US Orders Nigerians, Other Green Card Applicants To Leave America And Apply From Home Countries

The United States government has directed Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking permanent residency to return to their home countries to process their green card applications, in a major shift in American immigration policy.

The new directive was announced on Friday by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which said the move was aimed at restoring the “original intent” of U.S. immigration laws.

According to USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler, the policy is designed to reduce the number of migrants who remain illegally in the United States after unsuccessful residency applications.

Under the revised policy, foreigners already residing temporarily in the U.S. will, except in extraordinary circumstances, be required to leave the country and complete their green card applications through American consular offices in their home countries under the supervision of the United States Department of State.

“We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly. 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,” Kahler stated.

He added that the measure would help prevent situations where migrants remain in the country unlawfully after being denied residency.

“This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes. When aliens apply from their home country, it reduces the need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency,” he said.

The policy is expected to significantly affect nonimmigrant visa holders, including international students, tourists, and temporary workers already living in the United States.

USCIS stressed that temporary visas were intended for short-term stays and not as a pathway to permanent residency from within the country.

“Nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the U.S. for a short time and for a specific purpose. Our system is designed for them to leave when their visit is over. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process,” the agency explained.

The immigration agency also argued that transferring residency processing abroad would free up resources for other critical immigration services, including naturalisation requests, applications involving victims of violent crimes, and human trafficking cases.

The latest policy comes amid broader immigration restrictions introduced under the administration of Donald Trump.

In December 2025, the Trump administration reportedly suspended the processing of green card and citizenship applications filed by Nigerians and nationals of several other countries affected by the U.S. travel ban.

The suspension affected many immigrants already residing legally in the United States who were seeking permanent residency or American citizenship.

The administration also directed USCIS to freeze immigration petitions from nationals of 19 countries covered by the expanded travel restrictions announced in June 2025.