By Blessing Nweke

The Trump administration has unveiled a sweeping immigration policy requiring most immigrants seeking permanent residency in the United States to leave the country and complete the green card process at US embassies or consulates abroad.

The new guidance, announced Friday by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, states that people on temporary visas, including students, tourists and foreign workers, must pursue “consular processing” outside the US unless they qualify for “extraordinary circumstances.”

Officials said the change is intended to close what the administration describes as a loophole that allowed many temporary visa holders to apply for permanent residency while remaining in the country. The policy is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to curb illegal immigration and tighten visa enforcement.

“The era of abusing our nation’s immigration system is over,” the Department of Homeland Security said on X.

USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler argued the move restores the “original intent of the law” and discourages immigrants from overstaying visas after failed residency applications. He added that temporary visits “should not function as the first step in the green card process.”

Critics warned the measure could separate families and create uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of applicants. Former USCIS official Michael Valverde said the policy would “limit lawful immigration to the US greatly.”

It remains unclear whether pending adjustment-of-status applications will be affected. More than one million legal immigrants are currently waiting for green card approval, according to the Cato Institute.