The United States government has introduced a major immigration policy shift that could require many temporary visa holders seeking permanent residency to leave the country and complete their green card applications from their home countries.
The new directive, issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), affects individuals currently residing in the U.S. on temporary visas such as tourist, student, and some work permits.
Under the updated policy, adjustment of status the process that allows eligible immigrants already in the United States to apply for permanent residency without leaving the country will now be treated as an exceptional measure rather than a standard immigration pathway.
This means many applicants may no longer be permitted to remain in the U.S. while waiting for their green card processing and could instead be required to return to their countries for consular processing.
However, the policy provides limited exceptions for cases considered to involve “extraordinary circumstances,” including situations tied to critical national interest or significant economic benefit to the United States.
Immigration experts say the policy does not amount to a complete ban on in-country green card applications, as some visa categories may still qualify under special conditions.
The development has generated concerns among immigrants, international students, and foreign workers who fear the new policy could disrupt careers, separate families, and create fresh uncertainty for people legally residing in the country.
Critics have described the move as part of a broader tightening of immigration procedures under the administration of President Donald Trump, while supporters argue that the measure reinforces the temporary nature of non-immigrant visas.
Although widely described on social media as a “new law,” immigration analysts clarified that the development is currently a policy and procedural change introduced by USCIS and not a law passed by the U.S. Congress.
The policy has also sparked reactions among many Nigerians and other foreign nationals hoping to relocate abroad, with concerns growing over increasingly strict immigration conditions in the United States.
