Find Your Fastest Path to a US Green Card (June 2026)

Stateside is a free tool that compares every employment-based green card pathway side by side using live USCIS processing times, visa bulletin priority dates, and DOL labor certification data. Enter your visa status, education, and country of birth to see personalized timelines.

Data sourced from USCIS, Department of State, and DOL FLAG. Last updated Jun 13, 2026.

Key Takeaways

•Fastest overall path: EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability) or EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver). Neither requires employer sponsorship or PERM labor certification. I-140 processing: 6–9 months, or 15 business days with premium processing ($2,965 fee).
•Most common path: PERM → I-140 → I-485, typically through EB-2 or EB-3. Full PERM stage runs ~20 months end-to-end at current DOL queue times. Total timeline for "All Other" countries: roughly 3 years.
•India EB-2 backlog: Final Action Date is Sep 2013, meaning applicants face a multi-year wait after I-140 approval. EB-3 India is Dec 2013. Some applicants downgrade from EB-2 to EB-3 when the EB-3 wait is shorter.
•China EB-2 backlog: Final Action Date is Sep 2021. EB-1 China is Apr 2023. Shorter than India, but still multi-year.
•I-485 adjustment of status: Currently 10–18 months. Filing fee: $1,440. Concurrent filing (I-140 + I-485 together) is available when visa bulletin dates are current.
•Canadian and Mexican TN visa holders can pursue green cards, but must manage dual intent carefully. TN is a non-immigrant visa, so most TN holders switch to H-1B before filing I-485, or file EB-2 NIW to avoid the issue entirely. See our TN to Green Card guide.

Employment-Based Green Card Pathways Compared

The US offers several employment-based (EB) green card categories. Each has different requirements, processing times, and backlog situations. Current state as of June 2026:

EB-1: Priority Workers

EB-1 is the fastest employment-based category with three sub-types:

EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability): Self-petitioned. No employer or PERM needed. Requires sustained national or international acclaim in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.
EB-1B (Outstanding Researcher): Employer-sponsored. Requires international recognition for outstanding achievements in a specific academic field and 3+ years of experience.
EB-1C (Multinational Manager): For executives and managers transferring from a foreign office to a US office of the same employer.

Current visa bulletin: EB-1 All Other is Current, China is Apr 2023, India is Dec 2022. I-140 processing time: 6–9 months, or 15 business days with premium processing.

EB-2: Advanced Degree or Exceptional Ability

EB-2 has two main routes:

EB-2 with PERM: Employer-sponsored. Requires a master's degree or bachelor's + 5 years progressive experience. The employer must complete PERM labor certification (~14 months) before filing I-140.
EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver): Self-petitioned under the Matter of Dhanasar (26 I&N Dec. 884, 2016) three-prong test. No PERM required. Applicant must show: (1) substantial merit and national importance, (2) well-positioned to advance the endeavor, (3) beneficial to waive the job offer requirement. Filing fee: $715. See our EB-2 NIW guide.

Current visa bulletin: EB-2 All Other is Current, China is Sep 2021, India is Sep 2013.

EB-3: Skilled Workers and Professionals

EB-3 covers skilled workers (2+ years experience), professionals (bachelor's degree), and other workers. All EB-3 petitions require PERM labor certification. Current visa bulletin: EB-3 All Other is Jun 2024, China is Aug 2021, India is Dec 2013.

PERM Labor Certification Timeline

Most employer-sponsored green cards (EB-2 with PERM and EB-3) require the employer to complete PERM labor certification through the Department of Labor. This proves no qualified US worker is available for the position.

Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD): Currently ~3 months. The DOL is processing cases filed around March 2026.
PERM application (ETA Form 9089): Currently ~14 months after filing. The DOL is processing applications filed around April 2025.
PERM audit: If audited, add approximately 7 additional months. The DOL is processing audited cases from November 2025.

Total PERM timeline (PWD + recruitment + filing + adjudication): approximately 20–23 months without audit. See our complete PERM process guide for step-by-step detail including recruitment requirements (20 CFR §656.12).

Green Card Timelines by Current Visa Status

H-1B to Green Card

The H-1B is the most common pathway to an employment-based green card. H-1B holders benefit from dual intent: the visa explicitly allows permanent residence intent. Under AC21 §106(a), H-1B extensions beyond the 6-year limit are available while a PERM or I-140 is pending for 365+ days. Under AC21 §104(c), if an I-140 is approved, H-1B can be extended in 3-year increments until a green card number is available. See our H-1B to Green Card guide.

TN Visa to Green Card

Canadian and Mexican professionals on TN visas can pursue green cards, but face a dual intent complication. The TN is a non-immigrant visa, and USCIS may question green card filings. Common strategies: (1) have the employer file PERM and I-140 while on TN, then switch to H-1B for I-485 filing; (2) file EB-2 NIW to avoid employer dependency. See our TN to Green Card guide.

L-1 to Green Card

L-1 intracompany transferees have a direct path through EB-1C (multinational manager/executive) which skips PERM entirely. L-1B (specialized knowledge) typically goes through EB-2 or EB-3 with PERM. L-1 holders have dual intent, making the green card filing straightforward.

O-1 to Green Card

O-1 visa holders (extraordinary ability) are strong candidates for EB-1A self-petition, as the evidence requirements overlap significantly. No PERM needed. O-1 holders can also pursue EB-2 NIW if they prefer the lower evidentiary standard.

Current USCIS Filing Fees

I-140 (Immigrant Worker Petition): $715
I-485 (Adjustment of Status): $1,440
I-765 (Employment Authorization / EAD): $260
I-907 (Premium Processing): $2,965
I-129 (H-1B Petition): $3,380

Employer-paid attorney fees for PERM and I-140 typically add $5,000–$15,000.

Priority Date Portability & Concurrent Filing

An approved I-140 petition's priority date can be retained even if the employer later withdraws the petition or goes out of business, as long as either the I-140 was approved 180+ days before the withdrawal or the corresponding I-485 has been pending 180+ days. Separately, under INA §204(j) (codified from AC21 §106(c)), once your I-485 has been pending for 180+ days, you can change to a same or similar job at a new employer without restarting the green card process.

Concurrent filing allows you to file I-485 at the same time as I-140 when visa numbers are available (your priority date is current on the Dates for Filing chart). This gets you an EAD (work permit) and Advance Parole (travel document) while waiting, and lets you change employers under AC21 portability after 180 days.

EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade: Applicants from India sometimes "downgrade" from EB-2 to EB-3 if the EB-3 backlog is moving faster, while retaining their original EB-2 priority date on the new EB-3 petition (8 CFR §204.5(e)).

How Stateside Works

Stateside calculates your personalized green card timeline by combining:

Your current visa status: H-1B, TN, L-1, O-1, F-1/OPT, or no current US status.
Your education and experience: determines EB-2 vs EB-3 eligibility and NIW/EB-1 qualification.
Your country of birth: determines visa bulletin backlog (India and China have the longest waits).
Live processing times: USCIS, DOL, and State Department data updated daily to show current wait times, not historical averages.

The tool then shows all qualifying pathways side by side on a visual timeline, ranked by total estimated time to green card. You can track your progress through each stage and see how changes (like premium processing or a priority date port) affect your timeline.