The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said Friday that most green-card applicants must now apply from abroad [1].
This policy shift fundamentally changes the path to permanent residency for foreign nationals currently residing in the U.S. on temporary visas. By removing the ability to adjust status domestically, the government creates a significant hurdle for those seeking legal residency while living and working within the country.
Under the new rule, applicants who are in the U.S. on temporary visas are required to leave the country and apply for permanent residency through consular processing in their home nations [1], [2]. This process moves the adjudication of residency applications from domestic offices to U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide [2].
The Trump administration said the change is intended to curb legal migration and tighten immigration enforcement [1], [3]. By shifting the application process to consular processing, the administration aims to increase oversight and control over who is granted permanent residency [2].
The scale of the impact is substantial. The rule could affect hundreds of thousands of green-card applicants [4]. For many, this means abandoning current jobs or housing to wait for processing in their country of origin, a move that may introduce significant delays and uncertainty into the immigration timeline.
Officials from the DHS and USCIS said they have not specified exceptions for the rule in the initial announcement [1], [2]. The mandate applies to the broad category of temporary visa holders who previously could have filed for a change of status without departing the U.S. [2].
“The rule could affect hundreds of thousands of green-card applicants.”
This policy represents a shift from 'adjustment of status' to 'consular processing,' effectively eliminating the legal bridge that allowed temporary workers and students to transition to permanent residency without leaving the U.S. By forcing applicants to return to their home countries, the administration increases the risk that applicants may be denied re-entry or face prolonged separations from their families and employers while awaiting a decision.
