USCIS Limits Adjustment of Status and Requires Applicants to Request a Green Card From Their Country of Origin

USCIS Limits Adjustment of Status

Application From Country of Origin

Immigration Policy Tightened

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a change that makes access to permanent residency from within the country more restrictive.

The new guidance establishes that adjustment of status will only be approved under circumstances considered extraordinary by immigration authorities.

With this decision, the agency strengthens consular processing as the main pathway to apply for a Green Card.

The measure is part of the immigration policy promoted by President Donald Trump, which has prioritized greater controls and restrictions.

Adjustment of Status Will Be Limited to Exceptional Cases

Green Card process changes-Photo: Shutterstock

The memorandum released by USCIS instructs officers to evaluate each application individually.

However, it makes clear that the standard for granting the benefit will be stricter than in the recent past.

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Adjustment of status allows certain foreign nationals to change their immigration status without leaving the United States.

Under the new policy, that possibility will be reserved for unusual situations.

Return to the “Original Spirit” of the Law

USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said the measure seeks to restore the original intent of immigration law.

According to his explanation, the system was designed so that those who enter with temporary visas return to their countries once the authorized purpose has ended.

Students, tourists, and temporary workers should not use their initial stay as an automatic step toward permanent residency.

From now on, those who are in U.S. territory under a temporary visa and seek a Green Card will have to return to their country to begin the process, except in extraordinary cases.

Consular Processing Gains Importance

The federal agency emphasizes that the regular procedure requires the residency application to be handled from abroad.

This approach requires the applicant to go to a U.S. consulate or embassy in their country of origin.

The change could alter the strategy of thousands of people who had planned to regularize their status without leaving the country.

It also introduces new variables for those who already have immigration processes underway.

USCIS is applying long-standing law and prior court decisions to require certain aliens with temporary visas who decide they want to permanently reside in the U.S. to return to their home countries to apply for permanent visas through the @StateDept.

We’re returning to the… pic.twitter.com/E2AFZkds5m

— USCIS (@USCIS) May 22, 2026

Possible Impact on Thousands of Applicants

USCIS did not provide figures on how many cases could be affected by the new interpretation.

However, immigration specialists anticipate that the impact will be significant in communities that depend on adjustment of status as a viable alternative.

The requirement to leave the country could result in longer wait times and an additional stage of uncertainty.

It could also disrupt family and work plans while the process is completed outside the United States.

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…

— USCIS (@USCIS) May 22, 2026

A Stricter Turn in Immigration Policy

The measure adds to other recent actions aimed at strengthening immigration controls.

In addition, the tightening of adjustment of status sends a clear message about the current direction of federal policy.

The stated objective is to ensure that foreign nationals follow the procedure established by law and respect the limits of their temporary visas.

With this new rule, the path to permanent residency from within the country narrows, and consular processing is once again placed at the center of the U.S. immigration system, according to The Guardian.