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USCIS Tightens Green Card Rules
(MENAFN) The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced Friday a sweeping policy shift that will require most foreigners seeking permanent residency — commonly known as green cards — to apply from outside the United States through the State Department, rather than adjusting their status while on American soil.
Under the new guidance, immigration officers are directed to approve in-country adjustment of status requests only in "extraordinary circumstances," with each case to be assessed individually on its specific merits, USCIS said in a statement.
"We're returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation's immigration system properly," USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said. "From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances," he added.
The directive targets nonimmigrant visa holders — including international students, temporary workers, and tourists — who USCIS said enter the country "for a short time and for a specific purpose." "Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process," Kahler said.
The announcement drew immediate backlash from immigrant rights groups, who warned the policy risks tearing families apart, erecting new bureaucratic obstacles for applicants, and leaving some individuals exposed to prolonged waits or dangerous conditions upon returning to their countries of origin.
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