U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that a new green card rule applies to the entire world rather than targeting India [1].
The policy change alters how legal residents obtain permanent residency by reclassifying the "Adjustment of Status" process [4]. This shift requires applicants to apply for their green cards from their home countries instead of doing so while residing within the U.S. [4].
Speaking in New Delhi during an interview with NDTV, Rubio said concerns regarding the impact of these regulations on Indian nationals [2]. The updated rules are intended to fix the broader immigration system, Rubio said [4].
"Well, it's not about India. It's about the whole world," Rubio said [1].
By requiring legal residents to return to their home countries to complete the application process, the U.S. government aims to standardize the pathway to permanent residency [4]. The policy applies to all foreign nationals, regardless of their country of origin [2].
Rubio said that the global nature of the rule is a reflection of a systemic overhaul of immigration procedures [4]. He said that the goal is to ensure the system operates consistently across all jurisdictions [2].
“"Well, it's not about India. It's about the whole world."”
The reclassification of 'Adjustment of Status' removes a key convenience for legal residents already living and working in the U.S., effectively ending the ability to transition to permanent residency without departing the country. While the U.S. government frames this as a global systemic fix, the move creates significant logistical hurdles for high-population applicant pools, such as those from India, who may face prolonged separations from their U.S.-based employment and families during the processing period.
