• President Trump introduces a new green card processing policy for Nigerians and other foreign nationals
• Applicants seeking permanent residency must now return to their home countries to apply
• Officials argue the policy will reduce illegal overstays after denied applications

United States President Donald Trump has directed that Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in the US must now return to their home countries to complete their green card applications, except under what officials described as “extraordinary circumstances.”

The new immigration policy was announced on Friday, May 22, by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, which said the move is intended to restore the “original intent” of American immigration laws.

In a statement, the agency explained that immigrants applying for adjustment of status would now be required to process their applications through US consular offices in their home countries under the supervision of the United States Department of State.

“We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly.

“From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances,” the statement read.

According to USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler, the policy is aimed at reducing the number of immigrants who remain in the country illegally after unsuccessful residency applications.

“This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes,” Kahler said.

“When aliens apply from their home country, it reduces the need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency.”

The new rule is expected to affect temporary visa holders, including students, tourists and foreign workers already living legally in the United States.

USCIS noted that nonimmigrant visas are designed for short-term stays and should not become a pathway to permanent residency while applicants remain in the country.

“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,” the agency stated.

The agency also argued that transferring green card processing to consular offices abroad would help free up resources for other immigration matters, including naturalisation applications, cases involving victims of violent crimes and human trafficking investigations.

“The law was written this way for a reason, and despite the fact that it has been ignored for years, following it will help make our system fairer and more efficient,” the statement added.

The latest directive comes months after the Trump administration temporarily suspended the processing of green card and citizenship applications from Nigerians and nationals of several countries affected by a US travel ban.

In December 2025, reports indicated that the suspension mainly affected immigrants from selected African and Asian countries, many of whom were already residing legally in the US and seeking permanent residency or citizenship.

The administration later ordered USCIS to freeze immigration petitions from nationals of 19 countries included in the expanded travel ban announced in June, following a shooting incident in Washington, D.C. allegedly linked to an Afghan national.

Trump plans travel ban on 43 countries

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United States President Donald Trump had planned to impose a travel ban on 43 countries as part of an immigration crackdown.

The memo categorised the 43 countries into three groups including red (full ban), orange (strict visa restrictions), and yellow (60-day review period), based on the severity of restrictions.