Most people move from India and plan to settle in the US in hopes of a better lifestyle and standard of living, but they also face their own share of obstacles while living away from their home country. One of the most notorious challenges faced by those living, working or studying in the US who aspire to permanent residency is the journey to obtaining a green card.

Many people can share personal experiences of the obstacles they have faced, while others are unaware of the long waiting times and complicated procedures involved in the entire process. Several people, including top professionals like the Indian CEO of American company Perplexity AI, are navigating the same bureaucratic maze.

Rohit Krishnan, Chief Product Officer at Bodo.ai, recently sparked a critical discussion about the challenges facing immigrants in the US through a social media post on X (formerly Twitter). Through social media, he highlighted the immense effort required to obtain a Green Card, sharing his experience as a three-time immigrant. According to Krishnan, despite having lived in several countries, the US process proved to be the most arduous of all.

One thing I find about the dialogue with immigrants is how few of them seem to know how hard it is to actually immigrate to this country. I have been an immigrant 3 times now and the US was by far the longest and hardest.

— rohit (@krishnanrohit) October 30, 2024

Yes. I have been waiting for my green card for about 3 years. I haven’t received it yet. People have no idea when they talk about immigration. https://t.co/X2o34kiFjP

— Aravind Srinivas (@AravSrinivas) October 30, 2024

In his post, Krishnan told the story of a Tesla investor who has lived legally in the US for over 14 years, but spent nine of those years waiting for a Green Card. This resonated with Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, a San Francisco-based AI search engine, who joined the conversation and shared his experience. Srinivas revealed that he has been waiting for his green card for over three years. “For the most part, people are clueless when they talk about immigration,” he noted.

It is disheartening to realize that even immigrants like Srinivas, who have contributed significantly to the US economy, have to go through such uncertainty.

A few other X users came forward to share their experiences; one user wrote: “I went through the process in Denmark (a notoriously difficult immigration process) and it was awful. I know the US is much worse and I have nothing but the deepest respect and admiration for the people who did it. These men ipso facto embody American determination.”

“It took me 15 years and I was one of the lucky ones (of the rest of the world). If you’re Indian or Chinese, you’re basically screwed,” another user added.

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