A dozen hours ago, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released an announcement declaring that foreign nationals currently residing in the U.S. temporarily who wish to apply for lawful permanent residency (i.e., green card holders) must, in the absence of exceptional circumstances, return to their country of origin to submit their applications. This marks the end of an immigration policy that had remained unchanged for decades.
USCIS stated, "Nonimmigrants, such as students, temporary workers, or tourist visa holders, come to the United States for a short period of time and for a specific purpose. Our system is designed for them to leave at the conclusion of their visit. Their visit should not be the first step in a green card process."
The method of entering on a tourist visa, overstaying the permitted duration, and finding a partner in the U.S. to obtain a green card may also come to an end due to this change, as overstaying in violation of relevant policies will prevent individuals from being approved to re-enter the United States.
This series of changes made by the U.S. government has significantly increased the difficulty of obtaining permanent residency. Officials stated that they hope to reduce the number of people acquiring permanent residency, as permanent residency is a pathway to citizenship, and they wish to block this pathway as much as possible.
References/Sources: Lianhe Zaobao
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