USCIS green card change announced by Trump administration could impact thousands

The Trump administration has unveiled a major change to the green card policy, with critics warning it could make the application process far more difficult, or even impossible, for some new applicants.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the shift on Friday (May 22), as part of the Trump administration's efforts to 'crack down' on illegal immigration in the US.

Having a green card (officially known as a permanent resident card) allows a person to live and work permanently in America.

But the department has now announced that immigrants seeking a green card will have to do so outside of the US.

USCIS stated that people seeking a change in status must do so through processing outside of the country 'except in extraordinary circumstances'.

The president's administration announced the changes on Friday (May 22). (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

But critics suggest the system, which can be ongoing for seven months to several years, previously allowed families to stay together during the application process, which will now no longer possible under the new policy.

In a statement, USCIS said: "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 US illegally after being denied residency," USCIS said.

They noted that the shift makes the system 'fairer and more efficient'.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees USCIS, added on X: "The era of abusing our nation's immigration system is over.

"We're returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation's immigration system properly."

The USCIS did not state when the changes would take effect. (Getty Stock Images)

They concluded: "From now on, an alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a green card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances."

The department has not yet clarified whether the policy change will affect pending green card applications.

But as of right now, there a more than one million legal immigrants waiting for approval of their green card applications, as per the Cato Institute's director of immigration studies.

The department is also yet to outline the 'extraordinary circumstances' in which someone can still apply for a resident card in the US.

It comes as the latest step by the Trump administration in pushing to make legal immigration more difficult for people already in America, and for those hoping to come.

USCIS did not say when the change would come into effect.