U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that most people seeking permanent residency must now apply from outside the United States.
The policy change reverses a common pathway for applicants who had previously been able to pursue green cards while remaining in the country.
USCIS issued updated guidance stating that the majority of permanent residency seekers fall under the new out-of-country filing requirement.
Immigration attorneys said the shift could force long-term U.S. residents to depart and wait abroad during processing, separating families and interrupting employment.
The agency has not published a comprehensive timeline for rolling the requirement across every eligibility category.
Employers who sponsor workers for permanent status may need to adjust relocation and compliance plans under the revised rules.
Advocacy organizations warned that mandatory departure raises risks for applicants who lack safe or stable conditions in home countries.
USCIS framed the change as part of broader administrative reforms to how permanent residency applications are adjudicated.
USCIS now expects most green card applicants to file from abroad rather than from within U.S. territory under updated guidance.
Permanent residency seekers who once adjusted status domestically may need to depart and complete processing outside the country.
The USCIS change affects the majority of applicants pursuing U.S. permanent residency.
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Sources:
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/5/26/headlines