New immigration policy could reshape how students, tourists, and temporary workers pursue permanent residency in America…..
The United States government has announced a major shift in its immigration process, directing Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking permanent residency to return to their home countries before applying for Green Cards.
The new directive, unveiled on Friday by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), is part of what the agency described as an effort to restore the “original intent” of America’s immigration laws.
Under the revised policy, foreigners already living temporarily in the United States will, in most cases, no longer be allowed to complete the Green Card process from within the country. Instead, they will be required to process their residency applications through US embassies or consular offices abroad under the supervision of the Department of State.
USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said the move is aimed at discouraging visa overstays and preventing applicants whose residency requests are denied from remaining in the country illegally.
“We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly,” Kahler stated.
“From now on, an alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances.”
The agency said the policy will mainly affect nonimmigrants including international students, tourists, temporary workers, and others who entered the United States for short-term purposes.
According to USCIS, temporary visas were never intended to become automatic pathways to permanent residency.
“Nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the US for a short time and for a specific purpose,” the statement read.
“Our system is designed for them to leave when their visit is over. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process.”
Officials also argued that processing applications outside the United States would help immigration authorities focus resources on higher-priority cases, including citizenship applications, human trafficking investigations, and petitions involving victims of violent crimes.
The development comes months after the Trump administration reportedly suspended the processing of certain Green Card and citizenship applications involving Nigerians and nationals from countries affected by a broader US travel restriction policy.
Reports at the time indicated that the freeze affected immigrants already residing legally in the United States who were attempting to adjust their immigration status or become American citizens.
The latest decision is expected to spark concern among many foreign nationals currently studying, working, or living in the United States on temporary visas, particularly those hoping to transition to permanent residency without leaving the country.
While USCIS insists the policy is necessary to make the immigration system “fairer and more efficient,” critics are likely to argue that it could create fresh uncertainty and additional hurdles for legal immigrants already established in the US.
