H1B Green Card Hopes Hang by a Thread
Many indians on H1B visas experience a mixture of hope and an excruciatingly lengthy wait when they dream of obtaining a green card. An indian software worker's path to obtaining a green card recently took a challenging turn. Although Raj's original six-year H1B ended in september 2024, his employer was able to gain an extension until february 2026 by calculating time spent outside the United States. Raj's PERM was filed in september 2023.
However, Raj's plans had to start over because of his layoff. He just has sixty days left to locate a new employment. But it's not as easy as signing a fresh offer letter to make the change. A new employer would have to start the green card application process over from the beginning, starting with a fresh PERM file, in order to continue his green card procedure. It's all about timing. The deadline of february 2026 can come without a means of extending his H1B further if his new employer does not take prompt action. His employment hunt is further strained by the fact that the green card application procedure, particularly the PERM, can take several months to a year.
In addition to being sluggish, the procedure is fraught with uncertainty and can take months, a year, or more. He could still have options if his new company can submit the PERM as soon as possible. According to U.S. immigration regulations, he may be eligible for one-year H1B extensions if a new PERM has been pending for at least 365 days by the time his current H1B expires in 2026. There is still another promising path. He could even be eligible for three-year H1B extensions if his new employer's I-140, which is the following stage after PERM, is accepted.
Raj's story reflects the anxiety that many indians on H1B visas experience as they persevere through a difficult procedure and pursue their goal of starting a life in the United States. In the data-face of shifting tides, raj and millions like him are racing to guarantee their future one step at a time.