For many immigrants, the American dream means both opportunity and stability. For Indian professor Rajavasanth Rajasegar, that stability came this year when he became a permanent resident after 14 years in the US.
Rajasegar shared on LinkedIn: “Green card in hand, after 14 years, the visa clock has finally stopped ticking.” He arrived in the US in August 2011 on an F-1 visa to pursue a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Over the years, he navigated temporary visas while focusing on academics and research.
He completed seven years of fully funded graduate studies at UIUC and five years of postdoctoral work at Sandia National Laboratories. Later, he joined the Colorado School of Mines as a tenure-track faculty member.
Even with support, visa pressure never fully eased. Rajasegar applied for an EB1A green card, faced a Request for Evidence, submitted documents, and waited. Finally, after a brief trip to Mexico and re-entering the US on H-1B, he received his permanent residency.
Now, after 14 years, he feels the relief of freedom from visa uncertainty. He hopes his story inspires other students and professionals to pursue their American dream. He thanked mentors, institutions, and colleagues who supported him throughout the journey.
