Democratic Party’s Budget plan includes provision of a $5,000 supplemental fee to fast track green cards
A massive $3.5 trillion spending plan is under consideration in the US Congress. If passed will make a huge chunk of investment in several areas from child care to climate change initiatives to immigration.
As one of the broad categories includes immigration there is a huge expectation among majority of work based visa holders who are currently in a backlog for permanent residency or green card. This group largely comprises high-skilled Indian professionals.
The US House Committee when including new provisions under the Budget Reconciliation Bill sought recommendations for the adjustment of green card backlog.
Read: Light at the end of the tunnel for Green Card backlog community? (September 3, 2021)
Seeking to provide relief for those who have been stuck in a green card backlog, the provisions include a recommendation for a Super Fee to fast track green cards.
Essentially it would mean that with a supplemental fee of $5,000 those who have a priority date of more than two years can adjust to permanent residence without restrictions.
While the super fee is proposed to be $5,000 for work-related visa holders, for investment visas or EB-5 category the fees is $50,000 for immigrant investors. For children of immigrants, or family based green card program, where a US citizen applies for a dependent, the super fee is $2,500.
The new provisions, which look promising for many Indians in the backlog can only come to fruition if the bill is passed to become an Act as this would open an easier pathway on their route to citizenship.
However, many believe that it is still a long way to reality as the provisions will first have to pass the Judiciary Committee, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Only then it finally goes to the president for his signature to become law.
1 Comment
Its disappointing thing that USCIS did not considered Environmental Contributor Green Category. As we all know, Human Over population is a single most threat to the Environment. USCIS is suppose to give priority to those Couple who are voluntarily decided to stick with 1 child for their next 2 generation at least. Despiste of Inviting huge number of Such people, The USA overall population would remain under control over a long period of time (8 Immigrant couple reproduce 4 children, and 4 to 2 and 1).