US Green Card wait for Indians hits 179 years as backlog tops 1.2 million

Indian workers are enduring remarkably lengthy delays in obtaining US Green Cards, with projections suggesting that some may be forced to wait an astonishing 179 years for permanent residency. Stricter annual quotas and country-specific limitations contribute significantly to immigration backlogs, with nearly one milli

As of December 2025, nearly one million people from India are waiting in the US employment-based immigration backlog.

Indian professionals could face green card waits of up to 179 years under U.S. immigration limits, a new NFAP analysis finds.