In a sweeping policy shift announced Friday, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said most people seeking permanent residency must now apply from outside the country.
Previously, migrants on temporary visas-such as those for work, tourism, or study-could change their status to permanent residence once they met requirements, based on marriage, employment, or family ties. Now, they must return to their home country and apply through a U.S. consulate, except in extraordinary circumstances.
“This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes,” said USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler.
Immigration lawyers are scrambling to assess exemptions, while advocacy groups warn the change could separate families and force people to return to unsafe environments. The move is part of the Trump administration's broader push to reduce both legal and illegal immigration.