Pay Rs 17 lakh & skip 10-year wait: US Bill proposes green card fast-track

Business Standard

3 days ago

Soon, you may be able to pay $20,000 (Rs 17.5 lakh) and move your US visa application to the front of the queue. A new bipartisan Bill introduced in the US House of Representatives proposes allowing individuals who have been stuck in the green card backlog for over ten years to fast-track their applications by paying this fee.
The Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393), led by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Florida) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), sets out to clear the legal immigration visa backlog by 2035.
'This Bill is not about left or right,' said Rep. Salazar. 'The Dignity Act is a revolutionary Bill that offers the solution to our immigration crisis: secure the border, stop illegal immigration, and provide an earned opportunity for long-term immigrants to stay here and work. No amnesty. No handouts. No citizenship. Just accountability and a path to stability for our economy and our future.'
'It's about solving a problem that's been broken for decades. The American people are ready for a solution that is both tough and fair,' she said.
The Bill is a revised version of a 2023 proposal and reflects a growing willingness in both parties to revisit immigration rules. Its full name stands for 'Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream'.
It will soon be open for public comment.
$20,000 premium route to permanent residency
Under the proposal, eligible applicants in family or employment-based categories who have waited more than a decade could pay $20,000 for premium processing and get their visa ahead of the normal queue. The Bill also places a ceiling on maximum wait times, with a goal to eliminate backlogs within ten years.
Higher country caps to reduce delays
Per-country limits for both employment-based and family-sponsored green cards would rise from 7 per cent to 15 per cent. The change could shorten waits for high-demand countries such as India and China, which currently face some of the longest queues.
Path to permanent status for documented dreamers
The Bill offers permanent residency to documented dreamers – children of long-term visa holders – who risk losing legal status when they turn 21. Anyone who has lived lawfully in the US for at least ten cumulative years would qualify.
Student and work visa changes
The Dignity Act proposes several adjustments to legal immigration rules:
1. F-1 student visas would be 'dual intent', allowing international students to apply for permanent residency after graduation without proving they plan to return home.
2. Students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) would be required to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes.
3. Spouses and children of visa applicants would not be counted towards annual visa caps, potentially increasing the number of principal applicants approved each year.
4. O visa eligibility would automatically apply to international doctoral graduates in STEM and medical fields.
Immigration agency reforms and funding
A new Immigration Agency Coordinator post would be created to improve coordination between the Department of State, the Department of Labor, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Around $3.6 Billion is earmarked to tackle processing delays and work authorisation backlogs.
'The US Chamber of Commerce supports the Dignity Act as a constructive step towards providing the necessary resources to strengthen border security that builds on President Trump's success at the southern border,' stated Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer. 'This bipartisan Bill offers sensible solutions for the legal immigration system, addresses critical workforce needs for businesses, and advances American innovation and productivity.'
Key provisions of the Dignity Act
The Bill is split into five main sections:
Securing the border and restoring law and order
• Nationwide E-Verify to ensure all workers are legally employed.
• Enhanced physical barriers and technology at the southern border.
• New powers to track smugglers and illicit border spotters.
• Higher penalties for human trafficking and for damaging border security equipment.
• DNA testing to confirm family relationships.
Fixing the asylum system
• At least three humanitarian campuses to process arrivals within 60 days.
• On-site medical, legal, and social services for asylum-seekers.
• New immigration centres in Latin America to pre-screen asylum claims and reunite families.
• Stricter penalties for fraudulent claims.
The Dignity Programme for undocumented immigrants
• Conditional permanent residency for ten years for Dreamers and DACA recipients, leading to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status through work, study, or military service.
• A separate Dignity Programme for those in the US for more than five years before December 31, 2020.
• Restitution payments of $7,000 over seven years, plus back taxes.
• No access to federal benefits, no path to citizenship.
Support for American workers
• A new American Worker Fund financed by restitution payments, expected to raise $70 Billion for training and upskilling unemployed citizens.
Modernising legal immigration
• The $20,000 premium processing route for applicants waiting over ten years.
• Per-country caps raised to 15 per cent.
• STEM PhD and medical graduates from US universities eligible for O visas.
• Excluding spouses and children from annual visa limits to boost numbers of principal applicants.
• New 90-day visitor visa for family, business, or tourism purposes.
• F-1 visas made dual intent.