Student visa limits spark anxiety among international students in the U.S.

A new U.S. government regulation limiting the stay of foreign students to a maximum of four years has thrown the international student community into disarray. The rule, announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on July 16, will also restrict foreign journalists to 240-day stays per entry. This has sparked concerns that the measure could be used to retaliate against critical reporting.

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Now what do we do?

Students pursuing doctoral degrees, which typically take five to seven years, are particularly anxious. "The anxiety is immense, as it could become difficult to complete our degree within the allowed stay," said one Korean doctoral student in the U.S. for four years. The new policy will be applied retroactively to current students, not just new visa applicants, adding to the uncertainty. Many are now contemplating alternative study destinations in Europe and elsewhere.

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The anxiety is immense, as it could become difficult to complete our degree within the allowed stay.

The restriction on foreign journalists, which revives a policy from the Trump administration, limits stays under the 'I' visa to 240 days, with a shorter 90-day limit for Chinese nationals. Journalist organizations have warned that this could create an environment of fear, discouraging foreign reporters from criticizing the U.S. government and potentially leading to reciprocal measures against American journalists abroad.

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We are worried about the uncertainty of future policies, making us reconsider studying in the U.S.