US mandates foreign nationals to apply for green cards from home countries
The United States government has introduced a new immigration policy requiring most foreign nationals seeking permanent residency to apply for green cards from their home countries rather than while residing in the US.
The policy, announced on Friday by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), marks another tightening of immigration rules under the administration of Donald Trump.
Under the new directive, individuals living in the US on temporary visas, including students, tourists and foreign workers, will generally no longer be allowed to adjust their status to permanent residency while remaining in the country, except under “extraordinary circumstances.”
Instead, applicants will be required to return to their countries of origin to process green card applications through US embassies or consulates.
According to USCIS, the policy is aimed at restoring what it described as the original intent of America’s immigration laws.
The agency said temporary visa holders who wish to obtain permanent residency must now return home to complete the process, arguing that the move would reduce abuse of immigration pathways and discourage people from remaining in the country illegally after unsuccessful applications.
A spokesperson for USCIS, Zach Kahler, said the previous system created loopholes that complicated immigration enforcement.
US immigration authorities also maintained that temporary visas were never intended to serve as a pathway to permanent settlement or citizenship, stressing that students, tourists and temporary workers are expected to leave the country once the purpose of their stay ends.
Officials further said shifting applications to overseas consular offices would ease pressure on immigration services in the US, allowing more resources to be directed toward citizenship applications and support services for victims of trafficking and violent crimes.
The policy is expected to affect Nigerians and other foreign nationals who enter the US on temporary visas and later seek permanent residency. Nigerians remain among the largest recipients of non-immigrant US visas in Africa.
The development comes months after the Trump administration suspended the processing of some green card and citizenship applications involving nationals of countries affected by US travel restrictions.
