(NEW DELHI, INDIA) Indian-origin professor Rajavasanth Rajasegar received his Green Card in September 2025 after a 14-year journey through the U.S. immigration system, a case that highlights the deep employment-based backlog facing many Indian nationals seeking U.S. permanent residency. His path—from an F-1 student visa in 2011 to an EB-1A approval this year—shows how even highly accomplished scholars must plan carefully, respond to changing rules, and wait through uncertainty before they can settle their lives in the United States 🇺🇸.
A 14-Year Path to U.S. Permanent Residency
Rajasegar arrived in August 2011 to begin a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He moved through research and teaching roles, then postdoctoral work, and finally into a tenure-track faculty position at the Colorado School of Mines.
Across those years, his immigration status changed several times: from F-1 student with OPT and STEM extensions, to cap-gap protections connected to H-1B during the pandemic, and ultimately to a first-preference employment-based petition.
He pursued the EB-1A “extraordinary ability” route to speed up his Green Card prospects. The EB-1A category is for people who can show sustained acclaim in their field. The process, however, was not simple. He received a Request for Evidence (RFE) asking for stronger proof of the impact of his work. He then:
- gathered additional documents,
- sought more recommendation letters, and
- waited for adjudication.
When his petition was approved, he took a short trip to Mexico to reset his visa status—a small but essential step—before he was finally granted U.S. permanent residency.
“After 14 years, the visa clock has finally stopped ticking … Today, that clock doesn’t exist,” he said upon approval.
The relief was real: the Green Card ends years of renewals and short timelines that shape personal and professional choices.
System Pressures and Policy Debate
Rajasegar’s path reflects a broader problem affecting many applicants, particularly Indian nationals. Three structural limits drive these delays:
- Per-country caps: By law, no single nationality can receive more than 7% of employment-based Green Cards in a given year.
- Massive demand: Estimates indicate over one million Indians are waiting in the employment-based backlog.
- Decades-long delays: For EB-2 and EB-3, waits can stretch for decades—often the length of a career.
Even strong candidates with institutional support feel the strain. Rajasegar recalled urging his manager as early as 2020 to start H-1B steps due to worry about policy shifts. He acknowledged his advantages—supportive employers and resources—while noting many peers lack similar backing.
EB-1 and Priority Date Retrogression
First-preference categories can still move faster for top scholars and researchers. In 2025, EB-1 remains faster than other employment-based routes. However:
- India’s EB-1 is retrogressed to February 15, 2022, so Indian applicants must wait for their priority date to become current before final approval.
- That delay affects when applicants can file the last stage—either adjustment of status or consular processing.
Key procedural steps typically include:
- Preparing the petition and supporting evidence.
- Filing the immigrant petition for an alien worker using Form I-140.
- When the priority date is current, completing the final stage through Form I-485 for adjustment of status if applying inside the U.S.
Applicants should follow official instructions and check the Visa Bulletin. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services explains first-preference eligibility and filing steps on its EB-1 page: USCIS EB-1 First Preference.
When the immigrant petition is ready, filers use Form I-140: https://www.uscis.gov/i-140 to request classification, and when the priority date is current and they’re in the U.S., they apply for permanent residence through Form I-485: https://www.uscis.gov/i-485.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, EB-1A and EB-1B remain among the fastest options for high-achieving academics and researchers. Still, priority date movement limits Indian nationals because of category demand. A typical timeline from the source material includes:
- Several months to prepare the case.
- Months for I-140 processing (premium processing can take ~15 days).
- Once eligible, 6–12 months for adjustment or consular steps.
- Final card production after approval.
These ranges can expand when priority dates are retrogressed.
Legislative Proposals and Debate
Lawmakers have revisited whether the country caps match today’s labor needs. The source notes the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act (H.R.6542, 118th Congress), a proposal to remove per-country limits for employment-based categories.
- Supporters say it could reduce the employment-based backlog for Indian and Chinese applicants.
- Critics raise concerns about transition fairness and timelines.
For now, the caps remain, and the backlog continues to shape lives.
Practical Realities for Applicants and Employers
Rajasegar’s experience offers a practical map for others in similar roles.
Key Recommendations
- Build a clear record. EB-1A requires proof of sustained acclaim and major impact. Strong:
- publications and citations,
- peer review service,
- awards, and
- independent recommendation letters
can help respond to RFEs that ask for the “so what” behind the work.
- Expect turns in the road. An RFE is common and not a denial. Treat it as part of the process with careful documentation and focused evidence.
- Plan travel and status steps. Short trips to reset status (as Rajasegar did) can be essential. Ask counsel about timing and reentry before leaving the U.S.
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Watch priority dates. Even in first preference, Indian-born applicants must manage around retrogression. File when eligible and track the Visa Bulletin monthly.
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Use employer support. University counsel and HR teams can help with filings, timelines, and strategy across:
- F-1,
- OPT,
- STEM extensions,
- cap-gap protections, and
- H-1B planning.
Human Costs and Career Impact
The human cost remains heavy. Living year to year on temporary status creates ongoing stress, affects family planning, and risks stalled projects. It shapes career choices—what jobs to accept, when to move, whether to start a company, and how to balance research goals with status needs.
Rajasegar’s words reflect that reality and a hope that the American Dream stays open to those who come to study, teach, and advance science.
Policy Gaps and What Needs to Change
For Indian nationals stuck in the employment-based backlog, his Green Card is both a personal milestone and a reminder of policy gaps. The source material calls for reforms that could ease pressure:
- increase employment-based visa numbers,
- reconsider per-country caps,
- improve predictability, and
- strengthen protections for academic and research talent.
Until changes take hold, applicants will continue to balance high-impact work with careful, document-heavy filings and patient waiting for that final shift in status that turns a clock off, at last.
This Article in a Nutshell
Rajavasanth Rajasegar’s 14-year route from an F-1 student visa in 2011 to receiving a Green Card in September 2025 illustrates the challenges of U.S. employment-based immigration for Indian nationals. Despite strong academic credentials and institutional support, he faced multiple status changes—OPT, STEM extensions, cap-gap protections—and an RFE during his EB-1A petition. He gathered additional evidence, secured recommendation letters, and briefly traveled to Mexico to reset status before final approval. The case underscores systemic limits: a 7% per-country cap, an employment-based backlog exceeding one million Indians, and decades-long waits for EB-2/EB-3. Recommendations include early planning, robust documentation, employer legal support, and close tracking of the Visa Bulletin and legislative developments like H.R.6542.
