Green card after 14 years! Indian professor's journey shows visa struggles

An Indian professor became a US permanent resident after 14 years, reflecting the long and uncertain green card journey faced by over one million Indians stuck in backlogs

For many Indians, America is not just a country where they would like to study and work. They look at it for stability, better opportunity for themselves and their family, and for a comfortable life. But all this comes at a cost, and that cost is time.

 

For instance, for an Indian professor, that stability finally arrived this year when, after 14 years of studying and contributing in the US, he became a permanent resident.

 

In a post on LinkedIn, Rajavasanth Rajasegar described this milestone as life-changing. “Green card in hand, after 14 years, the visa clock has finally stopped ticking,” he wrote. 

 

 

Indian professor’s 14-year wait for US green card

 

Rajasegar’s story goes back to August 2011, when he first arrived in the US on an F-1 visa to pursue a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). What followed was more than a decade of research, teaching, and postdoctoral work, all while depending on temporary visas.

 

“Since then, I’ve been fortunate to have a privileged, streamlined path. F-1 renewals, OPT + STEM, a cap-gap exempt H-1B during the pandemic, and eventually a transition into faculty,” Rajasegar explained.

 

His academic career included seven years of fully funded graduate education at UIUC, five years of postdoctoral training at Sandia National Laboratories, and then a tenure-track faculty position at the Colorado School of Mines. Yet, the insecurity of visas never went away.

 

“Even with that support, the visa clock never felt far away,” he said. “I told myself I’d try EB1A, if denied, I’d look for opportunities elsewhere.”

 

EB1A visa process and hurdles faced by Indian applicants

 

The EB1A process, which is reserved for individuals with extraordinary ability, was not smooth. At one stage, Rajasegar received a Request for Evidence (RFE) to prove the relevance of his work.

 

That meant another round of letters, supporting documents, and more waiting. Even after his case was approved, he had to make a short trip to Mexico to reset his visa before his green card was finally granted.

 

“After piles of documents and years of adjustment, I finally became a permanent resident, which was after a quick reset trip to Mexico,” he said. 

 

Visa anxiety and the struggle of temporary status in the US

 

Rajasegar recalled the constant uncertainty of living on temporary visas, even when his career was progressing.

 

“I still remember asking my manager in February 2020, ‘Can we start H-1B just in case?’ Three months later, while the world was shutting down, I had it in hand, along with a letter affirming, ‘You matter to us and to the US’. That meant a lot. But until now, the clock was always ticking,” he added.

 

Now, for the first time in 14 years, he said that anxiety is finally gone. “Today, that clock doesn’t exist. That’s the only real difference, and it’s a big one.”

 

US green card backlog for Indians stretches decades

 

Rajasegar admitted he was privileged compared to many others. He had financial support, career opportunities, and institutions that backed him. Yet the fear of visa expiry weighed on him throughout.

 

“I hope the American Dream, whatever it truly means, stays alive and accessible for students and professionals who, like me, come here not just for themselves, but to contribute to the future of this country,” he said.

 

For many others, however, the wait for a US green card is far longer. Indian nationals face decades-long or even century-long delays, especially in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. 

 

High demand: Large numbers of Indian doctors, engineers, and scientists are in the queue for employment-based green cards

Annual caps: The US allocates no more than 7% of employment-based green cards to any one country

Backlog: More than one million Indians are estimated to be stuck in the employment-based backlog