Trump forces Green Card applicants to return to their country of origin sooner
According to experts, the change could affect hundreds of thousands of people per year and reduce legal immigration
Foreigners applying for permanent residence in the United States will now have to return to their home countries to obtain a green card.
"From now on, an alien who is temporarily in the United States and wishes to obtain a Green Card will have to return to his or her home country to apply, except in exceptional circumstances," Zach Kahler, spokesman for the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, said in a statement on Friday. "This policy allows our immigration system to function as required by law, rather than incentivising loopholes," Kahler said.
According to immigration law experts, the policy change could affect hundreds of thousands of people per year and potentially further reduce legal immigration. President Donald Trump's administration has introduced a series of restrictions affecting everyone from asylum seekers to students and highly skilled workers.
