US directs Nigerians, other green card applicants to return home for residency processing

The United States has directed Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking green cards to return to their home countries to complete the application process.

The directive was announced on Friday in a press statement issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The agency explained that the policy was intended to restore what it described as the “original intent” of US immigration law.
USCIS spokesman, Zach Kahler, stated that the new policy would help reduce the number of migrants who remain illegally in the United States after unsuccessful residency applications.
According to the statement, except under extraordinary circumstances, foreigners seeking adjustment of status will now be required to process their residency applications through US consular offices abroad under the supervision of the United States Department of State.
The agency stated: “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.”
Kahler added: “This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes. 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.”
USCIS explained that the new directive would mainly affect temporary visitors, including students, tourists and workers who entered the United States on nonimmigrant visas.
“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. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process,” the statement added.
The agency further stated that processing residency applications through consular offices abroad would help free up limited agency resources for other immigration priorities.
According to USCIS, the policy would enable the agency to focus more on applications involving victims of violent crimes, human trafficking cases, naturalisation requests and other immigration services within its jurisdiction.
“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 noted.
In December 2025, former US President Donald Trump temporarily suspended the processing of green card and citizenship applications filed by Nigerians and nationals of other countries newly added to the US travel ban, according to a CBS News report.
The suspension affected legal immigration applications handled by USCIS and mainly targeted immigrants from selected African and Asian countries.
Many of those affected were already living legally in the United States and were seeking to adjust their immigration status or become American citizens.
The Trump administration also directed USCIS to freeze all immigration petitions, including applications for permanent residency and citizenship, from nationals of 19 countries covered by the travel ban announced in June.