Washington

Ina major shift in US immigration policy, the administration of President Donald Trump has announced that many foreign nationals seeking permanent residency, or green cards, may now have to leave the United States and apply from their home countries.

The new policy, issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), marks one of the biggest changes to the green card process in more than six decades. The move has drawn criticism from immigration lawyers, aid organisations and policy analysts, who warn that it could disrupt the lives of millions of immigrants and their families.

Until now, many immigrants legally staying in the US could apply for a green card without leaving the country through a process known as “adjustment of status”. Under the revised policy, USCIS officers have been instructed to decide on applications on a case-by-case basis and grant exceptions only in extraordinary circumstances.

DHS said the new approach was intended to prevent misuse of immigration loopholes. “An alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply,” the department said in a statement.

The administration argues that the immigration system should function “as the law intended” rather than encouraging temporary visa holders to remain in the country while pursuing permanent residency.

According to analysts at the Cato Institute, more than one million immigrants in the US are currently waiting for green cards. The new rules could force many applicants to leave behind jobs, homes and families while their applications are processed overseas. Immigration experts say the change could particularly hurt mixed-status families, where some members are US citizens or permanent residents while others are on temporary visas. There is also uncertainty over how pending green card applications already filed inside the US will be treated.

Immigrant aid organisations strongly criticised the move. HIAS said the policy could endanger vulnerable people, including survivors of trafficking and abused children, by compelling them to return to countries they had fled. Critics also warned that thepolicy could worsen delays, as the US immigration system is already struggling with a large backlog of visa and residency applications.