H.R. 3012 – What to Expect | Chen Immigration Blog

Victoria Chen, J.D., Esq.

I’ve received a large amount of inquiries regarding Senator Grassley’s (Rep. – Iowa) recent lift of his hold placed on H.R. 3012. Therefore, I’d like to provide my comments surrounding the bill’s current status and future projections.

Senator Grassley lifted his hold on H.R. 3012 on July 11, 2012. Before this hold was lifted, there were amendments made to the bill, thereby forcing it to return to the House of Representatives for a new vote. After the House passes the bill again, the bill will need to be passed by the Senate. Finally, after the Senate approves the bill, the bill must be signed by President Obama in order to be enacted.

According to the original H.R. 3012, a transitional period (FY2012-FY2014 as of now) was included where a 25% cap on immigrant visas for those from China and India is put. It is not until FY2014 (October 1, 2014) that the cap will be raised to 85% for those immigrant visas.

According to http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr3012, the bill has a 42% chance of being enacted. Therefore, I suggest people not to change current visa strategies until further information about the bill is released. I will follow this bill and the corresponding amendments closely to keep our clients informed on the progress, and will release a more solidified strategy if the bill passes the House of Representatives again.

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