US Immigration Update: Nigerians on Temporary Visas May Need to Return Home for Green Card Applications

Big changes could be coming for Nigerians and other foreign nationals living in the US on temporary visas. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Friday that it plans to enforce a rule requiring non-immigrants to apply for Green Cards from their home countries, not from within the US.

USCIS says it’s returning to the “original intent” of US immigration law. The agency wants temporary visa holders — including students, workers, and tourists — to leave the US once their visa purpose ends and apply for permanent residency through US consular offices abroad.

“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 stated.

For Nigerians, this would mean traveling back to Nigeria to complete the Green Card process if the directive takes effect.

This move follows other restrictions under President Donald Trump’s administration. Several months ago, the US placed visa bans on Nigeria and 14 other countries. The ban blocked entry for Nigerians applying for Green Cards and B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas. The US cited security concerns and vetting difficulties.

That policy targeted people outside the US. The new USCIS directive would affect non-immigrants already living in America and looking to adjust their status.

The agency argues the change will:
Prevent foreigners from using temporary visas as a backdoor to permanent residency
Let USCIS focus on visas for crime victims, human trafficking survivors, naturalization, and other priorities
Process most Green Card cases through the State Department at consulates abroad, as originally intended

“Following the law allows the majority of these cases to be handled by the State Department at US consular offices abroad,” USCIS said. “The law was written this way for a reason, and even though it has flaws, following it will help make our system fairer and more efficient.”

The US hosts between 460,000 and 500,000 Nigerian immigrants, per US Census Bureau data. Nigerians make up about 10% of all African-born immigrants in America.

For many, adjusting status from F-1 student, H-1B worker, or B-2 tourist to permanent resident has been a key pathway. If the new rule is enforced, that pathway gets tougher and more expensive.

The Green Card process for temporary visa holders is about to get stricter. If you’re a Nigerian student, worker, or visitor in the US hoping for permanent residency, expect to budget for travel home and longer consular wait times.

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