Washington, May 23 (V7N) – The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced a major policy shift requiring foreign nationals seeking permanent residency (green cards) in the United States to apply from their home countries.
The announcement was made on Friday (May 22), with the agency describing the change as a “return to the original intent of the law” and an effort to “close a loophole,” according to a report by the Associated Press.
Under the current system, many applicants already living legally in the United States are able to adjust their immigration status without leaving the country. However, critics say the new rule could significantly disrupt that process.
Doug Rand, a former senior adviser at USCIS during the Biden administration, said the move could affect hundreds of thousands of people applying annually, estimating around 600,000 applicants could be impacted each year.
Immigration lawyers and advocacy groups have also raised concerns, warning that the policy could affect spouses of US citizens, students, workers, doctors, and humanitarian visa holders. They also highlighted that visa processing at US embassies abroad often takes over a year in some cases.
Shave Dalal-Dheini of the American Immigration Lawyers Association said the change represents a major departure from a decades-old system that allowed immigrants to adjust status within the US.
The USCIS has not yet clarified when the new policy will take effect or whether it will apply to ongoing applications.
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