By Ghazali Ibrahim
United States President Donald Trump has introduced a new immigration policy requiring Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in the U.S. to return to their home countries to complete their green card applications, except in extraordinary circumstances.
The policy, announced by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Friday, marks a significant shift in the country’s immigration process and is aimed at restoring what the agency described as the “original intent” of U.S. immigration law.
Under the new directive, foreign nationals who are in the United States on temporary visas and wish to obtain permanent residency will no longer be able to complete the adjustment-of-status process from within the country.
Instead, they must apply through U.S. consular offices in their countries of origin under the supervision of the Department of State.
In a statement, USCIS said the measure would ensure that immigration procedures are followed as intended by law.
“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,” the agency stated.
USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said the policy is expected to reduce the number of migrants who remain in the United States unlawfully after unsuccessful residency applications.
“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,” Kahler said.
The agency noted that the rule would particularly affect temporary visa holders, including students, tourists and foreign workers, stressing that nonimmigrant visas are intended for short-term visits and specific purposes rather than serving as a pathway to permanent residency.
USCIS also argued that transferring residency processing to overseas consular offices would allow it to devote more resources to other immigration services, including naturalisation applications, cases involving victims of violent crimes and human trafficking, and other priority matters.
The development comes months after the Trump administration reportedly suspended the processing of green card and citizenship applications from nationals of countries affected by an expanded U.S. travel ban, including Nigeria.
According to earlier reports, the administration directed USCIS in December 2025 to halt immigration petitions from citizens of 19 countries covered by the travel restrictions announced in June.
The move affected many immigrants already living legally in the United States who were seeking permanent residency or citizenship.
The latest policy is expected to have significant implications for thousands of foreign nationals currently residing in the U.S. on temporary visas and planning to transition to permanent resident status.
