The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a major immigration policy change that could make it far more difficult for many immigrants already living in America to obtain permanent residency.
Under the new policy, many applicants seeking a U.S. green card will no longer be allowed to complete the process while staying inside the country. Instead, they may now be required to return to their home countries and apply through American embassies or consulates abroad.
Immigration experts say the decision could impact hundreds of thousands of people every year, including students, tourists, temporary visa holders, and immigrants who legally entered the U.S. but later overstayed their visas.
Currently, many immigrants are able to apply for permanent residency through a process known as “adjustment of status,” which allows eligible applicants to receive a green card without leaving the United States. The new guidance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services seeks to sharply limit that option.
According to the policy memo, immigration officers have been instructed to treat adjustment of status as an “extraordinary” form of relief rather than a routine process. Officials were also directed to consider requests to stay in the U.S. during green card processing as a negative factor in some cases.
The Trump administration says the changes are intended to reduce abuse of immigration loopholes and encourage applicants to follow what it describes as the “proper” legal process abroad.
USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said immigrants who are in the country temporarily and want permanent residency will generally need to apply from their home countries unless extraordinary circumstances apply.
However, critics warn the policy could separate families and create major uncertainty for immigrants who followed legal pathways into the United States.
Former immigration official Michael Valverde said the decision could disrupt the lives of many families and employers, calling it one of the most significant restrictions on legal immigration in recent years.
Another former USCIS official, Doug Rand, said many spouses of U.S. citizens who are currently living in America on student or temporary visas may now face difficult choices.
Experts also warn that some immigrants forced to leave the U.S. may struggle to return because of existing travel restrictions and visa bans affecting dozens of countries, particularly in parts of Asia and Africa.
The administration has indicated that certain categories, including refugees, asylum seekers and some high-skilled visa holders such as H-1B workers, may still qualify to apply for green cards without leaving the country.
