USCIS Ends In-Country Green Card Adjustments for Most Temporary Visa Holders

The Trump administration announced a significant policy shift on Friday, directing that most foreign nationals living in the United States on temporary visas must return to their home countries to apply for permanent residency, known as a Green Card. The change, issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, effectively ends the longstanding practice that allowed many temporary visa holders to adjust their status without leaving the country.

Under the new guidance, the process of adjusting status from within the U.S. will be treated as an extraordinary form of relief granted only in limited, case-by-case circumstances. The default pathway for temporary visa holders, including students, tourists, and temporary workers, will be to apply for an immigrant visa through consular processing at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said the policy aims for the immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes. He noted that when applicants process from their home countries, it reduces the need to locate and remove individuals who are denied residency and then remain in the United States unlawfully. The agency also said...