EB-3 How Long Does It Take? Indians Face Longest Wait as Green Card Categories Go Full in 2025

Indian nationals pursuing employment-based green cards through the EB-3 (skilled workers/professionals) and EW (other workers) categories are facing another major setback, as both visa categories have been reported full for fiscal year 2025. This means no new visas can be issued in these categories for Indian chargeability applicants until the next fiscal year begins in October. The per-country annual cap system disproportionately impacts Indian-born applicants, who represent the largest share of employment-based green card demand. Unlike applicants from most other countries who can access visas within months, Indians in the EB-3 queue face estimated wait times that can stretch 10 to 50+ years depending on the priority date and category. When a visa category is listed as 'C' (current) in the Visa Bulletin, applicants can proceed with their final green card step. However, when categories become unavailable or retrogress — as is occurring now — applicants are stuck in limbo regardless of how long they have been waiting or how far along in the process they are. For EB-3 EW (unskilled/other workers) from India, the situation is particularly dire, as this sub-category consistently has the most congested backlog. Applicants who filed labor certifications years ago may still be years away from receiving a priority date that is considered current. Immigration practitioners advise affected applicants to monitor the monthly Visa Bulletin closely, consult with attorneys about potential category upgrades (e.g., EB-3 to EB-2 portability), and ensure all pending applications and biometrics remain up to date to avoid delays when dates do become current.