Trump administration says visa holders seeking green cards must apply in home countries, in major change
The Trump administration has announced a significant change to the green card application process, requiring non-immigrant visa holders to return to their home countries to apply. This policy aims to reduce illegal residency in the U.S. and streamline processing at consular offices abroad. Critics argue that this move is exclusionary and will have detrimental effects on families seeking to reunite in the U.S.
- ▪Non-immigrant visa holders must return to their home countries to apply for green cards, according to the Trump administration.
- ▪This change is intended to reduce the number of individuals who remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency.
- ▪Critics, including former USCIS officials, argue that this policy is exclusionary and harmful to families.
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ImmigrationNon-immigrant visa holders must return to home countries to apply for green cards, Trump administration saysIn a typical year, 1 million people apply for green cards and half of those apply from within the U.S. to change their status while they are living here, a former USCIS official said. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00The change in the green card application process is the latest move by the Trump administration to target legal immigration.Keith Bedford / Reuters fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 22, 2026, 1:28 PM EDTBy Daniella Silva and Julia AinsleyThe Trump administration said Friday that people with temporary visas seeking to adjust their immigration status to obtain green cards must return to their home countries to “do so through consular…
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