Almost every single European country requires you to leave the country in order to apply for a new visa status, which is what is happening here in the USA.

In SE Asia there's a whole cottage travel industry taking business and tourist visa holders on a quick trip out of the border in order to return to renew their visa (of course you can also pay for this service under the table).

> Almost every single European country requires you to leave the country in order to apply for a new visa status.

This is not the case for transitioning from a temporary residence permit to a permanent residence permit, which is the best analogue to the USA’s Green Card. In most European countries, one does that within the country (and often within the same province one lives, at a regional office).