Originating in India After 3,505 days, a Google techie obtains permanent residency in the US

Obtaining a green card or permanent residence is one of the most coveted statuses in the USA. Less than 5% of the millions of individuals who apply each year for employment-based green cards actually get one. As a consequence, in order to keep their positions in the United States, individuals must either work on temporary H-1B visas or go through several administrative and bureaucratic hurdles. A Google employee of Indian descent recently discussed how H-1B visas are too restricted, preventing gifted workers from realizing their full potential and from taking advantage of the same freedoms as normal citizens or holders of green cards.

Sharing a picture of the letter he received from US Citizenship and Immigration Services with his green card, Swaroop Ramaswamy commented, “After 3505 days in this country, I’m finally a ‘permanent resident’.” I won’t have to worry about a million other things when I go, like my I-94 date or my visa stamp.

The 3,505 days equate to almost a decade of waiting. Except for the ability to cast a ballot in federal elections, having a green card entitles one to almost all citizenship privileges. In addition, after five years as a permanent resident, a bearer of a green card may apply for US citizenship.

Ramaswamy discussed the “restrictive” aspect of H-1B visas in later writings, writing, “A H-1B visa is extremely restrictive.” Every few years, you need a fresh visa stamp from the US consulate abroad. You are not allowed to enter the US if you don’t have one. Because of this, I have never been able to attend a single conference.

He went on, “I’m very lucky. On “temporary” H1-B visas, many brilliant engineers and researchers have been employed here without permanent residency. For highly trained workers from India, the wait for a green card has lasted for decades and shows no signs of ending.

For temporary employment, skilled individuals hired by US businesses or employers are granted the H-1B visa. Usually only good for three years, it must be renewed via a drawn-out procedure at embassies and consulates. Jobs that require a bachelor’s degree or more as a prerequisite may be sponsored for an H-1B visa. The H-1B visa’s status is solely dependent on an individual’s job status, which often leads to employer-perpetrated labor exploitation.