USCIS Policy Memo Restricts Adjustment of Status to Extraordinary Circumstances Only

Summary

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new policy memo stating that adjustment of status for aliens will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances, requiring most applicants to go through consular processing via the Department of State outside the U.S. The policy memo directs officers to consider all relevant factors on a case-by-case basis when determining whether an alien qualifies for this exceptional relief, with USCIS stating they are returning to the original intent of immigration law.