Millions of people stuck for years in the employment-based Green Card backlog in the United States (US), including a sizable number of Indians, can hope for a lawful permanent residency by paying a supplemental fee if a new House bill is passed into law.

The move, if included in the reconciliation package and passed into law, is expected to help thousands of Indian IT professionals who are currently stuck in an agonising Green Card backlog. A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently in the US.