The US has told temporary visa holders to leave to apply for Green Cards Donald Trump News

Officials say Green Cards from the US are voluntary, not just rights.

The Trump administration has said foreign nationals who enter the US on temporary visas must return to their home countries if they want to apply for permanent citizenship, saying the move is aimed at strengthening the legal process for immigration.

Officials said the plan aims to ensure that Green Card applications follow immigration procedures, rather than allowing people to remain in the US while seeking permanent status through what officials describe as “loopholes” in the system.

“An alien who is temporarily in the US and wants a Green Card should return to his or her home country to apply. This policy allows our immigration system to operate as required by law rather than encourage confusion,” the Department of Homeland Security said on X.

In new guidelines issued on Friday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) he said cultural changeobtaining a permanent residence permit from the US, is a benefit of knowledge and not a right of recognition.

The agency says immigration policies are often designed with the expectation that temporary visa holders will leave the country after their intended stay ends, while it says immigration officials must review applications.

The memo instructs officials to consider issues such as visa violations, overstaying, illegal employment, fraud and whether applicants have complied with the terms of their admission to the United States.

USCIS has also approved a few exceptions, including visa categories that allow for “dual purpose”, meaning that some temporary visa holders are allowed to stay in the US while also seeking permanent residence. The agency said the groups are not guaranteeing the approval of Green Cards or changing Congress’s expectation that immigrants will leave the country after their purpose is over.

The agency said Friday that the revised guidelines will help free up resources to help process other immigration cases.

Rights groups warn that refugees are at risk

Migrant advocacy groups have criticized the move, warning it could force vulnerable people to return to unsafe or unstable places while they await decisions on their applications.

HIAS, a non-profit organization that helps refugees and other displaced people, said the plan would affect survivors of trafficking and abused and neglected children by asking them to leave the US to complete parts of the permanent process.

The guidance marks the latest step in a major push by US President Donald Trump to tighten immigration rules and ban long-term residents of the United States.

Last year, the administration moved to shorten the duration of visas for some students, cultural exchange visitors and media workers.

In January, the State Department announced that it had canceled more than 100,000 visas since Trump’s return to office.