US Tightens Residence Permits for Foreigners

JAKARTA - The United States (US) is implementing a new approach in granting permanent residence permits in the country, which is now only granted in exceptional circumstances.

"The AShari Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a new policy memorandum reaffirming the fact, in line with immigration law and long-standing immigration court rulings, that foreign nationals applying for adjustment of status must do so through the consular process through the Department of State outside the US territory," said the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) statement.

Immigration officers are now directed to consider all relevant factors on a case-by-case basis in determining whether a foreign national can obtain this extraordinary form of relief.

The memorandum also states that foreign nationals who enter the US with a temporary or humanitarian visa are required to leave the country after their stay ends. Attempts to stay and apply for a residence permit in the country will be considered a negative factor in the case assessment.

The Adjustment of Status procedure allows foreign nationals already in the US to obtain legal permanent resident status, or known as a green card, without having to leave the country.

The mechanism is an alternative to the standard consular process and allows applicants to obtain legal status without having to return to their home country and undergo an interview at a US embassy abroad.

Data studied by RIA Novosti shows that by the end of 2025, more than 1.2 million people are still waiting for a decision on their application for adjustment of their status.