U.S. Tightens Green Card Rules, Applicants May Need to Apply From Home Countries

Washington: The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has introduced what reports describe as some of the strictest changes yet to immigration procedures for obtaining permanent residency (Green Card) in the United States.

According to media reports, the new guidelines issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services significantly restrict the ability of foreign nationals already residing in the U.S. on temporary visas to adjust their immigration status from within the country.

Under the revised policy, most applicants seeking permanent residency will now be required to return to their home countries and apply through U.S. embassies or consulates via consular processing, rather than applying while staying inside the United States.

The change is expected to impact hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals legally residing in the country, including international students on F-1 visas, skilled workers on H-1B and other employment visas, and visitors on B1/B2 tourist visas who previously relied on in-country status adjustments through employment or family-based sponsorship.

Officials cited in reports said that only limited and exceptional cases may still qualify for in-country adjustment of status. However, the criteria for such exemptions are reportedly so strict that most applicants are unlikely to meet the requirements.

The move has been described as a major shift in U.S. immigration policy, potentially making the Green Card process more complex and time-consuming for foreign residents already living and working in the country.