Photo : YONHAP News
U.S. immigrations authorities have announced new guidelines stipulating that most foreigners seeking green cards would have to return to their home country to apply, with exceptions limited to “extraordinary circumstances.”
According to The Washington Post on Friday, the guidelines issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services require foreigners to apply for a permanent status in the U.S. through State Department consulate offices in their home countries.
The agency said nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the U.S. for “a short time and for a specific purpose” and that their visit “should not function as the first step in the green card process.”
Exceptions could apply to those on “dual intent” visas, or those with immigrant visas for whom a green card could provide a pathway to permanent residency.
The Trump administration’s tougher immigration policy has raised concerns that applicants already living in the U.S. could face prolonged stays in their home countries during the review process, or even be barred from re-entering the country.