• The US has mandated that temporary visa holders must return to their home countries to apply for Green Cards.
• This policy is part of the Trump administration's efforts to tighten immigration and eliminate perceived loopholes.
• Immigrant advocacy groups have criticized the policy for potentially endangering vulnerable populations.
• Exceptions for extraordinary circumstances exist, but overall, the policy is expected to impact hundreds of thousands.
• USCIS emphasizes this change helps align immigration processes with existing laws and reduces illegal residency.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that individuals holding temporary visas must now return to their home countries to apply for Green Cards. This reflects a significant policy shift intended to align immigration procedures with the interpretations of the law under the Trump administration. USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler stated, "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," emphasizing that the policy aims to prevent incentivizing loopholes in the immigration system according to Al Jazeera and IndiaTimes.

This new direction mandates that Green Card applications must follow the standard immigration process, which requires applicants to navigate consular processing outside the US. According to the USCIS, this will decrease the caseload for immigration officials within the US and ensure that the legal framework for temporary visas is respected. The agency underlines that this policy change is aimed specifically at individuals entering on non-immigrant visas, such as tourists and students, reinforcing that those who wish to change their immigration status must leave the country first, as reported by Reuters and South China Morning Post.