Nigerians, others affected as US orders foreigners to return home for Green Card processing

The United States President, Donald Trump, has mandated that Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in the US must return to their home countries to complete the green card application process, unless “extraordinary circumstances” exist, according to authorities.

The policy change was announced on Friday by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which stated that the measure aims to restore the original framework of US immigration law. In a statement, the agency explained that individuals currently seeking to adjust their immigration status from within the United States will now be required to process their residency applications through US consular offices abroad, under the Department of State’s supervision.

“We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly,” USCIS said. “From now on, an alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances.”

The agency noted that the new approach will strengthen compliance with immigration procedures and reduce the number of unsuccessful applicants who remain in the country after their cases are denied. USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler added that the policy would help prevent abuse of the immigration system and discourage unlawful stays.

“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.”

According to USCIS, the policy will primarily affect nonimmigrant visa holders, including international students, temporary workers, and tourists, who enter the United States for specific and limited purposes. “Nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the US for a short time and for a specific purpose,” the agency stated. “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 process.”

The agency also argued that processing applications through overseas consular offices would allow USCIS to redirect resources to other immigration-related responsibilities, such as applications involving victims of violent crimes, human trafficking survivors, naturalisation requests, and other services within its mandate. “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.

This latest directive comes amid a broader tightening of immigration policies under the Trump administration. In December 2025, the administration temporarily suspended the processing of green card and citizenship applications submitted by Nigerians and nationals of several other countries added to a US travel ban, according to CBS News reports. That suspension affected legal immigration applications handled by USCIS and largely targeted applicants from selected African and Asian nations, many of whom were already legally residing in the United States and seeking permanent residency or citizenship.

The administration also instructed USCIS to halt immigration petitions—including permanent residency and naturalisation applications—from nationals of 19 countries covered by a travel ban announced in June. That move followed a shooting incident in Washington, D.C., during Thanksgiving week, in which two National Guard soldiers were injured; US authorities alleged that an Afghan national carried out the attack.

The new policy is expected to affect thousands of prospective immigrants, including Nigerians, who may now be required to leave the United States and complete their residency applications through American diplomatic missions in their countries of origin.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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