- Proposed bill aims to update Registry provision allowing long-term residents to apply for permanent residency
- Bill endorsed by 30+ organizations but must pass Congress to take effect and change current rules
- Indian H-1B workers facing long waits could gain a new path to Green Cards if bill becomes law
Millions of long-term immigrants in the U.S., including several Indian H-1B professionals, could get a fresh shot at a Green Card. Senator Alex Padilla is reviving a bill that replaces an outdated 1972 cutoff date with a simple seven-year residency requirement. If passed, it could open a new path to permanent residency for over 8 million people.
On Monday, Padilla moved to advance his bill titled "Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929," first introduced a year ago. The legislation seeks to update the Registry provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows certain long-term residents to apply for a Green Card.
Also Read: US Bill Could Halt H-1B Visas For 3 Years. What It Means For Indian Professionals
The registry currently only applies to immigrants who have lived in the U.S. since before January 1, 1972. That cutoff date has not been updated in over 50 years, making the provision almost meaningless today. The proposed bill would fix this by replacing the fixed date with a seven-year rule. Under the proposal, immigrants who have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least seven years before applying could become eligible for a Green Card, provided they have no criminal record and meet other standard eligibility requirements.
According to the press release, the change would benefit millions of people nationwide, including Dreamers, individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), children of long-term visa holders, essential workers, and skilled professionals such as H-1B visa holders who have waited years for permanent residency. More than 30 organisations have endorsed the bill.
However, the bill must still pass Congress before the seven-year Registry rule becomes A reality. Until then, the existing 1972 cutoff remains in effect, and H-1B holders cannot apply for a Green Card simply by virtue of having lived in the U.S. for seven years.
Also Read: US Work Visa Guide: Who Can Apply, What Documents You Need, And Key Rules
What It Means for Indians
Indian professionals form the largest group of H-1B visa holders, many facing wait times of 15 years or longer. If this bill eventually becomes law, it could offer many Indian H-1B workers an alternative route to permanent residency that bypasses the employment-based backlog entirely. But for now, this remains a proposal, not policy.
