The Trump administration has enacted a significant change to its green card policy, requiring most foreign nationals already residing in the US to return to their home countries to submit applications. This shift, announced on 22/5 by Zach Kahler, spokesperson for US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), marks a departure from a decades-long practice.

Kahler stated that the new requirement aims to streamline the process of locating and deporting individuals who might otherwise attempt to remain in the US illegally after their permanent residency requests are denied. He emphasized that green card applications will now be processed at US consular offices abroad. USCIS did not, however, specify the exact criteria for "special cases" that might be exempt, leaving the decision to agency staff.

For over half a century, foreign nationals legally residing in the US, including those married to US citizens, holding work or student visas, refugees, and asylum seekers, could complete their entire green card (permanent resident) application process from within the country. This established pathway allowed many to adjust their status without leaving US soil.

A naturalization ceremony for new US citizens in Chicago, Illinois, on 25/6/2025. *AP*

Kahler further explained that the system is designed for non-immigrants, such as students, short-term workers, or tourists, to enter the US for specific, temporary purposes and then depart. He asserted that their stay should not be considered an initial step in the green card application process.

Despite the announcement, USCIS did not clarify whether applicants must remain outside the US throughout the review process, nor if the new policy applies to green card applications currently being processed. These ambiguities leave many questions unanswered for prospective applicants and their families.

This announcement is the latest in a series of measures by President Donald Trump's administration to restrict legal immigration. The new regulation follows previous actions to limit entry for citizens from dozens of countries, including complete travel bans for some and suspended visa processing for others.

Information envelopes and US flags placed on chairs at a USCIS office in Miami in 8/2018. *AP*

*AP* quoted experts and lawyers who warned that forcing green card applicants to return to their home countries to apply could effectively prevent their return to the US. World Relief, a humanitarian and refugee resettlement organization, expressed concern: "The situation will become a dilemma if families are required to have non-US citizen members return home to process immigration visas, while those locations do not accept applications. These policies will, in effect, indefinitely separate many families."

According to *Washington Post*, the US issues over one million green cards annually, with more than half of applicants currently residing in the US. This statistic highlights the significant impact the new policy could have on a large population.

Thanh Tam (According to *AFP*, *AP*)