WASHINGTON: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on Friday a sweeping policy change that would require most foreigners seeking permanent residency in the United States to leave the country and apply for immigrant visas from abroad, sharply restricting the long-used “adjustment of status” process.

In a policy memorandum, the USCIS said applicants already in the US on temporary visas — including students, tourists and temporary workers — would generally be expected to pursue green cards through consular processing overseen by the US Department of State.

The move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to tighten both legal and illegal immigration pathways. The USCIS said adjustment of status inside the US would now be granted only in “extraordinary circumstances” and on a “case-by-case basis”.

“We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly,” USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said in a statement released with the memo.

The memo directs immigration officers to consider whether an applicant’s conduct was “inconsistent” with the purpose of the visa or parole under which they entered the country.

Critics warned that the policy could separate families for prolonged periods because applicants sent abroad may face lengthy visa backlogs at American consulates.

According to media reports and immigration advocates, the change could affect people married to US citizens as well as applicants with US-born children.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026