The United States government has implemented a new rule requiring individuals seeking a green card while in the U.S. to apply from abroad, a change expected to impact thousands of immigrants.

• Individuals applying for a change of status will now need to undergo consular processing outside the country, except in extraordinary circumstances.
• The change was announced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Friday, May 22.
• This new directive is part of a broader immigration enforcement strategy under the President Donald Trump administration and aims to reduce unlawful overstays.