How long did your U.S. green card take?

#1

Post by makecheck » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 11:35 PM UTC

The U.S. green card process seems to take an astonishingly long time (assuming you aren't taking advantage of corrupt government employees). A feeling of lock-in with your current job adds to the frustration, because quitting can jeopardize or reset a permanent residency application that has been going on for months.

U.S. immigrants, how long did your card take? Did it seem to benefit from theoretically-irrelevant factors like which company you worked for? And, does it seem like the high tech industry is any faster for acquiring a green card (compared to, say, these people who seem to get cards after crossing the border under questionable circumstances)?

Re: How long did your U.S. green card take?

#2

Post by craigbellot » Sat, Mar 22, 2008, 12:45 AM UTC

I'm still on an H1-B work visa for 3 years. They said they will consider it once my term is nearing its end.

Re: How long did your U.S. green card take?

#3

Post by john_gunther » Sat, Mar 22, 2008, 1:09 AM UTC

Your mileage for responses will be higher if you post in an immigration forum/newsgroup.

Re: How long did your U.S. green card take?

#4

Post by white » Sat, Mar 22, 2008, 1:45 AM UTC

Good lawyers help.

What also matters is what group are you fitting into. Having a diploma which is evaluated to Master Degree of American university speeds up a process significantly. Process with Bachelor Degree is pretty slow. There is also an extra quota for those who have American education. And the process is much faster for those ones.

My EBGC process took about 20 months for the whole family. It could be faster, but I had to reschedule fingerprint exams for 2 or 3 months, being out of the country. My lawyers were pretty expensive, but they are much worth it. :) I have MS of CS from foreign university. It was evaluated to the Master Degree. I also have a bunch of certificates, but I don't think they play any difference.

Originally coming on H1B for two years and H2 for the rest of the family, I didn't have to prolong it and I also didn't use advance parole and work authorization (although, my lawyers made them for me).

I'm working for a pretty small company (less then 20 employees). My original position was not anything special, a regular IT fit, so I don't think it matters.

I have spent a lot of time learning the whole process and one of the most important concerns is the lawyers. They can help or they can kill.

Feel free to drop me a message to w at qwe3 dot com if you have any more questions.

P.S. I have a friend in SF waiting for his EBGC for almost 6 years now. Nothing, yet.

Re: How long did your U.S. green card take?

#5

Post by white » Sat, Mar 22, 2008, 1:50 AM UTC

craigbellot wrote: post #2

I'm still on an H1-B work visa for 3 years. They said they will consider it once my term is nearing its end.

I consider you're talking about your employers, aren't you? As far as I know H1B can be extended to 5 years at max (2+2+1), so you should better hurry up. Propose them to share the costs of legal process if it will make them move up. I doubt you will have fun extending your advance parole and work authorization every year while waiting for your EBGC.

Keep in mind that there are some restrictions on owning the company which brought you on H1B and which sponsored EBGC for you. If your lawyer doesn't know anything about that, fire him and find another one.

Re: How long did your U.S. green card take?

#6

Post by white » Sat, Mar 22, 2008, 1:51 AM UTC

Well anyway you still can play GC lottery. If there is a chance, why not trying it? ;) My brother was one among hundred of thousands who's used that chance.

Re: How long did your U.S. green card take?

#7

Post by aristus » Sat, Mar 22, 2008, 2:46 AM UTC

My wife's took 5 months, but then she married a local. :) But before that was a three-year tragicomedy with all the problems you bring up, plus another nasty one: the "visa discount". Large employers love to cut your salary by 15-20% if they can get away with it. What are you going to do? Quit?

Re: How long did your U.S. green card take?

#8

Post by raghus » Sat, Mar 22, 2008, 3:57 AM UTC

I could probably write several pages on this, so I'll try and keep it succinct: much depends on what category you file under. Employment-based Green Cards are filed typically under EB1/2 or 3. Make sure you don't let your employer and the lawyer make all your choices. Do some research.

An EB1 filing is the fastest - but you typically need a PhD or equivalent to qualify. Most other filings are in EB2/EB3 which approximate a MS/BS educational equivalent. EB1s could go as 'fast' as 1-2 years wheras EB2/EB3 could take 3-5 years.

These are typical numbers - counting from the day you file. I know folks that got it in just over a year in EB2 and folks that are still waiting 6 years after filing. All the best!

Re: How long did your U.S. green card take?

#9

Post by hollerith » Sat, Mar 22, 2008, 4:38 AM UTC

assuming you aren't taking advantage of corrupt government employees

Bribery happens here less often than you probably think.

I have lived in the US for 47 years and never has anyone confided in me that they bribed an employee of the US government although of course I have read about bribery in the newspapers.

The Feds pay their employees enough to live comfortably, and an employee never knows whether someone offering a bribe is working with the FBI on a sting operation.

Re: How long did your U.S. green card take?

#10

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Mar 22, 2008, 6:15 AM UTC

hollerith wrote: post #9

assuming you aren't taking advantage of corrupt government employees Bribery happens here less often than you probably think. I have lived in the US for 47 years and never has anyone confided in me that they bribed an employee of the US government although of course I have read about bribery in the newspapers. The Feds pay their employees enough to live comfortably, and an employee never knows whether someone offerin…

[deleted]