USCIS has just announced a major policy shift: adjustment of status approvals inside the United States will now be rare and given only in “extraordinary” situations. The new policy memo, released on Friday, says foreign nationals — including Nigerians — who want a Green Card will generally have to leave the U.S. and finish the process at a U.S. consulate in their home country.
The agency says the change follows long‑standing immigration laws and court rulings. Immigration officers have been told to review adjustment requests strictly, on a case‑by‑case basis, weighing all factors before granting what the agency called an “extraordinary form of relief.”
USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said the move restores the original intent of the law and aims to stop abuse by temporary visa holders. “We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly,” Kahler stated. “From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances,” he added.
Kahler said the change should cut down on people staying unlawfully after failed residency bids. “This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes,” he said.
USCIS also says the shift will free up resources for other priorities — naturalisation, visas for victims of violent crime and human trafficking, and other humanitarian cases. The agency stressed nonimmigrant visas (student, tourist, temporary work) are for short visits and should not automatically become Green Card paths. “Nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the U.S. for a short time and for a specific purpose,” Kahler explained. “Our system is designed for them to leave when their visit is over. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process,” he added.
The change is expected to affect thousands of temporary visa holders now seeking permanent residency without leaving the country.
