Getting a Green Card Just Got Harder: US Introduces New Requirements

The US authorities have tightened the rules for applying for a green card. Foreign citizens must now submit their documents exclusively from outside the country.

This was announced by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). According to the agency, foreigners temporarily residing in the US must return to their home countries to apply for a green card.

USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler stated that these changes are aimed at reducing illegal immigration.

"If foreign citizens apply from their home countries, instances of staying in the US illegally, as well as the need to track and deport them, will decrease," he said.

The agency also warned that temporary workers, tourists, and students should not view their travel to the US as the beginning of the green card acquisition process.

According to Doug Rand, a former USCIS official, approximately 1 million people apply for a green card every year. Nearly half of them used to submit their documents while within US territory.