The United States of America (USA) has directed that Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking green cards must return to their home countries to complete the application process, except under extraordinary circumstances.
The new immigration policy was disclosed on Friday in a statement issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
According to the agency, the move is aimed at restoring what it described as the “original intent” of US immigration law.
Under the new directive, individuals seeking adjustment of status will now be required to process their residency applications through US consular offices abroad under the supervision of the United States Department of State.
USCIS spokesman, Zach Kahler, said the policy would help reduce the number of migrants who remain illegally in the country after unsuccessful residency applications.
The agency explained that the policy would mainly affect temporary visitors such as students, tourists and workers who entered the United States on nonimmigrant visas.
According to USCIS, the immigration system was designed for temporary visitors to leave the country after their approved stay rather than use short-term visas as a pathway to permanent residency.
The agency also stated that the policy would allow USCIS to focus more resources on other immigration matters, including naturalisation requests, human trafficking cases and applications involving victims of violent crimes.
The latest development comes months after the Trump administration reportedly suspended the processing of green card and citizenship applications involving Nigerians and nationals of other countries affected by the US travel ban announced in 2025.