U.S. senators have reached an agreement in the discussion of immigration reform with a measure that would secure the U.S. borders and legalize undocumented immigrant workers; the bill could legalize illegal aliens already in the U.S. The proposed immigration reform is not an amnesty, but a possible solution for the undocumented workers in the United States.

A new visa called a Z visa will be issued to undocumented immigrant workers allowing immigrants to live and work in the U.S. legally until their cases are reviewed. Only workers with proof of arrival in the states before January 1, 2007 may apply for a Z visa.

The Z visa is only part of the immigration reform bill still being debated in the U.S. senate. The proposed immigration bill has been praised by Mexican authorities; Mexico has the largest number of undocumented workers in the United States and this could be a major step in immigration reform and border control.

Although the Z visa may lead to permanent residency it comes with a fine of $5,000 per person and a return trip to their home country in order to be legally admitted to the U.S. Only the head of the family of undocumented workers has to return home for what can be up to five years before their case is complete and they can legally enter the United States. The time between the Z visa and the return trip can be up to two years during which the undocumented worker may live and work legally in the states.

After the individual’s application has been approved and has passed the background check then they may legally return to the United States and eventually obtain U.S. citizenship, a process that can take anywhere between 8 to 13 years.