The United States has tightened its green card application process, with new guidance from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requiring certain applicants to complete procedures outside the country.
Under the revised rule, individuals applying for permanent residency while staying in the US may now be asked to leave and finish consular processing in their home country. They would then re-enter the US only after receiving an approved immigrant visa.
The change affects applicants seeking adjustment of status, a pathway previously allowing many eligible individuals to complete the green card process without leaving the US. Immigration officials say the updated approach is aimed at strengthening procedural compliance and ensuring stricter adherence to visa norms.
Those impacted may include workers and families in long-term visa categories who were already in the process of transitioning to permanent residency. Instead of completing interviews and approvals domestically, they may now be directed to attend consular interviews abroad.
While eligibility criteria for green cards remain unchanged, the procedural shift marks a notable change in how applications are processed. Immigration experts say the decision could affect thousands of applicants currently in the system.
The decision is expected to add logistical challenges, including travel requirements, possible delays, and extended waiting periods for applicants and their families.
