Legal experts also warn that decisions rejecting such applications are difficult to challenge after a 2022 US Supreme Court ruling limited federal court review in immigration cases
The Trump administration has introduced stricter rules for green card applications filed from within the United States, a move expected to affect thousands of Indian professionals already stuck in long immigration backlogs.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a new policy memo directing immigration officers to approve applications for permanent residency from inside the country only in “extraordinary circumstances”. Instead, most applicants will now be asked to complete the process through US embassies or consulates in their home countries.
The change is likely to hit Indian workers the hardest, especially those in the EB-2 and EB-3 employment-based categories. Many of them have spent between 10 and 15 years waiting for green cards while continuing to work in the US on H-1B visas
At the same time, USCIS data showed a sharp fall in H-1B visa registrations. Applications dropped by 38.5%, from 343,981 in the 2026 fiscal year to 211,600 for 2027. Indian nationals account for more than 70% of approved H-1B visas, making them particularly vulnerable to policy changes.
USCIS said the new figures reflect efforts to reduce misuse of the visa system and prioritise higher-skilled applicants. More than 71% of selected candidates held a US master’s degree or higher.
Immigration lawyers say the latest policy creates new uncertainty for workers who have built their lives in America over many years. Applicants may now need to provide stronger proof of family ties, work history and community connections to secure approval.
