US Administration Adjusts Green Card Process for Foreigners Currently in the Country

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced updated rules regulating the process of obtaining permanent residency (Green Cards). According to an official statement issued on May 22, 2026, foreign nationals residing in the US on temporary visas—including student, tourist, and work visas—are now required to file their applications and await decisions from outside the country.

As explained by USCIS spokesperson Zack Kaler, this measure aims to clearly distinguish between the purposes of short-term entry and permanent immigration. The agency emphasized that a temporary stay in the United States should not be viewed as an automatic initial step toward obtaining permanent resident status. The new regulations allow for exceptions, but they will be granted primarily in extraordinary or emergency situations.

According to experts, these changes will require applicants to plan their travel and legal steps more carefully. In the short term, this policy may increase the workload of US consular services abroad, as a significant portion of the administrative processing is now being shifted to the applicants' home countries.