US Closes Loophole: Nigerians Must Now Finish Green Card Back Home ‎

The United States government has announced that Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking to change their status from temporary visa holders to permanent residents must now return to their home countries to apply for Green Cards.
‎
‎This was contained in a statement issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on Friday May 22, 2026.
‎
‎The statement said, the country is returning to its “original intent” immigration law by mandating that non-immigrants apply for permanent residency from their home countries rather than from within the US.
‎
‎”This policy, the latest in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, applies to all temporary visa holders, including students, temporary workers, and individuals on tourist visas. For Nigerians, it would require them to return to Nigeria to complete Green Card applications”, USCIS said.
‎
‎”The system is designed for them to leave when their visit is over. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process”, USCIS added.
‎
‎However, this move came several months after the US imposed a ban on several visa categories on Nigeria and 14 other countries. Approximately 460,000 to 500,000 Nigerian immigrants currently reside in the US, representing about 10% of all African-born immigrants.