The United States government has announced that Nigerians and other foreign nationals on temporary visas must now return to their home countries to apply for permanent residency, commonly known as a Green Card.
According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the move is aimed at restoring the “original intent” of America’s immigration laws by preventing temporary visa holders from changing their immigration status while already in the country.
Under the new policy, foreign nationals seeking permanent residency will be required to process their applications through US consular offices in their respective home countries, supervised by the US Department of State.
USCIS said the decision is intended to ensure that people who enter the United States on temporary visas — such as students, tourists, or temporary workers — leave the country once their approved stay expires.
The announcement comes months after the US introduced visa restrictions affecting Nigeria and 14 other countries across several visa categories.
USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said the policy would help reduce cases of illegal stay by applicants whose residency requests are denied.
“We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly. From now on, an alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances,” the agency stated.
Kahler added that the system was designed for temporary visitors to leave after completing the purpose of their trip and not use short-term visas as a pathway to permanent residency.
He noted that enforcing the policy would make the US immigration process “fairer and more efficient.”
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