US tells foreigners seeking green cards to return to their home countries to apply

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new policy requiring foreigners seeking to adjust their immigration status in the United States to obtain green cards through applications processed outside the country via the State Department.

The change was outlined in a policy memo released on Friday, which directs immigration officers to assess requests on a case-by-case basis when considering whether exceptional relief is justified.

Under the revised approach, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees USCIS, said that individuals staying in the country on temporary status who wish to obtain permanent residency must now return to their home countries to complete the application process.

Officials said the policy is intended to ensure that the immigration system operates as originally designed and to discourage what they described as procedural loopholes.

USCIS added that the change is expected to free up internal resources, allowing the agency to focus on processing other immigration-related applications more efficiently.

However, the decision has drawn criticism from humanitarian organisations. Aid group HIAS, which works with refugees and migrants, said the policy could force survivors of trafficking, as well as abused and neglected children, to return to potentially unsafe conditions in their home countries while their applications are processed.

The group warned that the new requirement could create serious risks for vulnerable individuals seeking legal permanent residency in the United States.