Trump says Nigerians, others must now return home to apply for US Green Card

The United States has announced that visitors (foreigners) residing in the country on temporary grounds would now be required to apply for Green Cards in their home country for their permanent stay. 

For Nigerians staying in the United States temporarily, this means that they would now need to return to Nigeria and apply for a permanent stay (Green Card) in the United States.

According to a statement released on Friday by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the new policy aims to ensure that the immigration system aligns with existing laws. The development also serves as an avenue to bridge the gaps in the system. 

“An alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply. The policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes,” the agency said.

In addition, the USCIS noted that the new policy allows immigration officers to carefully assess each application on a case-by-case basis. It noted that this eliminates situations where a general rule applies to all ranges of applicants. 

Since the announcement, refugee groups have argued that the policy will likely force trafficking survivors, vulnerable migrants, or abused children to countries where they originally left for safety.

However, the USCIS explained that the new policy will help immigration officers act more efficiently in the application vetting process.

Aside from the vulnerable groups, visitors temporarily residing in the United States on a tourism, business, education basis will need to apply from permanency from their home country.

As such, Nigerians in the US without a green card will now need to return home and apply for US citizenship at a local US embassy or Consulate. The new process eliminates the old format where all visitors apply at once in the US for permanent residency.

Also Read: U.S. draws new visa restrictions for Nigerians as 2026 approaches.

Trump’s push for stricter green card and immigration rules

The latest development forms part of President Donald Trump’s recent attempt to reduce visitors to the United States. This includes an attempt to cancel citizenship by birth rights and the introduction of stricter measures in applying for permanent stay.

A significant part of the measures is the vetting of visitors’ social media accounts seeking F (academic), M (vocational), and J (exchange) visas. The process was said to enable a thorough screening to verify applicants’ identities and ensure that they qualify for the type of visa they are requesting. 

In another familiar measure in 2025, the United States noted that visa applicants must list out their social media usernames in the last five years during applications. This policy was rumoured to be backed by a security tightening plan. 

Another major shift was in the non-immigrant visa policy. Last year, the US Department of State made a rule where all non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to citizens of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria were changed to single-entry and only valid for three months. 

The measures have made the United States one of the most difficult destinations for visitors, especially for Nigerians.