WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The Trump administration has walked back its announcement that non-citizens seeking permanent US residency, commonly called a Green Card, would need to return to their home country to apply, The New York Times reported.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the newspaper on Friday that its policy announcement last week was not a requirement for all applicants, but would rather be implemented “on a case-by-case basis.”

A Trump administration spokesman, Zach Kahler, said on May 22 that “from now on, an alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances.”