians estimated to have been waiting for employment-based immigration as of December 2025.

EB-3 has largest share of US employment visa backlog

The overall backlog across the EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 categories also grew substantially in recent years. NFAP estimated that about 1.26 million people were in the queue by December 2025, marking a 20.6% increase from approximately 1.05 million recorded in April 2020.

Among the three categories, EB-3 accounted for the largest share of the backlog at 30.1%. EB-2 represented 22.9%, while EB-1 made up 16.6%.

For newly applying highly skilled Indian workers, the projected waiting periods vary sharply by category. NFAP estimates that applicants entering the EB-2 queue could potentially face a delay of 179 years. The estimated wait for EB-3 applicants is around 38 years, while those applying under EB-1 could face delays of approximately four to five years.

The prolonged uncertainty can be particularly difficult for professionals who remain in the US on temporary H-1B status while waiting for permanent residency. NFAP said such lengthy processing times can make it harder for American companies to recruit and retain skilled workers while also placing considerable pressure on applicants and their families.

The growing green card backlog comes as President Donald Trump has intensified his administration's broader immigration enforcement efforts since returning to the White House for a second term.

His administration has stepped up deportations and taken action involving visas and green cards, while some immigration applications have reportedly faced scrutiny over issues including applicants' political views and participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations concerning Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

India's US immigrant community faces tougher environment

The administration has defended its immigration policies as measures intended to strengthen national security. Indians form the second-largest foreign-born population in the US, with around 3.2 million people recorded in 2024, making the community a significant part of the country's immigrant population.

Human rights organisations have criticised the administration's approach, arguing that some of its measures are discriminatory and raise concerns over free speech and due process. Rights advocates have also warned that the tougher immigration environment could increase fears of racial profiling among minority communities.

Although Trump's 2024 presidential campaign prominently focused on curbing illegal immigration, his administration has also introduced measures affecting legal immigration. These include higher fees for applicants seeking certain employment-related visas, adding to the financial and administrative challenges faced by foreign workers hoping to build long-term careers in the US.