get your Green Card by paying a Supplemental fee

The United States of America is proposing a bill to fast-track the Green Card process for legal immigrants. This move will help the United States (US) government to clear the Green Card backlog. Indians can get a green card by paying a supplemental fee to avoid the queue and procure permanent residency, if passed. 

As per the Representatives Judiciary Committee, an employed applicant with a priority date of more than two years before will have to pay a $5000 supplemental fee. For immigrant investors (EB-5), the applicants will have to pay $50,000. Applicants with family sponsored by any US citizen with priority date of more than two years before will have to pay $2500. This  move will help ‘legal dreamers’, also known as children of H-1B visa holders, to receive permanent citizenship for more or less than 18 years. However, if the priority date is not within the two years then a supplemental fee of $1,500 will have to be paid. The US earmarks one lakh Green Card for employed applicants every year. India has an enormous backlog with a waiting time of 84 years, as more than 7.4 lakhs applicants are awaiting in the EB3 and EB2 categories.

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Reacting to the news, David Bier, Immigration Policy Analyst, Cato Institute tweeted, “Employment-based applicants can adjust if they have waited two years from their priority date… this is almost like abolishing the EB caps for adjustment applicants who can pay $5K. Awesome.”

In a series of tweets, David also mentioned, “Basically, this bill will help a few legal immigrants abroad indirectly, but the main purpose is the integration of existing immigrants. That’s a noble cause, but the immigration/migration part of immigration reform is just left out. No new pathways for workers, the same system.”

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If the bill passes, the IT professionals will get massive relief as maximum Information Technology graduates immigrate from India to the US every year on H-1B visas. However, the law is not in action yet as it has to pass the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Judiciary Committee and then be signed by the President.

A permanent residency card or green card is a legal document issued to the immigrant as a  proof that they can reside in the United States of America permanently.

Further Read: Study in the USA from India | A guide to settle in USA from India!