Immigration Tightens the Process to Apply for Residency Within the U.S.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued an official memorandum that strictly reinforces the requirements for obtaining lawful permanent residence.

Under the current guidelines, foreign nationals who are temporarily in the country and wish to apply for a green card must, as a general rule, return to their home country to complete consular processing through the Department of State, with adjustment of status within the U.S. reserved only for extraordinary circumstances.

Although basic eligibility for many applicants remains unchanged, this change drastically reduces the number of cases processed internally, particularly affecting those who entered on nonimmigrant visas (such as tourism, student, or temporary work visas) or under the ESTA program, and who are seeking residency through employment-based petitions.

It has been reiterated that officers will evaluate each case individually.

If you would like us to evaluate your case or need guidance on strengthening your process under these new guidelines, we are here to help.