# The Jumpstart Act: What It Actually Does

The Jumpstart Act is designed to clear out a backlog of unused immigration visas and make it easier for people waiting in the immigration system to move forward. Think of it like opening up extra lanes on a highway that have been sitting empty—the bill recaptures visa numbers that weren't used in past years and puts them back into circulation for people who are currently waiting.

The core idea is straightforward: between 1992 and 2021, the government allocated a certain number of visas for family-sponsored immigrants (people bringing relatives to the U.S.) and employment-based immigrants (people coming for jobs). Many of these visas went unused each year. Instead of letting those numbers disappear, this bill says those unused visas can now be given to people waiting in line. Starting in 2022, anyone with an approved petition who's been waiting can potentially get a visa sooner because there are more visas available. The bill also helps people who were stuck because of the travel bans under previous administrations or COVID-19 lockdowns—if you were selected for a diversity visa but couldn't get here because of those restrictions, you get another chance.

However, there's a catch: to take advantage of these extra visas, people have to pay supplemental fees. If you're bringing a family member, you'd pay $1,500 plus $250 for each spouse or child. Employment-based immigrants pay $3,000, and investors pay $15,000. The bill also adds new fees across the board—$100 for family petitions, $800 for certain employment petitions, and $500 for various work visa applications. These fees go into the government's general fund, though the first $400 million collected gets set aside to help the immigration agency process applications faster and reduce backlogs.

Essentially, this bill trades faster processing and more available visas for higher costs. People stuck in the immigration queue could move forward more quickly, but they'll pay more money to do it. The bill is set to run for ten years, giving a decade-long window for people to take advantage of these recaptured visas before the program expires.

Jumpstart Act

Jumpstart Our Legal Immigration System Act or the Jumpstart Act This bill makes unused employment-based and family-based immigrant visas from FY1992 through FY2021 available in subsequent fiscal years. It also makes diversity immigrant visas available to individuals who were selected for such a visa between FY2017-FY2021 but were unable to receive the visa due to certain (1) executive actions, or (2) limitations related to COVID-19. The bill also establishes supplemental fees for certain immigration-related applications.