- Colombia ranked ninth globally for new U.S. green cards in fiscal year twenty twenty-five.
- New twenty twenty-six policies indefinitely paused immigrant visa issuances for Colombian nationals.
- A May memorandum restricted adjustment of status to only extraordinary circumstances.
The Department of Homeland Security ranked Colombia ninth worldwide for new U.S. lawful permanent residents in fiscal year 2025, even as the administration imposed new limits on immigrant visa issuance and adjustment of status in 2026.
Between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, 31,210 Colombians received green cards, according to June 2026 reports from the DHS Office of Homeland Security Statistics. About 63% gained residence through family relationships with U.S. citizens or existing lawful permanent residents.
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The ranking came before an indefinite immigrant-visa pause took effect. The State Department included Colombian nationals among applicants from 75 countries affected by the measure beginning January 21, 2026.
The pause targets consular processing. Applicants may still receive interview appointments, but the department cannot issue the physical immigrant visa while the measure remains in place.
The State Department described the policy as part of a review of screening, vetting and public-benefit concerns. In a Feb. 2, 2026 statement, it said:
"President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans. The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all screening and vetting policies to ensure that immigrants from high-risk countries do not unlawfully utilize welfare. Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State paused all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of [affected countries including Colombia]."
The country placed ninth behind eight larger immigrant populations
The 31,210 new residents placed Colombia below eight countries in the DHS ranking. Mexico led with 195,760, followed by Cuba with 84,820 and China with 65,670.
| Rank | Country | New lawful permanent residents in FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 195,760 |
| 2 | Cuba | 84,820 |
| 3 | China | 65,670 |
| 4 | India | 62,730 |
| 5 | Dominican Republic | 60,700 |
| 6 | Philippines | 58,620 |
| 7 | Afghanistan | 47,760 |
| 8 | El Salvador | 33,950 |
| 9 | Colombia | 31,210 |
Family sponsorship supplied the main route for the Colombian total. The estimate of approximately 63% covers cases based on relationships with U.S. citizens or current lawful permanent residents.
A new USCIS standard narrows the in-country route
USCIS issued a policy memorandum on May 22, 2026, changing its approach to adjustment of status, the process used by eligible applicants seeking residence without leaving the United States.
The agency said it would grant adjustment of status “only in extraordinary circumstances.” Most temporary visa holders, including students, workers and tourists, would instead need to return home and apply through the State Department.
USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said the change restores what he called the original purpose of the law:
"We’re returning to the original intent of the law. an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances,"
That instruction affects Colombians in the United States on temporary visas such as H-1B and F-1 who expected to complete the process domestically. The research describes thousands of such applicants as being directed to apply from Colombia unless they can establish extraordinary circumstances.
The two routes now carry different obstacles. Applicants abroad face the immigrant-visa pause, while applicants already in the United States face a narrower exception for adjustment of status.
USCIS also ordered holds and fresh reviews
On January 1, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Memorandum 602-0194. It directed personnel to “Place a hold on all pending benefit applications for aliens listed in Presidential Proclamation 10998. pending a comprehensive review.”
The memorandum also ordered a “comprehensive re-review” of benefits previously approved after January 20, 2021, for people from the high-risk nations covered by the directive.
That review adds a separate layer to the visa pause and the adjustment-of-status policy. It concerns pending applications as well as certain benefits already approved after the stated date.
Public-charge standards are set to broaden in September
DHS published a final rule in July 2026 that will rescind the 2022 public-charge rule. The replacement is scheduled to take effect on September 18, 2026.
Under the new rule, officers will be allowed to consider a wider range of non-cash public benefits when assessing admissibility. The change adds public-charge scrutiny to a year that already brought new limits on consular issuance and in-country applications.
The FY 2025 figures therefore record a completed period rather than the current operating environment. That period ended September 30, 2025, before the January pause, the January USCIS memorandum, the May adjustment-of-status policy and the September public-charge change were issued.
