Time to get US green card after studying 4 years?

Studying in the U.S. on a student visa does not count toward permanent residency (green card) or citizenship time — so yes, you essentially have to start again after graduation if you want to become a U.S. citizen.

Here's a breakdown of the typical process:

1. Student visa (F-1) – 4 years

• This allows you to study, but it does not lead to a green card or count toward U.S. citizenship.

2. Post-study work (OPT → H-1B visa) – 1 to 6 years

• After graduation, many apply for:

o OPT (Optional Practical Training) – up to 1 year (or 3 years for STEM).

o Then, a U.S. employer might sponsor you for an H-1B work visa (valid up to 6 years).

3. Green Card (Permanent Residency) – ~1 to 3+ years

• If your employer sponsors you (usually through an EB-2 or EB-3 visa), the green card process can take 1–3+ years, depending on:

o Your country of origin (India and China take longer).

o The employment category and U.S. government processing times.

4. U.S. Citizenship – after 5 years as a green card holder

• After receiving your green card, you must:

o Live in the U.S. for 5 years, maintaining permanent resident status.

o Then you can apply for U.S. citizenship (naturalization).

Total Timeline (Typical Path):

4 years (student) + ~1–3 years (work) + 5 years (green card) = ~10–12+ years before you can become a U.S. citizen.

Summary:

• You can become a U.S. citizen eventually, but your time as a student doesn’t count toward citizenship.

• You don’t get a green card just for studying — you must find a job, get sponsored, and go through the long process.