Most Green Card Applicants Now Required to Apply Outside the US

The United States will require most applicants for permanent residency to leave the country and apply through consular offices abroad under a new immigration policy announced by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The measure marks a major shift from the longstanding system that allowed many immigrants to apply for a green card while remaining in the US. Under the new rules, students, temporary workers and tourists will generally have to return to their home countries to complete the process. USCIS said only “extraordinary circumstances” would justify domestic processing.

USCIS officials said the policy is intended to reduce the number of people who remain in the country unlawfully after residency applications are denied. The agency also said the change would allow it to direct more resources towards naturalisation cases and visas for victims of crime and human trafficking.

The Department of Homeland Security described the move as a return to the “original intent of the law”. USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said temporary visits to the US should not become the first stage of a path to permanent residency. He said applicants seeking a green card while in the country on temporary visas would now be expected to apply from abroad.

Critics said the policy could create serious difficulties for families and employers. Michael Valverde, a former senior USCIS official, described the measure as “largely unprecedented” and said it could disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who had followed existing immigration rules.

Advocacy groups warned that requiring applicants to leave the US could separate families for long periods and, in some cases, prevent their return because of visa restrictions or penalties linked to overstaying previous visas.

Questions also remain about the effect on more than one million immigrants with pending adjustment-of-status applications. USCIS said cases considered to provide economic benefits or serve the national interest could still be processed within the US, while others might be transferred to consular offices overseas. Many applicants remain uncertain about whether their cases will be affected.

The policy comes as the Trump administration continues broader efforts to tighten immigration rules, including visa suspensions and travel restrictions affecting dozens of countries. Analysts said the practical effect of the measure could be a significant reduction in lawful immigration and greater uncertainty for employers and families that depend on immigrant workers.