My Green Card Journey as an Indian

Green Card
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Hi folks,

I’d like to share my journey of coming to the U.S., hoping it might be helpful or inspiring for those of you going through the same process, especially with the upcoming H-1B lottery season!

I came to the U.S. in 2012 and attended a top 5 university, majoring in Computer Science. Fortunately, I secured a job before graduating with my master’s degree. Like many others pursuing the American Dream, I asked my company to sponsor me for the H-1B lottery before I graduated. At the time, my company had a policy: they would only start the green card process if I first secured an H-1B visa.

Looking back, I sometimes feel a little bit regretful－what if I came to the U.S. earlier in 2009 or 2010? Between 2010 and 2013, the economy was terrible, and there were no lotteries in these 4 years. But by the time I graduated in 2014, the H-1B selection process was once again lottery-based, with a 50-60% chance of getting selected, still much higher than today.

I didn’t get selected in my first three attempts, so I came across all the alternatives for my backup plan. I discussed with my company whether they could start my green card process instead of waiting indefinitely for an H-1B. After a lot of preparation and convincing, they agreed! (If you’re interested in how I persuaded my company and what documents I used, give me an upvote!!!I’d be happy to write a separate post about it.)

Even after all that effort, I still didn’t get selected in my fourth lottery attempt. To maintain my legal status, I enrolled in a Day 1 CPT school (a whole different story, especially when explaining it to my company!) Below is the timeline of my journey fyr:

  • Mar 2014 – 1st H-1B lottery attempt (Not selected)
  • May 2014 – Graduated, received OPT EAD card, started my full-time job
  • Mar 2015 – 2nd H-1B lottery attempt (Not selected)
  • Feb 2015 – Applied for STEM OPT extension
  • Jun 2015 – Received STEM OPT extension EAD card
  • Mar 2016 – 3rd H-1B lottery attempt (Not selected)
  • Apr 2016 – Started exploring alternative options, preparing proof and documents to convince my company to support a green card application
  • May 2016 – Presented my case to my company (2 follow-ups in May and June)
  • Jul 2016 – PWD filed
  • Sep 2016 – PWD issued
  • Nov 2016 – PERM filed
  • Mar 2017 – 4th H-1B lottery attempt (Not selected)
  • Apr 2017 – PERM certified
  • May 2017 – Transferred SEVIS to a Day 1 CPT school
  • Jun 2017 – I-140 filed
  • Mar 2018 – I-140 approved + 5th H-1B lottery attempt (Selected!)
  • May 2018 – Filed H-1B petition (if your OPT hasn’t expired, it will automatically extend)
  • Aug 2018 – H-1B approved
  • Oct 2018 – H-1B activated, withdrew from Day 1 CPT school
  • Oct 2024 – Extended my H-1B

Though I am still waiting to file my I-485 (my lawyer estimates I might need another five years based on the USCIS processing timeline :melting_face:), I feel lucky and grateful for the kindness I’ve received along the way in pursuing my American Dream. Keep going, and don’t lose hope!

5 Likes
2

Thank you for sharing! it is really useful

3

Very happy for you! I am currently feeling a similar regret about unfortunate timing that you mentioned. You missed the no-lottery H-1B, and I feel I missed the time when there were abundant job opportunities. Hopefully it will work out for me like it did for you!

4

Thanks for sharing!
I have a question!
Can you change employer during I-140?

5

Since my Green Card is company-sponsored, it is tied to my employer. You can only switch jobs after 180 days of I-140 approval. If you change jobs within 180 days, your employer has the right to withdraw the I-140. But if you are self-sponsred (NIW), then it doesn’t have too many limitations.

7

Can I know what industry you’re working in?

8

Wow, thank you for sharing your journey in such detail — it’s incredibly inspiring! Your persistence, strategic planning, and willingness to explore every option are a real roadmap for anyone navigating the uncertainty of the H-1B process. It’s a great reminder that while luck plays a part, preparation and resilience are just as important. Would love to see a separate post on how you convinced your company to sponsor your green card!

9

I work in a mid size tech company, and I am a SDE.

10

Thank you so much for sharing your journey — this was incredibly detailed, inspiring, and real! :folded_hands:

It’s amazing how you navigated all those setbacks and stayed persistent through four H-1B lottery rejections, the PERM process, Day 1 CPT adjustments, and still kept your focus on the big picture. :bullseye: Your story is such a powerful reminder that even though the immigration journey can feel exhausting and uncertain, being proactive, flexible, and prepared really does make a difference.

I would definitely be interested in hearing more about how you convinced your company to start the green card process early — I think a lot of people could benefit from that knowledge (including me! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:). Please write that post when you have time! :books::sparkles:

Wishing you a smooth road ahead with your I-485 filing. You’ve come so far already — you’re definitely an inspiration to everyone still in the middle of their own fight! :rocket:

Thanks again for giving hope to the rest of us. :flexed_biceps:

11

Looking forward to you sharing how you convinced your company to support the green card application!