The 5 steps to a green card
If you've never dealt with green cards, the process can feel impossible to follow. It's really just a long line with a few steps to join it. Here's the whole employment-based (EB) process from start to finish, told through one person's path.
Walk through the 5 steps
Meet Priya. She was born in India and works in the U.S. on an H-1B visa. Here's her path to a green card.
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Stay in the U.S. legally while you wait
Before anything starts, Priya needs a valid work status to live and work in the U.S. Most people are on an H-1B. This isn't the green card itself. It just lets her stay and keep working while everything below plays out.
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Get in line and take a "number"
Her employer proves to the government that no U.S. worker was available for her job. This step is called PERM. The day that paperwork is filed becomes her priority date. Think of it as taking a numbered ticket at a deli counter: that date is her place in line, and it's hers to keep.
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The employer files the petition (I-140)
Her employer files a petition, Form I-140, showing Priya qualifies for her category (EB-2 or EB-3 for most professionals). Once it's approved, her spot in line is locked to her, even if she changes jobs.
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Wait for her number to come up
This is where almost all of the waiting happens. Every month the government publishes a kind of "now serving" sign called the Visa Bulletin. When it reaches Priya's number (her priority date), she can take the final step. The U.S. limits how many green cards go to each country each year, so the lines for people born in India and China are much longer than for everyone else, often many years.
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File the last application and get the green card
Once her number comes up, Priya files the last application, the I-485. When it's approved, she has her green card: permanent permission to live and work in the U.S.
India · EB-2 · priority date March 2023
- PERM (done)
- I-140 (done)
- Priority-date wait (she's here)
- I-485
- Green card
Her priority date isn't current yet, so she's still in line. The tool estimates how long that wait runs and flags what could change it, like spouse cross-chargeability or EB-1 / NIW eligibility.
That's the entire process. The confusing part is almost always step 4: the wait, and how long your line specifically is. That's what this tool works out for you. You don't need to know every term. Hover any acronym for a quick definition, or open the Glossary anytime.
How the Employment-Based Green Card Works
The whole path, start to finish. For India and China, the priority-date wait in the middle is where most of the total time goes. Timelines vary; this is not legal advice.