US Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced a major policy shift that will require most foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in the United States to leave the country and apply for immigrant visas from abroad, significantly restricting the long-standing “adjustment of status” pathway.
Under the new policy memorandum, applicants already living in the US on temporary visas, including students, tourists, and temporary workers, will generally be directed to complete green card processing through American consulates overseen by the United States Department of State.
The move forms part of President Donald Trump’s broader immigration agenda aimed at tightening both legal and illegal immigration channels. USCIS stated that adjustment of status applications filed within the US would now be approved only in “extraordinary circumstances” and reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said the policy is intended to restore what the administration considers the original purpose of immigration law and ensure applicants follow the proper visa process.
The memo also instructs immigration officers to assess whether an applicant’s activities in the US were inconsistent with the intent of the visa or parole status under which they entered the country.
Immigration advocates and critics warned that the change could create lengthy family separations because applicants required to leave the US may face significant delays at overseas consulates. Reports suggest the policy may affect spouses of US citizens and applicants with US-born children.
The policy marks one of the most significant changes to employment- and family-based immigration processing in recent years and is expected to face legal and political scrutiny.
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