A vascular surgeon’s long immigration journey in the United States has turned into a financial and emotional crisis after his green card process came to a sudden halt, despite full approval under the EB1A category for individuals with extraordinary ability.

According to a post shared by PhysiciansOnPause (@MD_pause) on X, the doctor spent more than two years and over $50,000 dealing with petitions, waivers, medical checks, and legal formalities. According to an advocacy group description, he has legally lived in the US for nearly nine years and completed close to eight years of advanced surgical training in the country. His EB-1A green card petition, reserved for individuals with “extraordinary ability,” had already been approved. On paper, his immigration process had reached its final stage. In reality, it has now come to a complete standstill.

Vascular surgeon stuck in USCIS freeze, may lose job

According to the advocacy group, after his approval, the doctor, whose name was not disclosed, took up a job in a rural area of the United States that had been struggling for years to find a vascular specialist. The hospital had been trying for a long time to recruit someone with his expertise.

Trusting the approval, he moved ahead with life. He signed a contract, received a $100,000 signing bonus, bought a home, and even enrolled his children in school. “He did everything right. Lived legally in the country for 9 years now. Completed 8 years of US training,” the post said.

As of now, this doctor, according to the X post,  had already spent more than $50,000 over the years on immigration processes, legal filings, waivers, medical exams, and paperwork. But now, the final step, getting the actual green card, has been frozen. “Then everything stopped because USCIS stopped processing applications based on where he was born.”

‘No green card, no permit, no movement’

Under the current USCIS processing pause, his case has stopped at the last stage. Even though the EB-1A petition is approved, nothing is moving forward. “No final step. No physical green card. Not even the work permit or travel document normally issued while you wait for your green card. Even his H-1B extension that hospital filled, has been sitting for 6 months despite premium processing,” the post described

Everything that normally allows a person to keep working and living legally while waiting has also stopped in his case.

In just about a week, he could lose his job, his medical license, his health insurance, and the income that holds his entire life together. He told colleagues a line that has stayed with many: “I don’t want this anymore.”

“He is now thinking of leaving the country. But then the question becomes: Who pays the mortgage? Who covers the loans he took? Who repays the signing bonus he accepted in good faith? When the government takes your money, approves your petition, invites you to build your life around it, and then freezes at the last step…That is not policy. That is not vetting. That is state-inflicted financial ruin and punishment for trusting the legal process,” the post concluded.

A system freeze linked to wider USCIS re-check policies

It comes as US  immigration authorities have tightened scrutiny and paused large sets of applications under a broader “Hold and Review” approach. The policy shift comes amid recent federal directives has led to deeper re-checking of pending and even approved immigration cases, especially linked to applicants’ country of birth and other risk-based categories.

In some cases, even people who have already passed multiple layers of screening are now facing delays at the final stage.

Officials say the idea is to tighten screening and check for any fraud or gaps that may have been missed in earlier approvals, especially in cases where the initial vetting was seen as incomplete. 

What’s different this time is that the review is not just about pending files, some already approved green cards and related immigration benefits are also being looked at again, which has left many people unsettled even after they thought everything was done and dusted. The agency has also pointed to stricter ongoing monitoring, meaning approval is no longer treated as the final step, but more like something that can still be revisited, affecting work permits, extensions, and even permanent residency outcomes.

Disclaimer: The content in this article is based on a viral social media discussion and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The financial figures and strategies mentioned are personal to the user and have not been independently verified. This story does not constitute financial advice or an endorsement of any specific policy.