Green card wait for Indians hits 15 years: Can new US bill bring relief to H-1B workers, long-term residents?

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Green Card Wait for Indians Hits 15 Years: New Bill Brings Relief

The green card wait for Indians has reached an unprecedented 15 years, creating one of the most significant challenges for skilled Indian professionals seeking permanent residency in the United States. Employment-based immigration has long struggled with substantial backlogs, with Indian workers bearing the overwhelming burden of these delays. Due to strict per-country limits, tens of thousands of skilled Indian workers—predominantly in technology and scientific fields—must endure more than 15 years of waiting for permanent residency despite annual applications being filed.

India’s demand for employment-based green cards far surpasses the 7 percent yearly allocation established by current immigration law, creating enormous queues that stretch across generations. Statistics indicate that Indian nationals represent approximately 80 percent of all pending employment-based green card cases, generating the extended waiting periods that affect families, careers, and futures. This disproportionate backlog has become a defining feature of Indian immigration to the United States.

Senator Padilla’s Renewed Legislative Effort

Democratic Senator Alex Padilla renewed his push on Monday for the “Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929” legislation. This comprehensive proposal would establish a clear route to lawful permanent residency for millions of individuals who have resided in the United States for extended periods, encompassing H-1B visa recipients among others. The legislation directly addresses the green card wait for Indians and other long-term residents who have built their lives in America.

The measure aims to deliver a practical solution to what Padilla describes as an antiquated immigration framework that fails to reflect modern realities. It also seeks to address what the Senator characterizes as systematic challenges posed by the Trump administration toward migrants from various backgrounds. Under the proposed changes, residents could petition for permanent status after maintaining continuous presence in the country for a minimum of seven years.

If passed, the legislation would benefit over eight million people, including:

• Dreamers—undocumented youth brought to America as children
• Individuals with Temporary Protected Status due to displacement
• Children belonging to long-term visa holders
• Essential service workers who sustain communities
• Skilled professionals, particularly H-1B visa holders facing extended green card waits

Amending the Registry Provision

The bill would modify Section 249 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, frequently referred to as the Registry provision. This section empowers the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant lawful permanent resident status to eligible individuals who arrived by a designated date and satisfy additional criteria. Originally established in 1929 and most recently revised during the Reagan era in 1986, Section 249 maintains a cutoff date of January 1, 1972 for eligibility.

“A year ago, I introduced this bill to push back against the Trump administration’s cruel treatment of hardworking immigrants,” Padilla explained to the Associated Press. “Since then, President Trump’s campaign of fear has only escalated, with families living under constant uncertainty despite having built their lives in this country.”

“Congress cannot continue to ignore millions of long-term residents who contribute to our economy and communities every day. It’s past time to modernise our immigration laws and create a fair pathway to lawful permanent residency,” he emphasized.

Bipartisan Support Grows for Immigration Reform

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin serves as co-leader alongside Padilla for this initiative. The legislation has garnered cosponsorship from numerous senators, including Cory Booker, Tammy Duckworth, Andy Kim, Ben Ray Lujan, Edward J Markey, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Patty Murray, Bernie Sanders, Brian Schatz, Adam Schiff, Tina Smith, and Elizabeth Warren.

Additionally, more than 30 organizations have publicly endorsed the proposal, signaling broad support for modernizing immigration pathways for long-term residents facing extended green card waits. The growing bipartisan coalition suggests that meaningful reform may finally be within reach for Indian professionals and other visa holders who have waited decades for permanent residency. As the green card wait for Indians continues to impact families and communities, this legislation offers a tangible path forward for millions of long-term residents seeking stability and security in their adopted homeland.

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