A day after the US announced a new rule requiring foreigners to leave the United States and apply for Green Card from their home countries, a clarification has come that would provide relief to select category of applicants. This would be a good news for lakhs of Indians working in the US and are in queue to seek a Green Card.The US on Saturday said some Green Card applicants, under the new rules, would be exempt. This development comes after US President Donald Trump announced new rules governing immigration and Green Card.Speaking about the relief, a spokesperson for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Zach Kahler, said individuals whose applications provided economic benefits to the US or served the national interest were likely to be exempt from the country’s proposed Green Card processing changes.The clarification comes after the administration announced new rules, under which migrants seeking permanent residency in the US may be required to return to their home countries to complete the Green Card application process.A Green Card allows foreign nationals to live and work permanently in the US.Kahler’s remarks looked to provide relief to thousands of Indian professionals in the US, particularly those working on H-1B visa. A long waiting period exists for Green Card applied on basis on long employment. Indian applicants face wait times stretching from 10 to 15 years to get a green card. For them to return to India and then apply for a green card would have been economically and socially unviable.Under the earlier system, many applicants could remain in the US while their applications were processed. According to updated guidance issued by USCIS, officials are expected to enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act. This means the transition form temporary work visa to a green card would happened when the applicant is in his/her home country.The US move in part of series of attempts the Trump administration has made to restrict and limit immigration for people from dozens of countries. “Non-immigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the US for a short time and for a specific purpose,” Kahler said. “Our system is designed for them to leave when their visit is over.” The US government policy fundamentally changes how foreign nationals on temporary visas can apply for permanent residency or a Green Card.