US Tightens Immigration Rules, Says Green Card Applicants Must Leave Country

The administration of Donald Trump has announced a major shift in U.S. immigration policy that would require most foreigners seeking permanent residency, commonly known as green cards, to apply from outside the United States.

According to a new policy memo released Friday by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), immigrants currently living in the U.S. on temporary visas or humanitarian parole will, in most cases, be expected to return to their home countries and complete their green card applications through American consulates abroad.

The policy marks a sharp departure from long-standing immigration practice, which allowed many eligible applicants to adjust their status to permanent residency while remaining inside the United States. USCIS described the move as a return to the “original intent” of federal immigration law and said exceptions would only be granted under “extraordinary circumstances.”

Immigration lawyers and advocacy groups have warned that the directive could affect hundreds of thousands of applicants each year, including skilled workers, spouses of U.S. citizens, and humanitarian migrants already living legally in America. Critics argue the change could trigger lengthy family separations, employment disruptions, and legal uncertainty for many immigrants.

The policy is also expected to place additional pressure on U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, where visa appointment backlogs already remain a challenge in several countries. Some experts fear applicants who leave the U.S. may face delays, visa denials, or difficulties re-entering the country.

Human rights organizations have criticized the measure, saying it could endanger vulnerable migrants such as trafficking survivors and abused children who may be forced to return to unsafe environments while awaiting processing.

The announcement is the latest in a series of immigration crackdowns introduced during Trump’s current administration, including expanded travel restrictions and tighter visa vetting measures aimed at reducing both illegal and legal immigration into the United States.