Pay ₹17 Lakh to Jump 10-Year US Green Card Queue: New Bill Proposes Fast-Track Route

Bipartisan ‘Dignity Act 2025’ aims to end visa backlog, raise country caps, and modernise immigration rules.

If you’ve been stuck in the US green card queue for over a decade, you may soon get a way to jump ahead—by paying $20,000 (about ₹17.5 lakh).

A new bipartisan Bill, the Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393), has been introduced in the US House of Representatives by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Florida) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas). It aims to clear the legal immigration backlog by 2035 while tightening border security.

Fast-Track for Long Waiters

Who’s eligible: Family or employment-based green card applicants who have waited more than 10 years.
How it works: Pay $20,000 for premium processing to move ahead of the normal queue.
Goal: End green card backlogs within 10 years.

Higher Country Caps

Per-country limits for green cards will rise from 7% to 15%.
Big impact for India and China, where wait times are among the world’s longest.

Permanent Residency for Documented Dreamers

Covers children of long-term visa holders who risk losing legal status at 21.
Anyone who has lived lawfully in the US for 10 cumulative years would qualify.

Changes for Students & Workers

F-1 visas will be “dual intent” – graduates can apply for PR without proving intent to return home.
Students on OPT must pay Social Security and Medicare taxes.
Spouses and children won’t count toward annual visa caps.
O visas will automatically apply to PhD graduates in STEM and medicine.

Funding & Agency Reform

$3.6 billion to reduce processing delays.
A new Immigration Agency Coordinator is to streamline work between agencies.

Border Security & Asylum Changes

Nationwide E-Verify to check worker eligibility.
Stronger barriers, tech, and penalties for trafficking.
Faster asylum processing with humanitarian campuses and overseas screening centres.

Why This Matters

The Bill—supported by the US Chamber of Commerce—could significantly reduce wait times for skilled workers and families, while introducing strict border controls. It’s still a proposal, but if passed, it would be one of the biggest immigration overhauls in decades.