If you are one of the people waiting for your green card in the United States, you may now be required to return to your home country. Authorities in immigration have reportedly made some applicants in the US, who are waiting for green cards, feel restless and worried.
The authorities have simply stated that individuals need to leave the country, complete the process from their home country, and then re-enter with an immigrant visa.
According to new guidelines from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the transition from temporary visas to permanent residency (Green Card) is generally expected to take place outside the United States. This means applicants who are already in the US on temporary visas may have to return to their home country to continue or complete their green card process.
This rule will affect people who are in the US on non-immigrant or temporary visas such as B1/B2 (tourist visa), F1/M1 (student visas), J1 (exchange visas), H-1B, O-1, and similar categories. These visas are meant for temporary stays, and applicants are expected to return home after their purpose is completed.
Earlier, many people were allowed to apply for a green card while staying in the US during the processing period. However, under the new guideline, USCIS may require applicants to go through consular processing in their home country and then re-enter the US after their immigrant visa is approved.
USCIS officials said this change is being made to clearly separate temporary stay from permanent residency. They added that people who come to the US temporarily and later decide to stay permanently should follow the proper immigration visa process from outside the country.
However, even with this change, USCIS said that in extraordinary circumstances, some applicants may still be allowed to complete their visa process while staying in the US. Such cases will be carefully reviewed and decided by immigration officers.
This change is expected to affect a large number of workers and families who are already waiting for green cards while staying in the US. It is also seen as a major setback for Indians, whose visa waiting period is already very long due to backlogs.
So now, under the new system, applicants may have to leave the US, complete the required screening process in their home country, and after approval, they can re-enter the US for permanent residency.
Also Read: Green Card Holders Are Pulling Back From US Citizenship https://www.vibesofindia.com/us-citizenship-is-getting-harder-proompting-green-card-holders-to-pull-back/
