An Indian-origin techie’s US visa worries took a humorous turn when he realized that even Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas—the man behind one of the world’s leading AI-powered search engines—still doesn’t have a Green Card.
Sharing a selfie with Srinivas on X, Shivam Bhatia, a tech professional based in San Francisco, wrote:
“Was stressing over my visa this morning, then remembered this guy still doesn’t have a Green Card lol.”
Bhatia’s post quickly sparked conversations about the notoriously long Green Card wait times for skilled workers from India. Thousands of Indian professionals move to the US on H-1B visas, hoping to secure permanent residency, but the backlog has left many stuck in limbo for years.
Bhatia’s post quickly sparked conversations about the notorious Green Card backlog that has left many skilled Indian professionals in limbo. Social media users were stunned that even a CEO running a billion-dollar AI company was stuck in the system.
One user pointed out the irony, saying, “Kinda messed up that Aravind can’t get a Green Card after creating one of the leading AI companies in the Bay Area!! Hilarious take tho.” Another chimed in, “If a $9bn valuation can’t sort your visa issues, what chance do the rest of us have?”
Frustration over the US immigration process was evident. A user called for urgent reform, saying, “US needs an expedited Green Card process for exceptional talent. This is ridiculous.” Another added, “And sadly, a number of people I know personally who are far less deserving than this guy, showing off their GCs. Alas! So much for meritocracy.”
The Green Card backlog
The US visa backlog has been a long-standing issue, disproportionately affecting Indian professionals. Srinivas, despite leading a billion-dollar AI company backed by investors like Jeff Bezos, remains caught in this system. In a previous post, he even polled followers on whether he should apply for a Green Card—Elon Musk simply responded, “Yes.”
With Donald Trump back in office, immigration policies are once again under scrutiny. His past administration tightened H-1B rules, sparking fears among Indian professionals, many of whom rely on this visa to obtain permanent residency eventually.
Srinivas, an IIT Madras graduate and former OpenAI researcher, founded Perplexity AI in 2022, turning it into a global success.