The United States immigration department has ruled that non-immigrant visa holders must return to their home countries to apply for green cards, rather than adjusting their status while living in the United States.
“From now on, anyone who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a statement.
The move, which affects hundreds of thousands of applicants every year, has caused confusion in immigration system. The affected individuals include students, temporary workers and tourists, as they are expected to be in the United States for a short time and for a specific purpose.
According to Trump administration, the purpose of this policy is exclusion, as Trump banned people from over hundred countries from returning to the U.S. while targeting legal immigration in the country. It also stated that it is part of framing them as a necessity for national security and economic protection.
