US introduces new requirement for green card processing

The administration of US President Donald Trump has announced a new requirement for foreigners applying for permanent residency. Now many green card applicants will have to leave the United States and wait for a decision on documents outside the country. This is reported by CNN with reference to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

According to the changes, applicants will have to return to their countries of origin to apply for a permanent visa. Exceptions are promised to be made only under "extraordinary circumstances."

USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler attributed the decision to the need to combat illegal aliens staying illegally after immigration applications are denied.

When aliens apply from their home countries, it reduces the need to find and deport those who remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied,'' he said.

The change could seriously affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. The green card process is already considered one of the longest and most complicated, with waiting for a decision sometimes taking months or even years. Applicants will now potentially have to leave their families, jobs and lives in the US for this period.

According to official data from the Department of Homeland Security, about 1.4 million people were granted permanent residency in the country in fiscal year 2024 alone.

US media speculate that the new rules could face lawsuits. Critics see the initiative as another step to curb not only illegal but also legal immigration.

During the current administration, measures have already been introduced to reduce the number of asylum applications, limit temporary protection programmes for migrants, suspend the admission of refugees from a number of countries and tighten the issuance of work and student visas," the news agency recalls.

It is known that earlier the Trump administration also cancelled the temporary legal status for about 530 thousand citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, which increased the risk of their deportation.

In addition, according to the US media, the administration discussed plans for a large-scale strengthening of the deportation policy - up to the expulsion of up to 1 million people a year.