US immigration authorities have shifted more green card processing out of the United States and back to applicants’ home countries. For Nigerians and other foreign nationals on temporary visas, this means that applying from inside the US will now be the exception rather than the rule.
Under the new policy, most applicants who want to move from temporary status to permanent residence are expected to leave the US and complete their cases at a US consulate in their country of nationality or residence. In‑country “adjustment of status” remains possible only in limited, “extraordinary” circumstances.
In practice, this change adds travel, cost and time for many applicants, and increases the importance of consular capacity in high‑demand countries such as Nigeria. The main legal channels for family‑ and employment‑based immigration remain in place; what has changed is where those applications are normally decided.