State Department considers adding a $100,000 bond to Green Card applications
The Trump administration intends to ensure that immigrants with aspirations to obtain a permanent resident card are solvent people
The Department of State (DOS) considers the possibility of adding a bond of $100,000 to the applications of those who aspire to obtain a legal permanent residence card.
Through a statement addressed to the newspaper The Hill, Tommy Pigott, spokesperson for the DOS, pointed out that, with the objective of guaranteeing that immigrants are “financially self-sufficient,” a proposal is being evaluated to require a deposit from them to demonstrate that, instead of being projected as a financial burden for the government, their presence in the country can mean a contribution when undertaking a project.
“As part of this comprehensive initiative, the Department is studying the possibility of using a long-standing legal authority, protected by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), to require certain visa applicants—those who would otherwise not be eligible for a visa because they would likely become a public charge—to post a bond as a way to demonstrate that they have access to the funds necessary to support themselves,” part of the letter states.
A few months ago, the current federal government intended to impose a fee of $100,000 on H-1B visa applications, but this measure ended up being annulled by a federal judge after considering that said fee was intended to bypass Congress.
In fact, this type of visa is designed for people who work in specialized positions generally linked to the technology sector.
Those who receive this document can remain in the United States for three years, but that does not imply that they receive permanent residence, since for this it is necessary to initiate another process through the so-called Form I-485.
Regarding this procedure, presenting it implies covering a standard fee of $1,440 dollars, this in case of requesting the Green Card directly at an office in the country.
If you carry out the process from outside the United States, you must complete online the format known as the DS-260 visa, for which you must pay $325 dollars through the portal of the Electronic Consular Application Center (CEAC) of the Department of State.
Any of the options to choose implies a significantly lower outlay in relation to the expensive bail promoted by the DOS.