US Mandates Foreigners Apply for Green Cards from Home Countries

The United States government has issued a new directive requiring foreign nationals currently in the U.S. on temporary visas to return to their home countries to apply for permanent residency, except in extraordinary circumstances.

Key points

• The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated the policy aims to restore the original intent of U.S. immigration law.
• Applicants will now be required to process residency applications through U.S. consular offices abroad under Department of State supervision.
• The directive marks a significant shift in the status adjustment process for non-immigrants already residing in the country.

Why it matters

This policy change could impact hundreds of thousands of individuals annually and represents a major shift in U.S. immigration procedure under the current administration.