H-1B to Green Card: The Realistic Timeline Nobody Talks About

Everyone talks about getting a green card. Nobody talks about the wait. Here’s what really happens after you start the process.

OpenSphere Legal Operations

8th November 2025

1 min read

Getting a green card while on H-1B visa is rarely fast. The process involves multiple stages (PERM, I-140, and I-485) and can take anywhere from two to eight years, depending on your country of birth and visa category. While backlogs and employer dependence often slow progress - early planning, concurrent filing, and smart use of H-1B extensions can help shorten the wait. This guide breaks down the full timeline, what helps, what hurts, and what every H-1B professional should do to stay ahead.

Expecting this process to wrap up in 2 years? Try 8 - sometimes longer. Between country-specific quotas, slow-moving priority dates, and employer-dependent filings, even well-planned cases can stall for years in the backlog.

This guide breaks down what the process actually looks like, why it takes so long, and the practical steps you can take right now to shorten the wait and keep your career on track.

Table of Content

What is a H-1B visa?

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations. These require a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific field.

It is employer-sponsored, meaning a company must apply for the visa on behalf of the worker, and the job must be a "specialty occupation". The initial visa is valid for up to three years and can be extended for another three, for a total of six years.

What is a H-1B visa?

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations. These require a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific field.

What does the process look like?

Generally, for H-1B visa holders sponsoring a green card via employment, the path typically looks like this:

Step 1	Employer files a labor certification (PERM)
Step 2	Employer files a Form I-140 immigrant-petition
Step 3	Wait for your priority date to become current under the monthly Visa Bulletin
Step 4	File the adjustment of status (Form I-485) or immigrant visa

Processing times from the U.S. government show the bulk of the time is spent waiting for visa availability, especially if you were born in a country with heavy demand. Some general estimates for the employer-sponsored route range from 18–24 months for the administrative steps (PERM + I-140 + I-485) before any backlog wait kicks in.