title: "How long does it take to go from H-1B to green card?" slug: h1b-to-green-card-timeline-2026 product: VisaSherpa.ai date: 2026-07-23 author: Pinal Dave

How long does it take to go from H-1B to green card?

TL;DR: For most countries: roughly 2-4 years through PERM, I-140, and I-485. For India-born applicants in EB-2/EB-3, the priority-date backlog stretches the wait to a decade or more - 2026 Visa Bulletin final action dates for India EB-2 sit around 2014-2015 priority dates. Your birth country, not your citizenship, sets the queue.

Why there is no single answer

The employment-based green card has three sequential stages, plus a queue that depends on your country of birth:

1. PERM labor certification - the employer proves no qualified US worker. 2026 practice reports (Law Offices of Peter D. Chu) note PERM processing remains slower than pre-pandemic, commonly running past a year including prevailing wage determination.
2. I-140 immigrant petition - months at regular speed, or 15 business days with premium processing.
3. I-485 adjustment of status - filed only when your priority date is current in the Visa Bulletin.

For applicants born in most countries, dates are current or nearly current: total journey ~2-4 years. For India, per-country caps bite hard: the 2026 Visa Bulletin's India EB-2 final action dates correspond to priority dates from around 2014-2015 - a wait measured in decades at current movement. China faces a shorter but still multi-year backlog.

Timeline by stage and country of birth

Step-by-step

1. Ask your employer to start PERM early - ideally in H-1B year 1-2. Your priority date is your place in line.
2. File I-140 with premium processing once PERM certifies.
3. Extend H-1B past year 6 via AC21 (1-year extensions with pending PERM/I-140; 3-year with approved I-140 and retrogressed dates).
4. Watch the monthly Visa Bulletin; file I-485 (with EAD/AP) the month your date is current or "dates for filing" opens.
5. After 180 days of pending I-485, job portability under AC21 lets you change employers in a same-or-similar role.

FAQ

Can I change jobs during the process? Yes, but timing is critical - before I-140 approval you may restart PERM; after 180 days of pending I-485, AC21 portability protects you.

Does my spouse get a green card too? Yes. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 are derivatives and receive green cards with you.

What if my H-1B hits the 6-year limit while waiting? AC21 allows extensions beyond year 6 with a pending PERM/I-140 or an approved I-140.

Can I expedite the whole process? No. Only the I-140 stage has premium processing.

EB-2 or EB-3 - which is faster? It flips over time as dates retrogress and advance. Many India-born applicants file both and interfile.

By Pinal Dave Last updated: July 23, 2026

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