United States President Donald Trump has issued a directive requiring Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking green cards to return to their home countries to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances. This move is part of a broader effort to restore what the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) calls the original intent of immigration law.
New Policy Details
The policy, announced on Friday, May 22, 2026, mandates that individuals who are in the United States temporarily and wish to obtain a green card must process their applications through US consular offices abroad, under the supervision of the Department of State. The USCIS 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.”
Impact on Temporary Visitors
The policy primarily affects non-immigrant visa holders, including students, tourists, and temporary workers. The USCIS emphasized that these visitors should not view their stay as a first step toward permanent residency. The agency noted, “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.”
Reasons for the Change
USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler explained that the policy aims to reduce the number of migrants who remain in the country illegally after unsuccessful residency applications. He stated, “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.”
Additionally, the USCIS argued that routing residency applications through consular offices abroad would free up agency resources to focus on other priorities, such as cases involving victims of violent crimes, human trafficking, naturalization requests, and other immigration services.
Background Context
This directive comes amid the 'japa' wave, a term derived from the Yoruba language meaning to flee or escape, which has become associated with the desire of many young Nigerians to leave their country permanently. In December 2025, Trump temporarily halted the processing of green card and citizenship applications from Nigerians and nationals of other countries added to the US travel ban. That suspension affected legal immigration applications handled by USCIS, primarily targeting immigrants from selected African and Asian countries, many of whom were already living legally in the United States.
The Trump administration also previously directed USCIS to freeze all immigration petitions from nationals of 19 countries covered by the travel ban announced in June 2025. The decision followed a shooting incident in Washington DC involving an Afghan national.
Earlier, the United States proposed collecting social media information from visa and citizenship applicants, citing national security concerns. This change aligns with an executive order by President Trump aimed at enhancing border security and vetting processes. A 60-day public comment period has begun for this proposal.
