JAKARTA - The Philippine Embassy in Washington advised Filipinos in the United States on temporary visas to monitor developments and review their options after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services tightened guidance on green-card applications filed from inside the country, the Philippine News Agency reported on June 3.
Embassy Minister and Consul General Zoilo Velasco told the state-owned agency that affected Filipinos should follow further U.S. clarification and consult qualified immigration lawyers if needed. He said it remained unclear how broadly or strictly U.S. authorities would implement the guidance, including which non-immigrant visa categories would be covered.
“How this will impact Filipinos in the US is hard to tell, especially in view of the changing tone of the US government after it was announced,” Velasco said.
The guidance concerns adjustment of status, the process that allows eligible applicants already in the United States to seek lawful permanent residence without leaving the country. Reuters reported that USCIS announced on May 22 that foreigners seeking to adjust status should generally do so from outside the U.S. through State Department consular processing, with officers directed to consider cases individually when assessing extraordinary relief.
“Again, this is a continually evolving matter. The Embassy stands ready to assist as necessary with due regard to the immigration policies of the host country,” Velasco added.
New York-based immigration lawyer Nicolas Caraquel also told PNA the guidance was a stricter enforcement of existing rules on the route to permanent residence. He said tourist visa and J-1 visa holders without exceptional circumstances were among those more likely to be directed to apply from their home country.
He said temporary visa holders seeking a status change or extension, rather than a green card, may still apply from inside the U.S. “For example, you are on tourist visa and you want to study; or you’re holding tourist visa and you want to extend for another six months, you can apply because that is still allowed,” Caraquel added.
PNA also reported that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had clarified applications would be decided case by case. The Associated Press reported that DHS said the shift would not prevent anyone who “legitimately and properly” qualifies from obtaining a green card, although some applicants may have to apply overseas through the State Department.
The U.S. remains the largest source of remittances to the Philippines. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data showed cash remittances from the United States reached USD3.46 billion from January to March, up from USD3.44 billion in the same period last year. Full-year cash remittances from the U.S. reached USD14.15 billion in 2025, accounting for about 40 percent of the USD35.63 billion sent by overseas Filipinos that year.
