Over 2 lakh Indians waiting for family-sponsored US Green Card

The latest official data has revealed that more than 2,27,000 Indians are still in the waiting line for family-sponsored legal permanent residency or the Green Card in the United States. Presently, there are nearly four million people waiting for the family-sponsored Green Cards against a Congressional cap of nearly two lakh every year. The largest number of the waitlist is from Mexico, with nearly 1.5 million people, followed by India with 2,27,000 and China with nearly 1,80,000. 

Along with the two lakh Indians waiting for family-sponsored Green Card, there is a sizeable number of people from India among 8,27,000 who are waiting for permanent legal residency. It has also been more than ten years for an IT professional from India in waiting for line for an employment-based green card. According to DHS, more than 1,81,000 Indians are waiting for family-based Green Card are siblings of US citizens and nearly 2,500 are either spouses or minor children of permanent residents. 

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Most people who are among the waiting list for Green Card are siblings of US citizens and under the current law, the citizens can sponsor their family members along with blood relatives for permanent legal residency. However, US President Donald Trump is against such a provision and wants to abolish this 'chain immigration'. On the other hand, the Democrats have actively opposed Trump from abolishing the system of family-sponsored immigration. 

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Updated visa application process

Once the current announcement is implemented on the electronic registration system, applicants seeking the H1-B visa will first have to electronically register with USCIS in a designated registration period unless the requirement is later suspended. The final rule is announced to make the entire process easy for both the petitioners as well as the federal agency. The USCIS is slated to implement the changes in the registration process for the fiscal year 2021 of the H1-B selection process. After the formal decision, the implementation timeframe along with the initial registration period in the Federal Register will be announced by the agency. Moreover, the agency has invited public responses ahead of the announcement of the effectiveness of the rule for consideration before December 9. The USCIS Acting Director, Ken said that this will make H1-B 'more effective and efficient'.

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(With PTI inputs)