The Trump administration announced Friday a sweeping change to U.S. immigration policy, now requiring foreigners already in the country to leave and apply for a green card from their home nation. This marks a sharp reversal of a longstanding practice that had been in place for over half a century.
Previously, foreign nationals with legal status-including those married to U.S. citizens, work and student visa holders, and refugees-could complete the entire permanent residence process while staying in the United States. The new directive from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) mandates that applicants return to their home country, with exceptions only for "extraordinary circumstances" determined by USCIS officers.
"Nonimmigrants come to the U.S. for a short time and a specific purpose. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process," the agency stated.
Critics argue this is the latest effort by the Trump administration to curtail legal immigration and block the path to citizenship. Doug Rand, a former senior USCIS adviser under the Biden administration, noted that approximately 600,000 people already in the U.S. apply for green cards each year. He said the policy's intent is "explicit"-to reduce permanent residency approvals.
The announcement creates significant uncertainty. USCIS has not specified an effective date, whether applicants must remain abroad during the entire process, or how it affects pending applications. For individuals from countries with suspended visa processing or closed embassies-such as Afghanistan-the policy could create a "Catch-22," effectively barring their return and separating families indefinitely.
Immigration attorneys and aid groups warn the policy may disproportionately impact doctors, professionals, humanitarian protection holders, and family members of U.S. citizens. Wait times at some U.S. consulates already exceed one year.