United States immigration authorities have clarified that certain H-1B visa holders may not be required to leave the country while applying for a green card under specific conditions, according to a report by Newsweek.
A green card, officially known as a Permanent Resident Card, permits individuals to live and work permanently in the US.
Zach Kahler, spokesperson for the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, stated that applicants who could demonstrate economic benefits or prove that their presence served the national interest would likely be allowed to continue with their existing immigration process within the country. He added that others might still be required to apply from abroad depending on their individual circumstances, Scroll.in reported.
The clarification came shortly after the administration of Donald Trump announced that individuals seeking permanent residency in the US would generally need to apply for green cards from their home countries unless they qualified under “extraordinary circumstances”.
At the time of the announcement, authorities had not detailed what those exceptions would include. The administration said the revised policy was intended to make the immigration system function as originally intended and to prevent misuse of loopholes.
Officials further argued that requiring applicants to apply from their home countries would reduce the number of individuals remaining illegally in the US after their residency applications were denied.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services also stated that non-immigrant visa categories such as student visas, tourist visas, and temporary work permits were designed for short-term stays tied to specific purposes. According to the agency, such visas were not meant to serve as the initial pathway toward permanent residency.
Data cited by The New York Times showed that the US granted approximately 1.4 million green cards in 2024. More than 8.2 lakh of those approvals reportedly went to individuals already residing in the country through a process known as “adjustment of status”, which allows non-immigrant visa holders to seek permanent residency without leaving the US.
Indians have consistently formed the largest share of H-1B visa holders in recent years. Reports indicated that Indians accounted for 72.3% of all H-1B visas issued during the 2022–23 financial year.
Since beginning his second presidential term in January 2025, Trump has introduced several immigration-related measures. In August, his administration announced a review of more than 55 million visa holders for potential violations that could result in deportation.
Other steps introduced by the administration included the use of military aircraft for deporting undocumented migrants, stricter security checks for foreign students applying to American educational institutions, and proposed rules aimed at limiting visa durations for students and journalists.