The United States has introduced a new immigration directive requiring Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking permanent residency to return to their home countries to complete their green card applications, except in rare and exceptional cases.
The policy, announced on Friday by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, forms part of a broader immigration shift under President Donald Trump.
According to USCIS, the move is intended to restore what officials described as the original purpose of US immigration law.
Under the new rule, foreign nationals already in the United States on temporary visas who wish to obtain permanent residency will now be required to process their applications through American consular offices abroad under the supervision of the US Department of State.
In a statement, the agency said the policy seeks to ensure that immigration procedures follow established legal channels.
“We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly. 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,” USCIS stated.
The directive affects temporary visa holders, including students, tourists and foreign workers residing in the United States.
USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said the policy would help curb cases of migrants remaining in the country after unsuccessful residency applications.
“This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes,” Kahler said.
“When aliens apply from their home country, it reduces the need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency.”
The agency stressed that non-immigrant visas are designed for short-term purposes and should not automatically serve as pathways to permanent residence.
“Nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the U.S. for a short time and for a specific purpose. 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,” the statement added.
USCIS said the change would also allow immigration authorities to redirect resources to other priorities, including naturalisation requests and cases involving victims of violent crimes and human trafficking.
“The law was written this way for a reason, and despite the fact that it has been ignored for years, following it will help make our system fairer and more efficient,” the agency said.
The directive follows earlier immigration restrictions introduced by the Trump administration.
In December 2025, the administration temporarily suspended green card and citizenship processing for nationals of several countries affected by US travel restrictions, including Nigeria.
That suspension impacted many legal residents already living in the United States who were seeking to adjust their immigration status or secure citizenship. It also affected nationals from 19 countries covered under travel restrictions introduced following a security incident involving an Afghan national in Washington, DC.
