Previously, it was possible to apply for a green card while in the United States, but under new regulations from the Trump administration it will be allowed only in exceptional cases.
“From now on, a foreign national who is temporarily in the United States and wants a green card must return to their home country to apply, except under extraordinary circumstances,” said Zach Kahler, a spokesman for the immigration agency USCIS, in a statement.
According to The Washington Post, the United States grants just over one million green cards per year, and about half apply for residency while in the country.
A green card makes it possible to live and work in the United States.
