U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021
The U.S. Citizenship Act bill was formally introduced to Congress on February 18, 2021.
The Act would create additional avenues to obtaining a green card and reform the immigrant visa system, making it simpler in some cases to obtain legal permanent residence and, ultimately, citizenship.
If the Act was passed by Congress, it would:
Provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals or non-citizens (*applicants must be present in the United States on or prior to January 1, 2021, to be eligible).
It would allow undocumented individuals (or non-citizens) to apply for temporary legal status with the ability to apply for legal permanent residency or a green card after five (5) years if certain criteria were met (background/criminal history checks, paid taxes, etc.).
Dreamers, TPS (temporary protected status) holders, and immigrant farmworkers would be immediately eligible for green card status if, again, specific criteria were met.
Increase per-country visa caps, reduce wait times, and eliminate the three (3) and ten (10) year bars.
Eliminate per-country caps for employment-based immigrants.
Increase diversity visas from 55,000 to 80,000.
Eliminate the one-year filing rule for asylum applicants and provide funding to reduce the asylum backlogs.
Increase the U-Visa cap from 10,000 to 30,000.
Prohibit discrimination based on religion and limit presidential authority to issue future bans.
Reclassify spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents as immediate relatives.
Expand work authorization of H-4 visa holders to both spouses and children.
This is not an exhaustive list of proposed changes. (Detailed list)
