The United States has drastically changed its green card application process. Most foreign nationals must now apply from their home countries. This new rule creates confusion and worry for many people globally.
The change stops the common practice of applying for a green card, which is permanent residency, while staying inside the U.S. Instead, most people will have to go to U.S. consulates in their home countries. This affects thousands of families and workers. It also causes problems for businesses that hire foreign workers.
This shift matters a lot for Ghana and other African nations. For many years, roughly 500,000 people each year applied for green cards from within the U.S. This number dropped temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new policy breaks this long-standing system. It creates deep worry about becoming a permanent resident in America. This particularly impacts Africans hoping to study or work in the U.S.
Immigration lawyers are struggling to understand the new rules. A six-page document from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is very unclear. It does not explain what counts as an "extraordinary circumstance." This makes it hard to advise clients. Workers with H-1B visas and international students are feeling lost. They do not know if they can stay in the U.S. to work permanently.
The attorney Robert O’Malley said he is trying to calm clients. He is also studying the new memo for clarity. He added, "I’m really just trying to digest this six-page memo and wait for further guidance so that we know how to best advise our clients."
Families with mixed immigration status are most affected. Many people married to U.S. citizens used to get their green cards without leaving the country. This kept their jobs and family life stable. Now, this process is uncertain. In 2024, over 250,000 people who got green cards through marriage did so from within the U.S. The government now calls this a matter of "discretion and administrative grace."
Moving processing abroad will create big problems. U.S. consulates in places like Accra and Lagos already have long waiting lists. Sending thousands more applicants there could overwhelm the system. This could delay legal immigration for years.
Experts worry this will cause big delays. In 2024, more than 820,000 green cards were processed within the U.S. Moving this volume overseas risks major holdups. It could seriously stop people from getting legal residency. Efrén Olivares, from the National Immigration Law Centre, stated, "It’s going to upend people’s lives in every sense of the word."