US Green Card Wait Time Estimator 2026

Estimate your green card wait time based on your employment-based category (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3) and country of birth. Data from latest USCIS Visa Bulletin.

Employment-Based Category

Country of Birth

40+

Estimated Wait Time (Years)

EB-2

Why Are Wait Times So Long for Some Countries?

The US limits green cards per country to 7% of total annual employment-based visas. Countries with very high demand (India, China, Philippines, Mexico) exhaust this quota quickly, causing enormous backlogs — especially for Indian EB-2 and EB-3 applicants who face waits of 50–100+ years under current rates.

Approximate Wait Times by Category (2026)

Category	India	China	Philippines	Other
EB-1	1–3 years	1–3 years	Current	Current
EB-2	40–80 years	5–10 years	Current	Current
EB-3	50–100+ years	5–10 years	5–8 years	Current

Faster Alternatives to Consider

EB-1A / EB-1B — Extraordinary ability or outstanding researcher — often current even for India
EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) — No employer sponsorship needed, often faster
Canada PR — Many Indian professionals get Canada PR in 6–12 months vs decades for US green card
UK Skilled Worker — Work in the UK while waiting for US green card

Many US-based Indian professionals are getting Canada PR in under a year. Calculate your CRS score now.

🇨🇦 Check Canada Eligibility 🇬🇧 Check UK Eligibility