Nearly 18 lakh Indians in the US already hold green cards, while another 12 lakh-plus skilled workers and their dependants remain trapped in a decades-long waiting queue for permanent residency, making immigration policy changes in the US a major concern for the Indian diaspora.
Indians form one of the largest immigrant communities in the United States, with nearly 5 million people of Indian origin living there. Of the estimated 3.2 million Indian immigrants, around 1.5 million to 1.8 million are Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), commonly known as Green Card holders.
Every year, tens of thousands of Indians receive permanent residency, making India the second-largest source country for new Green Cards issued by the US government.
Despite the large number of Indian green card holders, another massive group continues to wait in line for permanent residency.
More than 12 lakh highly skilled Indian professionals and their family members are caught in the employment-based Green Card backlog, especially under the EB-2 and EB-3 visa categories.
The delays are mainly due to the US immigration system’s country-wise caps on green cards, which limit the number issued annually to applicants from a single country.
For many Indian applicants, the waiting period now stretches into decades.
Indian nationals account for a large share of highly skilled workers in the US technology, healthcare, engineering and financial sectors.
Many enter the US on H-1B work visas before applying for permanent residency.
Key reasons for the growing backlog include:
Strong demand for US-based technology jobs
Heavy dependence of Silicon Valley and major firms on Indian talent
Per-country Green Card limits
Slow processing within the US immigration system
The Indian green card population includes:
Skilled professionals working in technology and healthcare
Business owners and entrepreneurs
Students who transitioned to permanent residency
Dependants and family-sponsored immigrants
Long-term residents awaiting US citizenship eligibility
Many Indian families spend years navigating temporary visa renewals while waiting for permanent residency approval.
Any tightening of US immigration rules directly affects Indians because of their large presence in employment-based visa categories.
Recent debates over visa restrictions, work permits, family sponsorship rules and processing delays have intensified concerns among Indian professionals living in America.
Immigration advocates have repeatedly warned that lengthy waiting periods create uncertainty for workers, families and employers alike.