Anyone who’s ready to apply for a green card has likely been watching the news lately because of the coverage of updates to the process. The new policies are creating some uncertainty, and it’s unlikely that solid information will be available as the newly announced policy works its way through the necessary channels.
Recently, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that, with very few exceptions, green card applications will require the applicant to leave the United States and apply through their consular office. This has led to considerable confusion because there’s not a clear indication of what “extraordinary circumstances” means.
What does this change mean for people in the U.S.?
It’s unclear who will be affected by the policy change; however, “highly qualified applicants and skilled professionals” may be given the same leeway for applying as what was present prior to the policy change. There also seems to be an exception for people who have refugee or asylum status since they’ve already been vetted. It appears they won’t have to leave the country and will still be able to apply after a year.
The policy update goes a little beyond evaluating only the person’s location when they apply. Immigration officers will now look at the positive and negative points related to the application to become a permanent resident.
Immigration regulations and policies often change, which is why being able to stay abreast of the most recent updates is critical. This can be challenging, so it’s often beneficial to work with someone who keeps track of these. Ultimately, understanding what you need to do to have your application in good order can help you to reduce unnecessary delays.