The difficulty of obtaining a U.S. green card has greatly increased. Today, the U.S. government announced a major policy change, requiring green card applicants to return to their original country of nationality. Previously, it was possible to work in the U.S. while quietly submitting applications domestically, with the Chinese government completely unaware. Now, applicants must first leave the U.S., interrupt their work and life, and go through consular processing at the embassy or consulate in their home country. If rejected, trying to return to the U.S. could trigger entry restrictions.