An Indian professional living in the United States has shared a heart-wrenching account of being trapped in a 12-year limbo while waiting for a Green Card, despite being approved for one over a decade ago. In a candid post on Reddit, the individual described the profound personal sacrifices and constant anxiety that define life on an H-1B temporary visa, calling it a "golden cage."
The Emotional Toll of a Frozen Priority Date
The Redditor's story highlights a common yet deeply personal crisis faced by thousands of skilled Indian workers in America. "My daughter asked about summer vacation today. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I'm still terrified to book a flight because of stamping risks," the post revealed. This fear of traveling to India for visa stamping can strand individuals away from their home country for years.
The post poignantly added, "That's the majboori of this life—missing years of Diwalis and weddings back home just to keep this 'golden cage' job." The user emphasized the staggering length of the wait, noting "12 years. 3 presidents. Countless 'recession' scares. But my priority date? Still frozen in ice." This sentiment of a life put on hold resonated deeply, with other users commenting that they have waited for 15 to 18 years to finally receive their Green Cards.
Understanding the I-140 Approval and the Systemic Backlog
The core of the issue lies in the complex US immigration process. An I-140 approval is a critical step where US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves an employer's petition for a foreign worker's employment-based Green Card. This approval locks in the applicant's priority date—the place in the queue.
While an approved I-140 allows for H-1B visa extensions in three-year increments beyond the initial six-year limit, it does not guarantee timely permanent residency. The US system allocates only about 140,000 employment-based Green Cards per year, with a 7% per-country cap. Given the enormous number of high-skilled Indian applicants, especially in the tech sector, this creates a massive backlog. Currently, individuals who filed petitions around 2012-2013 are just becoming current.
Visa Vulnerability and an Uncertain Future
A crucial and often overlooked detail is that I-140 approval does not protect the H-1B visa itself. While waiting indefinitely for the priority date to become current, the applicant remains on a temporary work visa. This means their legal status can be revoked on normal grounds, adding a layer of professional and personal insecurity to the already long wait.
The Redditor's anguished question—"Is this what we crossed oceans for? To be 'stuck' for over a decade?"—encapsulates the disillusionment felt by many. Their story is not an isolated incident but a symptom of a broken system that affects a significant portion of the Indian diaspora in America, forcing talented individuals to live in a state of prolonged uncertainty, sacrificing precious moments with family for a future that remains perpetually out of reach.
