Bipartisan Bill Proposes $20,000 Fee to Fast-Track Green Card Applications, Raises Country Caps

A new bipartisan bill proposes allowing individuals stuck in the green card backlog for over ten years to fast-track their applications by paying $20,000. The Dignity Act of 2025 aims to eliminate the legal immigration visa backlog by 2035 and includes reforms such as raising country caps, providing permanent residency options for documented dreamers, and updating student and employment visas. The bill's focus on solving a decades-long problem has sparked interest in immigration reform.

The US House of Representatives has introduced a bipartisan bill, the Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393), aimed at addressing the long-standing issue of the green card backlog. Sponsored by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Florida) and co-led by Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), the bill seeks to overhaul the legal immigration process, reduce visa backlogs, and address the status of undocumented immigrants in the country by 2035.

One of the key provisions of the Dignity Act is the introduction of a $20,000 premium processing fee for individuals who have been waiting over a decade for their green card applications to be processed. This fee would allow eligible applicants from family or employment-based categories to fast-track their applications, potentially clearing the backlog of applicants who have been waiting for more than a decade by 2035.

To address disproportionate wait times faced by individuals from high-demand countries, the bill increases the per-country cap from 7% to 15% for both employment-based and family-sponsored green cards. This adjustment is designed to reduce country-specific backlogs and make the system more equitable over time.

The legislation also provides permanent residency options for documented dreamers—children of long-term visa holders who have lived lawfully in the US for at least ten cumulative years. Those who qualify would be eligible for lawful permanent resident (LPR) status under this provision.

In addition, the Dignity Act proposes a series of legal immigration reforms, including making F-1 student visas dual-intent, allowing international students to pursue permanent residency after graduation without proving an intent to return home. Students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) would be required to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes. Derivative family members (spouses and children) of visa applicants would be excluded from the annual visa count, increasing the number of primary beneficiaries without raising caps. O visa eligibility would expand to include a presumption of extraordinary ability for international doctoral graduates in STEM and medical fields.

To improve coordination across federal agencies, the bill proposes creating a new Immigration Agency Coordinator office and allocates $3.6 billion to address visa processing delays and work authorization backlogs across the Department of State, Department of Labor, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The Dignity Act of 2025 is a renewed version of the 2023 proposal and aims to bridge partisan divides on immigration reform. The bill’s acronym stands for “Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream” — DIGNIDAD.

“This bill is not about left or right,” said Rep. Salazar. “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.”

With eight out of ten Americans supporting pathways to legal status for undocumented immigrants, the bill’s future will depend on how Congress navigates upcoming debates on immigration, border security, and labor needs.

References:
[1] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/latest-updates/new-immigration-bill-proposes-20000-option-for-applicants-to-skip-the-10-year-green-card-queue/articleshow/123134634.cms
[2] https://m.economictimes.com/nri/latest-updates/the-dignity-act-of-2025-faster-green-cards-dual-intent-student-visas-proposed-in-bipartisan-us-bill/articleshow/123134318.cms